#occupymelbourne failed. The focus is on negative press and painting the police as some sort of fascist entity which, quite obviously, is a load of ... uh ... well, rubbish, and off topic. It's been rail roaded by anti-government agitators.

Hopefully they get back on track.

I have attended two protests in my life, neither matching the experience of the latest 'Occupy' protests, and I am already a full supporter of the principles behind the campaign. I am not sure some of the protestors share the views of all of the Wall Street occupiers given one of them said they would not move until the end of capitalism.

Among the supporters of this campaign are also people who wish to see the end of the excesses of capitalism via better regulatory frameworks rather than to bring down a whole system. Simply put - a better way to offset greed.

Protestors are not always a homogenous group going in with the same ideas and aims. But that is obvious.

It would seem that a few police have overacted in some cases including the use of pepper spray. However, the reverse also applies. To be be fair it should be acknowledged police have a difficult job both in having to follow orders they might not agree (eg. Patricks dockside protests) as well as dealing with overt aggression and provocation by some protests including physical attack.

A police officer relative once received an injury due to the aggression of protestors including having faeces and urine thrown at the police line. There was no provocation for such an action and it is naive to think some protestors do not go out of their way to ensure they make the news.

The freedom to assembly should be a given in a free society but within the limits of acceptable behaviour. There were always other options and venues to demonstrate without seeking to cause huge disruptions or violence.

This does not excuse excessive force by police - there is never an excuse for police to stretch the limits of their powers. It is also wiser IMO to keep an open mind no matter where one stands on the issues being demonstrated.

Ghandi had a better approach. It was more effective and the objectives were not lost in the violence.

My apologies for my tone Lexi. I am expressing my frustration.

Forever, you here this rampant description of people whom basically, are people who feel strongly enough about something, to go out and make their presence felt en masse.

Just recently we have witnessed people like Tony Abbott and Alan Jones advocating revolution through their convoy and failing to inspire the numbers. This protesting thing is all about the numbers. Had they achieved the numbers they were promoting of people baying for the Govt's blood, we may have had that election. Instead we got "ditch the witch" etc and false claims of impedance, particularly from Alan Jones.

These same protagonists (and those supporting them) are now present as critics of people doing the same thing as they themselves were recently, achieving about the same numbers and relevance as the convoy people. Without the media campaign I might add.

This post hasn't been about the subject "The Right to Assembly" so far, but I think it is a fundamental pillar of democracy. Without it, the so called Arab Spring would not be in progress as we speak and presumably tyranny be prolonged.

Enough right wing propaganda, as I have said in an earlier post what if 150,000 people turn up ?, if not for this but some other issue, what will Victoria Police do then, call out the tanks ?.

And what will "the right to assembly" mean at that point, too our democracy ?

Apologies, the last line of my last post should have read:

"And if they did, what would "the right to assembly" mean at that point, too our democracy ?."

Interestingly, the London protesters who have set up their 50 tents,
have released their "Global anti capitalist manifesto".

So much for Belly's theories.

The thing is, if you allow one group of people to set up tents
and camp on public land, then it has to be good enough for anyone
to do the same. Why should this group receive special treatment?

Thinker 2,
Rednecks? Racists? You're directing your comments at White posters only and you do that because you're anti White, anti Racism is a code word for anti White.
I'm not happy for Police to do anything at all,I teach my kids the five words, "I have nothing to say", to be used in the event of their being harassed by the Police.because, shock horror! I'm a REAL Anarchist, as opposed to a poser or lifestyle scenster like the "occupy" protestors.
As Joe Toscano says, "Anarchism is about Liberty and it's about cash", I'd add that Liberation is something you DO rather than something you talk about or take to the streets to preach about.
Secession is the start of Liberation and it starts with secession of the mind, choosing to step away from the state and make your own way in life.
Real Anarchists and Anti Globalists are out doing what they do to make a living, building alternative networks of commerce, collectivising and raising their families.
Idiots, stooges, shills and slackers attend protest rallies a few times a year then leech off the state or rely on support from it's public service (of which one arm is the Police)...actually the last Rally I did attend, in 2010 featured the spectacle of so called "Syndicalists" expressing solidarity with the "Workers of the Victoria Police".