Capital backs anti-capitalist protests but Tories warn of ‘wrong message’

Published on Saturday 26 November 2011 01:24

EDINBURGH city council has been criticised after it pledged its backing to the anti-capitalist movement that has occupied St Andrew Square.

Councillors endorsed the aims of the Occupy Movement, which has set up camp in cities including Glasgow, London and New York. Green, Lib Dem, Labour and SNP councillors agreed a motion, which organisers of the Edinburgh occupation said was the first of its kind in the world.

In a statement, the group said: “Edinburgh city council has set a worldwide precedent by voting in favour of the motion to support the aims and sentiments of Occupy Edinburgh and the Occupy Movement as a whole.

“With this historic decision, Edinburgh City Council is setting an example in local administration, as well as sending a message to the governments in both Holyrood and Westminster”.

But Jeremy Balfour, leader of the Tory group, which did not back the motion, said the move had sent the wrong message to the business community. He said: “Edinburgh relies heavily on banking and financial services and I’m concerned about the message we’re sending by endorsing an illegal demonstration.”

The council motion stated: “[The] council recognises the aims of ‘Occupy’ movements throughout the world and understands that they are an attempt to redirect economic decisions to be more orientated towards the poor and disenfranchised, which is a sentiment [the] council endorses”.

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jockmacsprog

Friday, December 2, 2011 at 12:59 AM

its unfortunate that your valid concerns about the banking system are invalidated by your lying about numbers and refusal to address drug and alcohol abuse by your security force. There has never been 25 people sleeping overnight and you know it. If you cant tell the truth about your numbers how can anyone trust you and your message ?

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13

occupylink

Monday, November 28, 2011 at 04:06 PM

#12. Sure we contract ourselves. You see, we understand that we are human and don't have all the answers. The banks say they have all the answers, but they just want to grab any money they can get their mits in. As for knowing basic economics, we know enough to know how banking works. "Wanna make a million", they say. How? "Give us a billion and we'll turn it into a million". As for your list of "usual suspects", you cannot categorise or pigeonole us. The movement is non political and leaderless, and so are the people in it. There are actually around 25 people on average who stay overnight. Rather than focusing on the minimal disruption caused to some people by the protest, we should focus on the finacial disasters and mayhem caused by the sharp practices of bank dealers and their greedy and selfish bosses.

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12

jockmacsprog

Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 05:58 PM

so why then are you supporting a "buy nothing day" and goofy "no growth" economic schemes ? You constantly contradict yourselves and dont even seem to know it. Your even basic knowledge of economics is shocking so why should the public trust you to guide a debate on capitalism or the economy ? C'mon just admit it, you are the usual suspects of Green Party activists, students, and socialists. (with a few anarchists thrown in for good measure. Hardly the 99% as is evidenced by your presence of about 3-5 people in the Square. Question, why do 5 people need 35 tents to sleep in ? You wouldnt be trying to create an image of a larger presence or infrastructure would you ???? Pretty transparent tactic

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11

occupylink

Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 05:00 PM

"The Occupy Movement is leaderless resistance movement with people of many colours, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that "We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%". We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of nonviolence to maximise the safety of all participants." "The Occupy Movement empowers real people to create real change from the bottom up. We want to see a general assembly in every backyard, on every street corner because we don't need places like Wall Street or the London Stock Exchange and we don't need politicians to build a better society." Read it. Read it again. Note that there is no mention of "anti-capitalism" here, and nor are we either in name or spirit "anti-Capitalist". We are against the reckless and indeed often criminal behaviour of some firms, in particular banks. A behavioural Case Study - Royal Bank of Scotland: Leading UK bank the RBS, drove down their asset base from nearly 19 pounds per share right down to 50 pence per share, at what stage the UK Government went and brought 84% of the RBS in 2008, for 45 billion pounds. The share value is now 19 pence, meaning that the RBS has lost 28 billion pounds for the tsxpayer investment, no doubt to be funded by the pension cuts demanded of public servants. The RBS thought they had done such a grand job, they rewarded themselves at the beginning of this year with a whopping 950 million pound bonus for their big executives. Stephen Hester at the top got his share of the action, around 8 million in his pocket. This is far more than Fred Goodwin ever got, and he had to take real risks, as the Bank was not a quasi government concern then. This Christmas, RBS executives are planning on taking 1.5 billion pounds in bonuses. What they want, they get too - and from a compliant shareholder, in this case, the 84%er, the government (we the taxpayer). Most real capitalists like Donald Trump think this carry on by the banks and the government bailouts, both here and in the US are crazy. So does David Cameron. Royal Bank of Scotland should not be "leading the way" when it came to bankers' bonuses, the Prime Minister said. We agree with the capitalists. We are mad at the banks as many of them are. We are not anti-Capitalist, just anti-corruption.

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Paul Newton

Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 09:38 PM

Maybe you'd like to enforce a total ban on alcohol.... they tried that in the states i think... was it called prohibition... worked really well there... oh sorry Jock I forgot you live in Utopia... my mistake

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Paul Newton

Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 09:36 PM

But no, just keep drinking, fighting, dealing drugs and attracting every jakey in Edinburgh, after a few more fights the cops and owners of the square will eventually evict you. and then you'll get your wish Jock..... My words to the council last week said that the camp had old and young, with jobs and without, girls and boys, scots and foreign nationals (like me) and students... In fact the camp reflects a microcosm of the city itself... If you live in an Edinburgh that has no drinking, no fighting, no drugs, and whatever you mean by "jakeys" then perhaps you live in a little utopia of perfectionism.... No one ever said we were perfect.... but keep throwing your mud missiles in your pathetic attempt to influence public opinion... sure you enjoy it...

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jockmacsprog

Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 09:07 PM

yeah Paul, and if you keep trying to divert attention from the drug dealing, drunk security and falling numbers at your demo by wrapping youself in every cause on the face of the earth, you might succeed, but I doubt it. Where are your numbers ? why only a handful at this demo ? Thats not exactly the 99% is it ? And why cant you ban alcohol at your camp if it would help you gain credibility to address all the causes you proclaim to support ? But no, just keep drinking, fighting, dealing drugs and attracting every jakey in Edinburgh, after a few more fights the cops and owners of the square will eventually evict you (in fact that is already in the works) you will then be a distant fading memory like all the other occupy movements that have been evicted due to their own idiocy and vanity.

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Paul Newton

Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 08:50 PM

Smear Smear Smear.... anti semitism, sexism and employed the use of drunk "security" thugs. The real activists are gone, all that remains in the square are drunks, drunk addicts. Smear Smear Smear The average urban petty criminal? Those below the median income? The under-18s who are not allowed to vote? Political prisoners around the world? The starving in Africa suffering from corrupt governance and incompetent development aid (£30b in the last 30 years)? The drafters of this motion and those who voted for it without thinking should be ashamed of their hypocrisy. Smear Smear Smear..... Capital backs anti-capitalist protests Do you really think the public are gullible to swallow this avalanche of misinformation? Lads the old smear em and hang up up theories may have worked in the past... but these days there the internet, online video and real information.. and even though people may have swallowed up your side of the story in the past... these days people like to experience both sides.. so your smear is less likely to be effective.. but sure keep at it anyway.. it's the only game you know.

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jockmacsprog

Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 06:17 PM

of course OE (all 5 of them in the square!) is anti capitalist. They like to pretend they are but just look at their own words and actions. Why are they promoting a "buy nothing day" ? Why do their banners speak of wacky "no growith" economic schemes and the usual failed socialist re-distributive policies ? More importantly why are we and the council pandering to a movement of 5 people who's sole focus seems to be erecting empty tents and just occupying a square ? They lost my support when they embraced anti semitism, sexism and employed the use of drunk "security" thugs. The real activists are gone, all that remains in the square are drunks, drunk addicts, and an ego maniac Green politician. Also, I find it hilarious that a council who will not reveal the documents relating to their ineptitute and waste of £200m of taxpayers (the 99%) money pretends to support some populist movement. This is just a cynical populist, pandering publicity stunt by the council, (same as the unions and COE) to use the movement for their own agenda.

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Harry Palmer

Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 03:09 PM

The Tories have done more than most to put us in this mess. With there trickle down economics and their tax dodging members. Dinosaurs that's what the tories are. And now that Brian Soutar is giving his money to the SNP and the tories have a gay leader. The ancient "conservative values voters" will be able to vote SNP now. That's why Sir Brian gives his cash to the SNP now!

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jonnyblamey

Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 12:14 PM

I understand that often the headline is written by a different journalist than the article. But it is not acceptable that such an important paper should report a falsehood as fact when it is so easy to discover the truth. The capital does NOT back anti capitalist protests, so to say it does is irresponsible journalism, however catchy and puntastic the headline. The reported event is of global importance, since this is the first time that the occupy movement has been recognised and endorsed by a representative democratic government. All the more reason to report it correctly.

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g danton

Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 12:03 PM

The Council motion is meaningless waffle: "to redirect economic decisions to be more orientated towards the poor and disenfranchised". 1) what kind of "economic decisions"? Where and whether we chose to spend our money as consumers? By taxing the rich until the pips squeak? 2) what does "more orientated towards" mean? A real weasel phrase: 1 or 50% more? 1 or 180 degree orientation change? 3) which "poor and disenfranchised" are they referring to? The average urban petty criminal? Those below the median income? The under-18s who are not allowed to vote? Political prisoners around the world? The starving in Africa suffering from corrupt governance and incompetent development aid (£30b in the last 30 years)? The drafters of this motion and those who voted for it without thinking should be ashamed of their hypocrisy.

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Mike Ferrigan

Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 11:35 AM

The Scotsman and Evening News continually refer to us as Anti Capitalist despite repeated request to stop doing so. As part of the Delegation to the Council, in my opening speech I informed the full council that we were NOT anti capitalist. I agree that we need to work towards a new truly sustainable economic model.

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Ancient Wisdom

Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 08:25 AM

As capitalism is the only game in town it it stupid to be anti capitalist until a viable alternative is invented. In the meantime we should be demanding 'sustainable' capitalism in the place of what we currently endure.

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