Melbourne Protests:Land Forces 2024 International Land Defence Exposition

[Aristotle Pickett]

Going off in Melbourne.

Pepper spray used and fires break out as weapons expo protesters face off with police in Melbourne’s CBD

Public transport to be affected as anti-war protesters rally outside Land Forces expo at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

www.theguardian.com

I'm 100% behind the peaceful protestors.

 

[eddiesmith]

Albanese is at the expo , what a right wing sellout.

Is he? He was in Sydney this morning for the Paralympians welcome home.

 

[Cleavy]

Going off in Melbourne.

Pepper spray used and fires break out as weapons expo protesters face off with police in Melbourne’s CBD

Public transport to be affected as anti-war protesters rally outside Land Forces expo at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

www.theguardian.com

I'm 100% behind the peaceful protestors.

they don't look very peaceful (starting fires etc), but there is violence/retaliation both ways.

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

Is he? He was in Sydney this morning for the Paralympians welcome home.

Ok i got that wrong, it looked like the expo. Albo loves the expo anyway.
He loves looking at the new bombs and guns available.

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

they don't look very peaceful (starting fires etc), but there is violence/retaliation both ways.

Well it's brought attention to the issue and they're doing less damage than what the weaponry would.

 

[Demons09]

Hopefully those horses stomp a few heads although it wont make any difference to the brain dead morons, and lol did i just see a Russian flag at a peaceful protest.

 

[SnakeMan86]

That's a bit simplified and cliched.
The protestors are mainly intelligent young people who know the reality and are disgusted that bombs and tanks are being spruiked like it's a car show in Melbourne.
They're unveiling bombs and tanks under curtains with music and a light show.
It's sick.

Sorry, as someone who was in the city today... the balaclava led individuals, starting small fires, throwing rocks screaming "Fk Tha Police" were far from this.

Similar with the protests during lockdowns, this issue is the tag-alongers... Who don't care about the issue, they just want an excuse to cause chaos.

 

[Gough]

Sorry, as someone who was in the city today... the balaclava led individuals, starting small fires, throwing rocks screaming "Fk Tha Police" were far from this.

Similar with the protests during lockdowns, this issue is the tag-alongers... Who don't care about the issue, they just want an excuse to cause chaos.

Have you seen what the weapons they're protesting against do?

 

[kickazz]

Yeah but then these winners run to the next protest, then the next, then the next...

They always inconvenience you and I going about our day but never make any sacrifice themselves. I mean, if they all boycott specific companies and affect profits you'll see some change mighty quick. Just slowing us from getting to work achieves zilch. Think they could go without their iPhone, Ubers, McDonalds etc though? Of Course not

If everyone who wanted to protest got together and said stop buying xyz until we get what we want, you'd soon see that company on your side. Before long Apple are in negotiations at the white house to get shit done. That would however require actual action/sacrifice from slactivists, something they don't like. Much easier to just post a black square or whatever the ****

That's my main issue with these winners, not the individual cause. They just piss us off who care slightly less about their cause while achieving less than nothing and not having their lives impacted one bit other than trying to score virtue points online. **** them tbh

Quoting you from the Police Brutality thread as we were getting off topic there:

Yeah I hear you - and no doubt there is a percentage there that are just rabble rousers or professional whingers.

Boycotting these companies perhaps starts with this. Lol if they are all indeed bums they probably aren't buying their shares anyway. But make a big fuss, appear on the news, it's all about taking big steps toward awareness. It could affect votes. People might review their superannuation investments.

We also need to let people pick their causes without moral one-upmanship. Sure I could start a conversation about sexual violence used as a tool in DRC to get cheaper rare metals to make the iPhone these protesters are using. Maybe I should be doing that. But it doesn't necessarily diminish the fact that their cause is worth protesting.


'Slacktivism' is an interesting term. On the one hand, I see it as being the top of the Marketing Funnel so not all completely useless. But on the other hand it is also kind of a product of our privileged lives too. A protest where it hurts the protestor, even if just a little bit, carries a lot more respect I recon.

As for the violence, inconvenience, etc - yeah we all hate it when it pisses us off. There is a time for it though, (I never truly got this until I watched Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing") whether or not this is one, I don't know.

I must say of all the public protests I've seen, one that really has really stayed with me was in Melbourne's Southbank when some vegans were just standing silently holding up ipads (no I didn't get all relative privation on their asses and talk about coltan mining) showing videos of animal cruelty. There was no ammunition (excuse use of word) from them that gave me any visceral desire to engage with them belligerently. They were just politely and humbly trying to give a voice to the voiceless.

Maybe we need more of that here? Rows of people showing videos (to participants and passers by alike) of children in Ukraine, Gaza etc dying on hospital beds, without homes, and so on.

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

Sorry, as someone who was in the city today... the balaclava led individuals, starting small fires, throwing rocks screaming "Fk Tha Police" were far from this.

Similar with the protests during lockdowns, this issue is the tag-alongers... Who don't care about the issue, they just want an excuse to cause chaos.

Forget about the protestors and think of the issue.

 

[SnakeMan86]

Have you seen what the weapons they're protesting against do?

Missed the entire point of the post

 

[eddiesmith]

Sorry, as someone who was in the city today... the balaclava led individuals, starting small fires, throwing rocks screaming "Fk Tha Police" were far from this.

Similar with the protests during lockdowns, this issue is the tag-alongers... Who don't care about the issue, they just want an excuse to cause chaos.

Even the other day they beat up a busker for daring to play music whilst they were protesting.

 

[kickazz]

Couldn't help but think of a couple of scenes from The Night Manager (damn fine series - check it out!)

 

[SnakeMan86]

Forget about the protestors and think of the issue.

Its the "Tag alongers" who muddy the issue though, which is my point.
Because people who were passing by, or who will watch the news now, will miss the point of the protest to begin with, and the message gets lost.

The focus moves away from the issue, and is shifted to "Look at those "Violent Dkheads"

There is elements of individuals "Protesting" who choose to just cause chaos... Regardless of what the issue is... They are doing more damage to the issue than good.

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

Its the "Tag alongers" who muddy the issue though, which is my point.
Because people miss the point of the protest to begin with, and the message gets lost, because the focus is shifted to "Look at those "Violent Dkheads"

Their is element of individual there who choose to just cause chaos... Regardless of what the issue is... They are doing more damage to a cause than good.

They hate capitalism and the war machine and it makes them angry.
Capitalism is destroying our environment and increasing the wealth gap.
This expo promoting weapons of war for profit is an example of that.

 

[SnakeMan86]

They hate capitalism and the war machine and it makes them angry.
Capitalism is destroying our environment and increasing the wealth gap.
This expo promoting weapons of war for profit is an example of that.

Sure... that was the ones i witnessed...

What i saw was some people protesting.. and some people who wanted an excuse to fk shit up

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

Sure... that was the ones i witnessed...

What i saw was some people protesting.. and some people who wanted an excuse to fk shit up

I don't think they are just thrill seekers.

 

[Demons09]

I don't think they are just thrill seekers.

No they’re just morons and dole bludgers who the tax payer has to fund.

 

[Gough]

No they’re just morons and dole bludgers who the tax payer has to fund.

I 100% guarantee you the level of government subsidies to those outside would pale into insignificance to the amount of government dosh being handed out inside the event. If you're really worried about that sort of thing.

 

[burge13]

Quoting you from the Police Brutality thread as we were getting off topic there:

Yeah I hear you - and no doubt there is a percentage there that are just rabble rousers or professional whingers.

Boycotting these companies perhaps starts with this. Lol if they are all indeed bums they probably aren't buying their shares anyway. But make a big fuss, appear on the news, it's all about taking big steps toward awareness. It could affect votes. People might review their superannuation investments.

We also need to let people pick their causes without moral one-upmanship. Sure I could start a conversation about sexual violence used as a tool in DRC to get cheaper rare metals to make the iPhone these protesters are using. Maybe I should be doing that. But it doesn't necessarily diminish the fact that their cause is worth protesting.


'Slacktivism' is an interesting term. On the one hand, I see it as being the top of the Marketing Funnel so not all completely useless. But on the other hand it is also kind of a product of our privileged lives too. A protest where it hurts the protestor, even if just a little bit, carries a lot more respect I recon.

As for the violence, inconvenience, etc - yeah we all hate it when it pisses us off. There is a time for it though, (I never truly got this until I watched Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing") whether or not this is one, I don't know.

I must say of all the public protests I've seen, one that really has really stayed with me was in Melbourne's Southbank when some vegans were just standing silently holding up ipads (no I didn't get all relative privation on their asses and talk about coltan mining) showing videos of animal cruelty. There was no ammunition (excuse use of word) from them that gave me any visceral desire to engage with them belligerently. They were just politely and humbly trying to give a voice to the voiceless.

Maybe we need more of that here? Rows of people showing videos (to participants and passers by alike) of children in Ukraine, Gaza etc dying on hospital beds, without homes, and so on.

I'm not saying buy shares. I'm saying get a huge group online and don't use Uber, buy McDonalds etc & make it very public why. When their profits are hurt all of a sudden you'll see more change you want rather than simply pissing off your neighbours going about their day. We all know there are wars going on, I'm not arrogant enough to think my displeasure at them is changing anything. So go do something tangible (they never do, ever).

I truly believe these people are attention seeking virtue signallers, nothing more. They do it so they feel good and they get attention, the cause is secondary.

As for veganism protests (or any protest really), they demand respect and want their cause championed above all else. Why is it always the 'offended' who demand this but never respect other opinions? A good (and really simple/tiny/pointless) example is the 'culturally diverse' no more saying 'merry christmas' because not everyone celebrates it. OK, no skin off my nose saying something different but why can't they respect a different culture in the same token? It's just being upset somehow gives you more rights these days but they show no respect for others

Slacktivists are nothing, they do nothing, they achieve nothing, they are worth nothing. They think because they are upset at something we all need to be but they won't do anything concrete to change. Being offended is weaponised in so many ways

The Palestine/Israel war has gone on since before I was born and it will NEVER be solved. Blocking streets in Melbourne isn't changing that or leading to anything that will. Protest by all means, the weapons show is a disgrace but do something that matters. Pressure the government to pull funding, super funds, whatever. They never do anything worth a damn other than seek attention for themselves

 

[strauchy]

They're not even worth the pepper spray. Too valuable for the morons.

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

No they’re just morons and dole bludgers who the tax payer has to fund.

Whatever you say right wing facist.

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

They're not even worth the pepper spray. Too valuable for the morons.

Did you go and check out all those beautiful new bombs and tanks?

 

[Xtreme]

Campaigners with nothing better to do.

 

[strauchy]

Did you go and check out all those beautiful new bombs and tanks?

Hilarious how off the mark you are. Were you one of those bums throwing horse poo at the police today as well?