One of the certainties of security work is dealing with protesters. I did security for six years and saw my share of passive crowds, nice crowds, and stupid crowds. The worse protests I remember were related to logging in Carmanah and Walbran Valleys. The protests were long , continuous, and sometimes violent.
I had a day off during one bad protest when people broke into the Ministry Of Forests. I heard about it on the news and at work the next day. When I was doing my rounds I talked to some secretaries and heard some rotten things. When people found out the Minister was out for a meeting they began screaming at the staff and would not let them leave. A number of people chained themselves to furniture.
One young woman, who was a casual worker, said that experience turned her against the protesters. I heard other people voice similar opinions. It is hard to agree with someone who really annoys you. These protesters hurt their cause.
I may have remained neutral to the protesters if I hadn't gone down to the parking lot. There were several signs, made of wood and cardboard, left lying on the ground or thrown on top of the garbage bin. I just shook my head and wondered how they expected to be taken seriously.
Thanks to Supermum (and Mick In the UK) for inspiration.
1 comment:
I've told many people over the years that the only way others will listen to their concerns is if they address the problem in a civil, adult manner. Yes, sometimes even when they are right, they lose public support because of their actions during protests. I couldn't believe the crowd outside Parliament today. See my comment at Supermum's site.
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