Are the ‘gatherings’ in Cardiff Bay a continued sign of social rebellion against a perceived growth of a Neo-Fascist state? At face value, what we have seen is basically a very large group of predominately young people showing complete disregard for the rule of law despite coronavirus restrictions still being in place., and defying the enforcers of the laws of the country, the police. This could be attributed to a year long shut down of society and socialising, which would possibly have a much harder effect on that age group than those who’s need for such large-scale interaction may not be as strong.
Following on from the Bristol riots, and other such gatherings under the initial banner of ‘Kill the Bill’, at least the Cardiff Bay gathering was more peaceful in nature, with the overall feel being one of young people ‘letting off steam’. However, the disregard for the authority of the police, and the massive amount of litter left behind paints a picture of a break down in regard for the basic ethos of society and is worrying. How long before the current policing system is seen as being ineffectual, and the army are moved in to cope with large gatherings? Is this actually being engineered by a Government who have continually shown disregard for the people they are supposed to represent, and continue to act as a social elite ruling a country like feudal landlord without any apparent form of scrutiny?
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which propose to give police in England and Wales more power to impose conditions on non-violent protests, including those which are deemed too noisy or a nuisance, is to me an act of fear by a morally bankrupt Government being put in place to discourage any resistance to the damage being done by them, and to maintain a power base that can go unchallenged. But the use of violence and anti-police activity to counteract its imposition is actually playing into their hands. They have, in the full view of those who do not attend such gatherings, the reason to use harder laws to supress what seems to those on the peripheral, an attack on law, and by proxy, on their way of life. Simply, peaceful, non-aggressive protest would, and remains, the best way forward, however difficult it may seem.
What would happen if people simply went home after gathering, instead of being enticed in to pitch battles with an embattled police force who stand in no mans land and have become the deflected target of what should be aimed at Government.
The police are NOT the enemy, no matter if that is how they are being painted by those with axes to grind for whatever reason, the enemy is sitting in Downing Street, and the only way we will get rid of the malaise that is endemic in British society is to vote them out. And when the opportunity is there, use your vote to do so, otherwise, without a doubt, your freedom to think will be taken away from you before you even realise it.
