Is the tide turning in favour of those campaigning for freedom from lockdowns? For some weeks World Wide rallies against lockdowns had been planned for Saturday 20th March. Effectively the first anniversary of a year of lockdowns.
The idea originated on the continent after the success of re-opening protests in countries such as Italy, Poland and others. It was felt more countries could join in and it would make a real impression if as many as possible could take part together on a specific day. The theme of “The Great Re-opening” and its variations had a lot of support across many social media platforms.
In the UK the intention was to have rallies in a number of cities at the same time. This ambition was not fully realised but there have been gatherings in many towns and cities, especially Manchester, Newcastle and London. A great reopening of shops planned for Edinburgh was cancelled at the last minute, but a rally still went ahead.
The government has been accused of using a range of tactics to reduce attendance at the rallies, especially the London one. The Metropolitan Police issued a number of media and online warnings against people attending. Numerous attempts were made to infiltrate anti-lockdown social media columns with the intention of causing disunity, doubts about the organisation of the events, whether they were going to be cancelled, and much more.
It is claimed that the government employed disinformation tactics through the use of civilian and military intelligence services plus PR agencies. It is a credit to the organisations involved with the rally in London in particular, that it went well, with a peaceful procession to the heart of London from at least two different starting points. These were deliberately not revealed until early afternoon, to make Police disruption more difficult.
There were 50,000 plus people spread over a 2 and a half mile route, and these figures were many times more than a BBC earlier claim about the numbers. Over in Hyde Park Corner, Piers Corbyn, a candidate for London Mayor under the “Let London Live “ banner, accused the BBC of collective manslaughter, in their blanket support of the government’s lockdown policies. He also maintained the opposition had been worse, with calling for stricter lockdowns. Lawrence Fox, the actor, also joined the rally.
One of the organisations involved, “Save Our Rights,” was very pleased with the turnouts, which were achieved with virtually no media pre-publicity. One organiser, Vince Dunmall, said that it was not just the regular protesters who came out, but thousands of others. This is the way forward, people have had enough, he added.
His colleague, Louise Creffield, said that the success had shown that people have the power, that they are not asleep, and that the numbers were too great for the police to handle. She also said that the people were standing up against the renewal of the Coronavirus Act, the Courts and the new Police and Crime Bills, due to have further debates this coming week. She said that there was meaningless democracy in the country because it had been replaced by a dictatorship, and that real democracy had to be restored. People, she said, were standing up for their rights.
The vast majority of those protesting were not wearing face masks and expressed their sense of freedom at not being muzzled. It could be said that after many weeks of many in retreat, this has been the first victory for those who are campaigning for freedom from all lockdown restrictions.
This is significant because there had been the feeling that the government could get away with whatever it wanted: Back and forth on lockdowns, mass covid-19 testing and mass vaccinations without any logic, and basically riding roughshod over people’s rights and liberties, and behaving in an un British authoritarian manner.
There is the feeling that all that will change. The upwards of 400 local and national ‘freedom from lockdown’ organisations across the UK will take heart from what happened on Saturday and will feel the tide has turned. In fact this would have happened much earlier if the “freedom fighters” had the financial resources. The “National Alliance For Freedom from Lockdowns,” the umbrella group which strives for better co-ordination between all the campaigning organisations, believes the lack of money is the major factor which has slowed up the campaign to restore freedoms.
The small number of professional banners, leaflets and other basic resources has really hindered the whole campaign. Hopefully this will improve. At present the freedom campaigners are like a poorly equipped division against many full equipped and fully financed government ones. Anyone who has been involved with a referendum or political election campaign will know that good financing and resourcing mean a much better chance of success.
The resources issue was the major reason why the great reopening of shops aspect of the campaign could not proceed, as the support mechanism and structure is simply not there for those who would want to be involved. The positive, though, was that the rallies were successful, especially the London one. Those wanting freedom feel they are a “people’s army,” of all ages, backgrounds, creeds, races and religions, and believe strongly that the “sword of truth” is on their side.
It is well known that thousands more people held back from attending the rallies today, for many reasons, but primarily because of fear of fines and arrests by the government. There were some 33 arrests sadly (for doing nothing except peacefully protest) but overall there was not the scale of problems with the London police which there have been with protests with lower numbers. It was felt that it was more difficult for the police to exercise their usual tactics against anti-lockdown protesters, which are to pick out people who are easy to snatch. Those in the rally tended to link arms when such a threat appeared. This success will mean many thousands more people will have the courage to go out on the streets and demand their freedoms back.
For some time those campaigning to end lockdowns have been seeking to carry out protests which were more logical and targeted at achieving specific objectives. More of this sensible protesting, aimed at putting the government and its backers on the defensive at last, is likely to take place. On Saturday 20th March the UK campaign played their part in making the “World Wide Rally for Freedom and Democracy” a successful event in many nations’ cities. These included Australia, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Austria and others. After all, no country in the world has any electoral mandate to bring in lockdown restrictions. If we believe in democracy such measures should be subject to democratic mandate, such as a referendum, before being imposed.
Photo by steven.eason 
At every stage of this apalling mess. There has been a new bunch of people with a panacea.
Things have been obvious from day one. And most are so obvious and ignored that there should be an excess of conspiracy theories.
What has been obvious? I’m bored with repeating them.
The shape ofthe desease shows design, remarkable design to search for some weeknesses and avoiod or sttack them
It doesn’t kill on its own. It can be regarded ( If you like ) as a cull.
Obvious routes to take have been overwhelmed by mob rule.
Even in country terms rather than individuals willingness to take action has been overwhelmed. No one can accept responsibility for even the simplest of actions or collateral damage. The compensation culture invented misstakenly by the 1940’s Labour idiots has finished us, has floored us.
That is only one of continueing mistakes, But I’m no longer squeamish.
Too many countries have tried policies andfinally beem ground down.
It could I feel be called a desease of the Media.
IMHO, This is a failure of the State/private economy and government breaking down from too many people. World wide. But if you just look at Britain, There has been an obvious lack of clever hard headed,ness.
Decision after decision has been made in theknowledge that one mis,step and you’ll be hung out to dry. So excuses have been built in. There’s been no little boy with his finger in the dike.
If you look at temperory successes in countries, it becomes obvious that panic trumps brains. And that there are many clear headed people but they don’t matter in the rush for the doors.
Every facet is self adminitered. Bring back Cummings.as head of Whitehall.
March of the (brain dead) zombies. These are the sort that may trigger yet another outbreak of the Wu flu, so prolonging lockdown/more deaths/more damage to the economy.
Don’t think you’re being clever.
Selfish, ignorant, weak willed, snowflakes.
If we do get a third wave, these are the people responsible.
Jeez, it’s just like Brexit again. Those who slavishly conform and knuckle under when authority cracks the whip, turn nasty and abuse those who will not accept totalitarian destruction of their independence, freedom and civil liberties.
Perhaps Harry ” the troll” Again might consider who initiated the lockdowns, the people or the govt? Has the govt given any evidence of any kind to suggest the lockdowns have worked? Has the govt tried any other strategy such as treatment for Wuflu, have they conducted any clinical trials on suggested treatments, or have they gone along with rubbishing and suppressing all talk of treatments and persecution and of those advocating them? Doesn’t it even occur to those of little brain that this is very odd, that there are incongruities and questions in the narrative of the authorities they slavishly bow down to, that cry out for answers?
Indeed Tony; those who meekly comply with any and all government directives will be the architects of our future loss of freedom. As all should know freedom is a precious thing which once lost can never be regained except by armed conflict. They would be well advised to consider what they are giving up.
Well said Tony Woodcock.
And Jack Thomas.
In days of yore when there were few cures for any infectious disease, we locked people up in isolation hospitals to keep them away from the general public. These places have long closed. (TB, scarlet fever, smallpox etc)
But now we have another incurable, infectious disease. The only way to stop any infectious disease spreading, is to keep people apart.
Harry Again. Spouting the Guardian led, M.S.M. Panic Fear Campaign, to keep the Dictatorship in power for as long as possible.
‘Harry Again’ is likely a 77th Brigade troll.
Not being on any social media, I was surprised and delighted to read about these anti-lockdown demos. What a relief to know there are so many more conformist refuseniks. Organisers will have to be very careful these demos are not highjacked by BLM/ ANTIFA riding piggyback to violently attack the police.
Quite right there, Tony Woodcock. They did avoid BLM/ANTIFA on Saturday. Then there was Bristol!
The Great Barrington Declaration suggested an better alternative to lockdowns. It was systematically suppressed. Doesn’t that strongly suggest an ulterior motive to the lockdown policies?
“The idea originated on the continent after the success of re-opening protests in countries such as Italy, Poland and others”
Well that was a bit of a premature ejaculation wasn’t it? Success? With these very countries introducing, or planning to introduce yet another wretched lockdown on the back of rising rates?
Just saying – I don’t have any data that sheds light on why their covid rates are rising so I am certainly not going to point a finger at ‘opening up too soon’, although I bet Profs Doom & Gloom try to. The continental tragedy unfolding is the politicisation of the vaccines and the slow rollout with some countries still working through people in their 80s.
Helena I do get what you are saying but….my big worry is…are we quite, quite sure that the ‘rising Covid rates’ are really, really happening. Or is it simply another case of ‘testing’ producing the necessary information. We have been reading that the tests have been using the wrong levels of signals (or something like that). They have been set up at a higher signal rate than the manufacturers have recommended. Therefore, ‘cases’ would necessarily show an increase. But these cases might only be undetectable by any other means because they are so slight! I seriously feel that there is another agenda going on in parallel here. Pushing the vaccine at ‘everybody’ now rather than the old, infirm and otherwise health compromised people that were initially to be targeted, smacks of something other than just ‘protection’ for the vulnerable. Especially when they openly admit that the vaccine cannot stop you catching Covid nor stop you from passing it on. It just doesnt quite add up!
Basically I agree with you Frederica. The Pharmaceutical Companies don’t care how many they harm or kill so long as they make money.
The politicians don’t care what happens so long as they hang on to their power and control.
Dead right Thats just about it
There’s been no flu this year. Have you heard what the State is saying?? ” It’s because we’ve been wearung masks and washing hands” . And then running away.
I was on the march. There were loads of police, dozens of vans lined up from Speakers’ Corner, but they didn’t cause trouble until nearly evening. Maybe we benefited from the reaction to police action at Clapham. The protesters were good-humoured – many bus drivers, their buses immobilised in Oxford Street, smiled, did thumbs up and tooted their horns at us, and we all cheered and waved at them. I saw no one wearing a mask. I met two women who had driven from Southampton to go on the march.
I was worried about getting a fine, but felt I had to go. Freedom matters.
As a microbiologist, it puzzles me why anyone, unless they have good reason to believe they may have a respiratory infection of any sort, not just Covid, would wear a mask out of doors in the fresh air. So it’s not an act of defiance against ‘muzzles’ to not have worn a mask on the march, just plain common sense.
The police were all wearing them. And where I work, I’d say about 15 – 20% of people in the street wear masks.
I am horrified at this, I could weep; it is the same at my local high street. Someone suggested to me they do it from virtue signalling and that they are actually enjoying all this Covid drama !!!! These idiots are putty in the hands of TPTB dangerous and in effect asking, encouraging the Govt to muzzle all of us all the time. The thin end of the wedge. I’ve tried talking sense into some of them and find its impossible.
Rre the antifa -infiltrated riots, UK Column observed today that the burnt out police car looked like an untaxed outdated car. Was the burning a stage-managed theatre by TPTB ? Using an old car that they could afford to waste with no questions asked?
Good for you xantilor. Well done and thank you. I wish I could do something to help. Freedom is the most important thing.
Thank you Pauline!
Well done Xantilor. It was wonderful to see it all on video. Such brave people. I hope that it was equally successful in all the other countries as well. Of course, we shan’t be told anything about that in the MSM shall we?
Enough is enough Bumbling Boris needs removing from office by his party now and all these idiotic restrictions repealed
I wish they would Adam. They got rid of May, but it doesn’t seem to be happening with Boris.
Its not bumbling, its deliberate
As the Swedish health chief said a year ago when lockdowns were introduced by governments all around the world. “Its alright going into lockdown but how do you come out of it”?
And Sweden has shown that lockdowns were not necessary.
Absolute twaddle. The Swedish “non-lockdown” was a total failure. Many people died.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/03/swedish-model-failed-covid-19
Quite so Jake. Don’t you just feel that its really because….actually ‘they’ don’t want to come out of it!!! They have become ‘power crazed’ and are quite willing to sacrifice everyone and everything to keep that power going!
Unfortunately it will take a long time for the truth to hit home.
It is of course, a healthy functioning economy that pays the dictators’ wages.
You are sounding quite paranoid now!