Having calmed down a bit (not a lot, though) I'd just like to add that we regularly get demonstrations outside Main building, and the coppers (MDP, and armed to the teeth, along with MGS, unarmed, but can give you a nasty stare and old hands at the snide remark) tend to ignore them and life carries on.
There was a group of young people here last year, one of whom had a hand-scrawled sign saying "Down with this sort of thing", which drew a lot of supporting laughter from all the Father Ted fans. They are utterly harmless, and are treated as such. No-one passing them had the faintest idea why they were there, but they weren't any harm.
What is interesting is that, over the years, the only ones you ever see more than once are the Pax Christi ones on Ash Wednesday - they are a dedicated bunch of pacifists, and have strongly held, and genuine, views (completely wrong, but that's another story. We didn't win an Empire by being Christian
Pacifists, of that I am sure). All the other numpties are seen once, ususally when they are students, and, having taken part in a 'demo' (of the softest sort - no half-bricks, kettling, or chanting, please) then go on to complete their degree in sociology and get a job as a Diversity Co-Ordinator in some council somewhere via the Guardian Ads page. They can then say that they 'fought ' against 'the man' at many dinner parties in North
London for the rest of their miserable, non-productive, parasitical existences. The only thing they understand is a good thrashing, and they'd be none the worse for a good hanging. Followed by 12 years of compulsory National Service, as the N Koreans do. That'd teach 'em to go around being young.
(Sorry, I've obiously not calmed down enough. More pills and gin needed. That, and of course a tactical nuclear strike on Hampstead. Come to think of it, most of West London could go as well. And as for Kent.....).
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