English Protets

Opening

The street has split into two sides.

I can feel the vibration in the ground before i can even hear the sounds, it moves in urgent, rhythmic waves.

One one side of the street, chants rise together, matching signs held above their heads.

HOUSING IS A RIGHT

PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT

On the other side, people are standing with their arms crossed, car horns echoing between buildings, with people leaning out the windows demanding to be let through.

Between them a line of police officers standing shoulder to shoulder making sure nothing breaks out.

I move toward a protester with a sign that reads

EVERYONE DESERVES A HOME

his words look angry, his voice isn’t.

Hey I’m Alex, what your name?”

“Im Max, nice to meet you”

“I have just got a few questions if that is ok”

He Nods

Max is a 34 year old man from Brisbane, He has become very concerned about the cost of living and how regular people are supposed to afford a place to live.

Question 1

“What made you get out of bed this morning and decide that you want to protest?”

“I was tired of feeling like I couldn’t make a difference, I can sit at home sending messages hidden from behind a phone or i can come out here and try to make a real difference.”

His words don’t sound angry, but they are filled with frustration.

The kind that has clearly been built up for a long time.

Question 2

“What does protest mean you?”

“It means there is a problem big enough that can distrupt my normal well functioning day”

the word distrupt stays with me.

for the people sitting in their cars waiting to get to work or to an important appointment, disruption is an inconvenience.

But for the protesters, the inconvenience is the point

if nobody notices, nobody listens.

Question 3

“Do you think protest brings people together, or pushes people further apart?”

Max looks back at the crowd full of people.

“It definitely brings us together” He says, “People who i have never met are standing here, wishing for the same thing, but i am not going to act like it brings everyone together, some people are angry because they are stuck here.”

A car horn honks from behind us

A protester turns around, then back again

Chanting like nothing happened

Question 4

“Do disagreements ever happen within the movement itself?”

“All the time” Max says, “some people think we should stay calm and peaceful. others think disruption is the only way to get our message across”

I look around the crowd

they are chanting the same words, but they don’t necessarily agree on ow the words should be proclaimed

Some people want peaceful marches

Some want disruption

Some want immediate change

Some are willing to wait

Even the movement built around unity are willing to wait

Question 5

“Some people think protest just annoys them and pushes them further away from the cause, what do you think of that?”

Max looks towards the cars

“I understand why they are frustrated, but sometimes i think people see the traffic before they see why we are here”

He pauses

“they see an inconvenience. We see people who are struggling to afford a place to live.”

The distinction sits with me

the cars see a protest

The protesters see the reason for it

Question 6

“Do you think division if necessary for protest?”

Max takes longer to answer this time

“I think change challenges people, and when people get challenged, they take the easy option and divide. Maybe division isn’t the goal, maybe it is unavoidable.”

Unavoidable.

maybe the people who are demanding change will always upset the people who are comfortable with the way things are.

Question 7

“after everything you have experienced today, do you still think protest can unite people?”

“It unites people who want to be united” He says “But i dont think it was every meant to unite everyone.”

The chants begin again

Louder

Stronger

Signs rise above the crowds

A car horn answers

For a moment, neither side moves

I look back at Max, he is standing next to someone who he has never met before, different ages, different cultures, different backgrounds, all brought together by one cause they all believe in.

The drivers want their street back,

The protesters want their voices heard

Both fighting for the things they want

Ending

As i start to walk away, the police are still standing between the two sides

Eventually the protesters will leave, the signs will be packed away, the cars will be let pass and the street will be back to normal.

But the reason this happens will stay remain the same

Rent will still need to be paid

People will still need to have a place to live

and the voices ignored yesterday, will still be there tomorrow,

Perhaps this is the point of protest

Not to unite everyone

but the people demanding change cannot be ignored

PROTEST UNITES A CROWD
IT DIVIDES A STREET