Kameraad Mhambi

When Kameraad Mhambi arrived in the green and pleasant land, the world was very different.

Protests had rocked international meetings in Seattle and Genova. The anti-globalisation movement and allied groups were making their voice heard.

When a protest was organised in the city of London, I went to have a look.

I wanted to see what a riot in a western country was like, and how the police will deal with it.

I was not disappointed. The rioters caused a couple of millions pounds of damage to the Natwest tower and the police were surprisingly hands off. Nobody was shot!

I spoke to a couple of the young protesters. A lot – not all – seemed very naive. A lot of what they were protesting for would hurt developing countries. Things like farm subsidies.

Why were they not protesting against multi-national corporations – that do business globally – listing and registering and therefore paying tax – in developed countries only.

A large part of the protest just seemed to be a venting of frustration at a society where individuals were subjected to endless rules and regulations. Where life is just too easy and not a little boring. It was an occasion to let a little bit of hair down. A mock battle to remind the kids that they are alive.

I attended one more protest in Oxford street. The police contained any possible damage very successfully by illegally surrounding and effectively detaining the protestors.

That was the last protest I saw.

When September 11 happened the world’s focus shifted away from the global economy and poverty to a bogey war on terror. Not that Islamic terrorism is not a threat. It’s just not really very important in the bigger scheme of things.

But the credit crunch changed all that.

How the world works and is structured is back on the agenda big time. And that is great news.

But protesters are back as well. Now they were always a broad church this lot. Not all are career trouble makers or contrarians. And most of them have laudable ideals, even if many are clueless and overly romantic and simplistic in their views.

Last night Mhambi was in the Dove on Broadway market and got handed a flyer by an old guy that not only resembled but also had that nasal twang of ex London mayor, Red Ken.

The flyer is funny, it invites all to congrugate at 4 points on April the first.

On 1st April at 11 a.m. parades will join up at four railway stations around the edge of the square mile – Liverpool St, London Bridge, Cannon St and Moorgate – and snake their way though the City to converge at the Bank of England for 12 noon.

Each procession will be headed by one of the Four Horsefolk of the Apocalypse, commanding their forces against:

1) Climate chaos (Green horse, Liverpool St); 2) War (Red horse, Moorgate); 3) Job/savings/pensions losses (Silver horse, London Bridge); and 4) Home repossessions (Black horse, Cannon Street).

G20 Meltdown calls for as many people as possible to join us for Banquet at the Bank, bring food, fun and games to share – a very rare delicacy will be served, bankers brains! If you want to Eat the Bankers join the Silver horse in a zombie block!

To top it all off. None other than Barack Obama will arrive in London that morning. That is together with other world leaders of the G20.

As the A team’s leader would say, “I love it when a plan comes together”. I predict a riot.

I’m not a genius either. Weeks ago London’s top police officer has warned that this could be a summer of riots.

With bankers like Sir Fred, and the derivatives department of global insurance giant AIG walking away with millions after ruining their institutions and part of the world economy – there will be much sympathy for the protesters this time round.

Kameraad Mhambi will be there.

Read more about the day G20 meltdown in the city here. And follow them on Twitter here.

Related deployments:

1. The summer of discontent