Corporate Media Campaign against RTS

Attempts to criminalise Reclaim the Streets

Soon after the <a href="http://bak.spc.org/j18/">Carnival against Capitalism</a> in the City of London on June 18th 1999, the corporate media reported about an "invitation to riot", a "secret council of war" held by "shadowy groups"; and the fact that it was all "plotted on the internet". The August 1999 issue of the magazine <a href="http://www.eco-action.org/dod/no8/index.html">do or die</a> published a concise <a href="http://www.eco-action.org/dod/no8/j18.html">round up</a> of these reports.

Under the headline "City anarchists stockpile arms", the Sunday Times reported that "anarchists are stockpiling illegal weapons worth thousands of pounds, including tear gas and stun guns, for a planned riot in the City of London on November 30".

This phantastic report resonated with the strategy of the metropolitan police who after the Carnival against Capitalism were eager to control Reclaim the Streets. Police turned up in front of the pub near Euston Station were RTS meetings were held, filming everybody who went in.

A "rogue gallery" with photos of activists who were alledgedly involved in the Carnival against Capitalism appeared on the met police website. This gallery has now disappeared from the web.

In response, a spoof website was set up, featuring a "<a href="http://www.bak.spc.org/j18/site/rogues.htm">rogue gallery</a>" of politicians. This website also links to the above mentioned corporate media reports.

A RTS media group was set up to counter the public image of RTS as criminals. Instead of trying to influence corporate media, this group ended up starting indymedia uk.

Tagged as: rts, met police, Repression, j18,

Source: <a href="http://www.bak.spc.org/j18/site/rogues.htm">http://www.bak.spc.org/j18/site/rogues.htm</a>

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