BBC documentary gives insight into protest movement
15 November 2005
A new film - broadcast tonight by the BBC - has been praised by the Green Party for its insight and integrity.
The film "G8: Can You Hear Us?" is about the G8 meeting of the world's richest countries, which took place in Scotland this summer and prompted Make Poverty History and Bob Geldof's "Live 8".
It follows the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army, a Communist Party organiser, and Green Party Executive member Matt Wootton, who travels to Scotland by bicycle as part of the G8 Cycle Caravan. It also features Green MEP Dr Caroline Lucas.
Matt Wootton praised the film, which was premiered last night at London's Frontline club. "The director Christopher Mitchell has produced a film with insightfulness and integrity. Mitchell has, for the most part, resisted the usual Reality TV temptation of satirising the characters, while providing the viewer with a humanising insight into a protest movement that is almost always shown as violent, fringe and disorganised. The humour and irony in this film also underlines the increasing media-savvyness of protesters, and gels together in humour the conflicts between characters.
"This film is important and cutting edge, because it is a bridge between a protest movement poorly represented in mainstream media, and a general public who are increasingly interested in radical change. The BBC should be congratulated for bringing this insight to a larger audience, including the millions of people who were engaged by the Make Poverty History campaign."
Matt - an activist who is currently contesting a by-election in Lancaster - said of the protests: "Going up to protest against the undemocratic power of the G8 nations was a fantastic experience because everybody I met was so friendly. I met a huge range of people up there, from Christians and grandmothers to bicycle riders and anarchist clowns. It was so great to join so many people saying "we don't believe a meeting of the world's richest 8 nations is the solution to Climate Change and Global Poverty: we suspect the G8 is part of the problem".
It was certainly hard work traveling to Scotland by bicycle, but the sense of community was worth it; I'd never met such a nice bunch of people; the kind of people you could not even know yet trust your wallet with."
"G8: Can You Hear Us?" is broadcast on 9pm on Tuesday 15th November on BBC4
For comments or interviews, contact Green Party press office on 0207 5610 0282 press@greenparty.org.uk
ENDS
Official BBC press release follows:'G8, Can You Hear Us?'9pm on Tuesday 15th November on BBC4
BBC4, 60 minutes, documentary.
We hear a lot these days about political apathy among the young. Thisfilm begs to differ. There is political life in Britain, but not as mostof us know it. 'G8, Can You Hear Us?' goes inside the global justicemovement for the first time. It follows three very different activistsas they make their way to Gleneagles to protest against the G8 summit.This kind of political activism attracts large numbers of British peoplebut is either ignored or derided by the mainstream media. 'G8, Can YouHear Us?' goes behind the tabloid stereotypes and exposes a vibrantworld where political commitment is expressed through direct action andthe novel idea that changing the world can actually be fun.
All our characters hate the G8 and its policies, and they don't likeLive 8 and Make Poverty History much either. 'I don't think that makingTony Blair look good by Bob Geldof laying his head on his shoulder isenough', says Green Party activist Matt Wootton. 'It's not getting deepenough to the root causes of poverty and of exploitation and certainlyof climate change.' We follow Matt as he cycles to Scotland: 'I reallywant to go to Gleneagles just to recharge, and realise that I am indeedpart of a huge movement that is creating change, that's gonna create alot more change.'
Once a force that struck fear into the hearts of the class enemy, theCommunist Party of Great Britain is now down to a few hundred loyalsupporters. 'I'm a communist', says its national organiser, MarkFischer. 'I have to believe in the profundity and the ability ofmillions and millions of people, the majority in society, to think indeep ways about political questions.' He's on a mission for hearts andminds, and seeks to convert everyone he meets - but he fails badly withMatt, when he argues that class struggle is more important than climatechange.
John Jordan is a very different kind of activist. He's the inspirer ofthe Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army, whose purpose in Scotland isto carry out peaceful civil disobedience - and to encourage others to doso too. Assisted by a grant from Arts Council England, the clowns spreadthe anarchist word as they tour the country in a caravan fuelled bysolar energy and recycled chip fat. 'I can't think of anything morepleasurable than going round in the clown army in a bus', says John.'And being paid to do it!' Marching and demonstrating is far tooconventional for the clown army. They astonish the shoppers of Glasgowwith their outrageous 'prayer to products', and confuse the police whenthey try to close down the Scottish motorway system to blockadeGleneagles. For the clowns, it's about changing the world - but withouttaking power.
