DAN'S11TH ACTION REPORT PLEASE DISSEMINATE
Thomas Cagle (nh-adapt@juno.com)
Fri, 9 Oct 1998 07:50:20 -0400
From: ALAN HOLDSWORTH [mailto:dan@entertrainers.demon.co.uk]
Sent: Monday, October 05, 1998 1:26 PM
Subject: DAN'S11TH ACTION REPORT PLEASE DISSEMINATE
IT WASN'T DULL IN HULL
FREEDOM BUS;
FREEDOM MARCH
AND MUCH MUCH MORE
THE MOST AMAZING INSPIRING ACTION EVER
DAN'S 11TH NATIONAL ACTION
The week before the action in Hull I really did feel like packing it all
in. People were ringing up to cancel rooms and we went from 60 to 35 in
four miserable days. It was disappointing that 2 organisers actively and
openly were opposing the action and were questioning my decision to go
for it. I too find it easier to attack something than to attack nothing.
There were no other ideas on the table and my view remains that the only
bad action is no action. If a group of people had come up with an
alternative or a way forward I could have supported it but no one did.
This apathy I believe is what is going to really kill off DAN if we let
it.
Driving up to Hull I began to get out of my depression.
You can only work with the people you've got. Small is beautiful, and we
certainly had lots of hardcore experience in that small group. If you
worry too much about the people who didn't come for whatever reason you
can lose your focus. Also some of DAN's finest hours like the paint at
Downing St. and the Whitehall Crawl had been done by less than 20
DANNERS.
The big meeting on Sunday night looked like a small meeting but what was
positive was that virtually the whole group was able to take part in the
strategy.
MONDAY
Hull is the birthplace of William Wilberforce who helped to abolish
slavery outside Hull college is a column (like Nelson's only smaller),
with his statue on top.
The police were waiting for us inside and outside the hotel. We told
them we were going to Wilberforce's column to "hand out leaflets" and "
have a few nice speeches"
Under police guard we got from A to B noticing on the way a couple of
bus stops on Wilberforce St. next to the college.
We handed out leaflets for what seemed like hours until a bus finally
turned into the street. On the password tear down the walls DAN turned
from a disparate leafleting group to a stampede for the bus handcuffs in
hand. The police were still waking up by the time we had totally trapped
the bus. We had handcuffs and chains on the front and rear and at least
8 people under the bus having a low level street party. 35 people may
not be enough to close down Hull but it's more than enough to take out a
bus.
We told the police that we wanted to keep the bus for 3 days.
We also told them it could get a lot worse ….for them!
After 3 hours of sitting in the rain the police finaly agreed that we
could keep the bus.
We ended the low level street party and "with assistance" occupied the
bus and erected a tent (House) with polythene sheeting over the front of
the bus. So began an historic occupation which would last for the next
50 hours.
Every action needs a bit of luck and on this one it was that we were
outside Hulls largest college. The support we got from the students and
their tutors was phenomenal. This led to the strategy of involving the
people of Hull in our campaign.
Having said this though the main piece of the action was the way we
supported each other the way we bonded and got to know one another. On
the first night 9 DANNERS, some on leave with jobs to do, some with no
money, with difficult situations at home left unresolved slept on or in
front of this bus cold but together, challenged but committed on a lost
cause, maybe but at least they were trying. Meanwhile the other DANNERS
were conserving their energy so that the protest didn't end in the
morning. The bus was festooned with our slogans like we will ride we got
this bus you've got all the rest.
TUESDAY
The weather was a huge factor on this action, on Monday it had rained
for most of the day but Tuesday was perhaps the warmest day of the month
proving once again the sun does shine on the righteous.
The DANNERS remained strong and committed to their task and the press
coverage was brilliant. By now we knew that the police would let us have
the bus (unless we were naughty), they'd issued a press release to that
effect. But today we wanted to go to Mr. Prescotts.
Overnight we had though of a few "activities" to keep up morale and keep
press attention focused on the bus and Mr Prescott. We had collected
well over 1000 letters to John Prescott from local people supporting our
cause and our action. We negotiated with the police that a group of 6
DANNERS could go escorted to his house to deliver them.
Another stunt started out much smaller but for me was the highlight of
the action. In fact it was so small we never told the police.
The Wilberforce monument had an inscription William Wilberforce about 10
ft. up the column. In our DAN survival bags we found some pavement chalk
and decided to write underneath William Wilberforce "Liberator" and then
lower down at accessible level John Prescott Segregator.
At 12.30 the T.V. turned up and we started the stunt. By this time the
students were coming out for lunch and about 400 had joined our motley
crew of 35. The first bit was easy. Using the police barricades as
ladders one of our DANNERS with Hidden disabilities climbed up and
chalked "Liberator under Wilberforce. The next part of the plan was for
each DANNER to come up and chalk a letter of "John Prescott Segregator"
At this point the press was almost going to sleep when suddenly all hell
broke loose.
A police officer came to the front and told us to stop defacing the
monument. We explained that the chalk was washable. But he said stop. We
told him we would wash it off, but he said stop.
We asked the 400 students and the 35 DANNERS whether we should stop 435
voices said no. At this time we had got to JOHN PRE …. The next DANNER
then tried to write "S" but was blocked by the policeman. The crowd was
booing. The policeman said could you wait until I talk to my boss. We
told him he had I minute. The whole crowd started counting down from 60
by the time we got to 29 the "boss " had arrived and DANNERS despite
warnings had got to PRESCOTT We told the police that we were determined
to do this and in the end they conceded. We finished the last word
SEGREGATOR to tumultuous cheers from the students and then we announced
that we were going to peacefully march back to the bus about 20 yards
away. Like a scene from Malcolm X the crowd turned and in a disciplined
manner went back to the bus. And by the way this was all on T.V.
>From this moment we knew that we had not only the support of the
students but also the support of the people of Hull. That afternoon we
turned our energy into mobilising that support for the freedom march on
Wednesday. Tutors from the college brought their classes down to talk to
us and Professor Hutt went in to give a lecture (without the duck) (see
below) (or don't see below!).
At 6pm 6 DANNERS got out of their chairs and crawled up John Prescotts
gravel path to deliver the message from the people of Hull. Meanwhile
back at the bus and in the City posters were going up inviting the
public to show their support and join our freedom march. Leaflets were
printed and distributed all over town. That night at the bus even more
DANNERS braved the cold. One resourceful DANNER (Terry Hutt) decided to
relieve himself over a wall in the nearby park only to hear a loud
quacking noise. He'd pissed on a Duck, which subsequently went for the
source of the vile water
WEDNESDAY
The morning consisted of leafleting the town and recupriation form the
last 2 days. We cleaned up the bus and took down our beautiful tent. We
also got news that the Mayor of Hull was going to march with us and that
the council had issued a statement that they would set up a transport
forum between the council disabled people and the bus operators
immediately. We also had a statement from one of the big bus companies
that admitted that their new "low floor" "one step" buses were
inaccessible and they would not buy any more.
Even John Prescotts office had began issuing statements but not the one
we wanted. But we knew that he knew!
By 12.30 35 DANNERS were joined by about 100 members of the public
(mostly students).
We had insisted and the police had agreed that we would only march on
roads (not pedestrianised areas).
The march took us through town and reported the busiest streets. It was
amazing how slow the DANNERS were especially at junctions to busy roads.
The mile march took 2 hours (with a few rests). The only thing that
didn't stop was the chanting which was brilliant.
Finaly we arrived at the hotel ordered coffee and tea and thanked
everybody for their commitment and support.
I was into my third Chardonnay at 5pm. when the policeman (Alan) came up
to me and said, "Is that it ? "
I felt like Bob Geldorf.
Later that night, much later a small group of DANNERS who were staying
on went back to the Wilberforce Monument and chalked our message
Wilberforce Liberator John Prescott segregator back on the statue.
In the moonlight I'm sure I saw Wilberforce smile…..but I was drunk by
then.
One word for the action AMAZING!
This was DAN's finest hour, the best, the most inspiring most innovative
action we have ever done.
We would like to thank the people of Hull but I would like to end by
saying the 35 that were there are the heart of our movement. They went
on a seemingly lost cause and won. They stayed in the cold and the rain
and put their bodies on the line so that one day we will all ride the
bus. But more importantly just like the scene from one flew over the
cuckoo's nest when Nicholson tries to lift the sink …….at least they
tried.
And We Will Ride!
ALAN HOLDSWORTH A.KA. JOHNNY CRESCENDO
TO JOIN E'MAIL OR PHONE 01144181 889 1361
--
ALAN HOLDSWORTH
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