Zoe Kenny, Melbourne
The "Punish Howard" student rally in Melbourne on August 19 was lively and upbeat and there were a number of contingents from places that haven't attended rallies in a while, including Victoria University and several high schools. There was, however, one element of the rally that I disagreed with.
Increasingly, student rallies in Melbourne against cuts to higher education have become marred by scuffles between protesters and Liberal students. One such scuffle that occurred at the rally on August 19 was particularly counter-productive.
Some people have claimed that the Liberals threw the first punches, and that may be true. However, what I witnessed was a surge of protesters towards a few (although I only saw one) Liberal students. At one point, a Liberal student was standing on a concrete ledge with his placard and an upside-down red flag, and when he fell or was pushed off it, he was set-upon.
I hate the policies that the Liberal Party are implementing, but I don't think this is the best way to deal with Liberal students at rallies.
Firstly, a few Liberals who were initially a tiny minority at the rally, somehow become the centre of attention — which is exactly what they want. This just distracts protesters from putting forward their political messages clearly. (On August 19, when the rally fragmented during the scuffles it lost any united direction.)
The Liberals who are in the middle of it become "martyrs", who the more right-wing students can claim have been victimised and harassed. It also gives the media exactly what it wants — scenes of "violent protesters" attacking people or property.
The media portrayals will work against our movement — people who were sitting on the fence won't be able to defend violence and may turn against us and the right-wing will have a perfect opportunity to dismiss us as an "angry mob".
Finally, simply bashing up a few Liberals won't actually defeat the ruling class and their neoliberal austerity drive. The only thing that will is a united political movement — one that isn't easily distracted by the presence of people with different opinions. The movement should have a think about how to relate to a few outnumbered Liberal students at education rallies. I would suggest simply ignoring them may the best.
[Zoe Kenny is a member of the socialist youth group Resistance, which is affiliated to the Socialist Alliance.]
From Green Left Weekly, September 1, 2004.
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