Remind me, what are they protesting about?

TAHU POTIKI

What is it that the Aotea Square protesters are protesting again?

I used to think I knew and I sort of had some sympathy with the idea that the global economic crisis was driven by greed and corruption from people and corporations that the "system" had legitimated.

But now I am not too sure.

I have resisted doing any background research but I am pretty sure a quick Google search will give me screeds of information about what they are upset about and what they want to change. But that surely defeats the purpose of a protest.

If you don't know immediately what they are protesting by marching or occupying then surely the protesters aren't doing something right. Otherwise they may as well all be carrying banners with a website address on it.

On one banner there would be big bold letters stating "We've had enough" and then on the next banner it would read "to find out more please visit www.wevehadenough.co.nz."

Instead, there are a series of many, quite mixed, messages coming through in the banners and placards that the protesters have been wielding. Anti GE, bugger the rich, anti capitalism, tino rangatiratanga, pro-cannabis and anti mining messages have all found their way onto a placard at the protest.

They could do with some advice from a branding and marketing specialist so they get their messages consistent and clearly understood. But I suspect that would be a bit too corporate for this crowd.

To have a successful protest march you also need decent numbers supporting you. The volume is necessary to make the impact. Anything less than a few thousand looks a bit pathetic and gives the message loud and clear that not many people care about whatever it is you are protesting against or for.

Consider the recent protests in the Middle East. The streets and plazas were filled with a seething mass of humanity demanding change, demanding democracy and transparent governance. The message was clear and the support was overwhelming.

Then consider 500 people trickling down Queen Street with a 10 different issues being protested. "We are the protesters. Any old cause will do." Don't get me wrong. I am not trying to belittle the cause. Everyone is welcome to their view and to their protest but surely the intent of protest is change.

I understand the initial protest was about the culture of Wall Street business leaders and their ilk who receive ridiculous salaries, bonuses and corporate profits while out the front door of their buildings people live in poverty, with hungry children and no homes. And considering the global financial crisis and the exposure of many of these people who live grandiose lifestyles and accept the high salaries while actually failing to deliver the outcomes or behave outside of the law to deceive people, it is not hard to see why many people would want to protest.

I am not saying I disagree with what the original protest message was meant to be. I am saying that in this particular protest this key message has been lost and so have the people who support the protesters.

To ultimately create change the protesters must be able to convince the masses as well as the power holders that it is in the best interest for justice, for peace or prosperity. To do that the voice of protest must retain some credibility.

But our homegrown protesters have simply ended up being portrayed as a rabble. The rumours are that a bunch of homeless people have found somewhere to park up and get a hot feed.

Sounds like a good outcome for the homeless, if the rumours are true. The problem is that this is now the perception. Once that is in people's minds, a few news clips of screaming protesters being manhandled by the police, a legalise cannabis banner or two and a few pictures of skinny, unshaven white guys with dreadlocks totally guts any credibility they may have had. Throw John Minto into the mix and your general public empathy is totally out the window.

If Joe Public is no longer interested or sympathetic, what can possibly come of it? It is also totally unclear what the outcome is that is being sought.

Dame Whina Cooper wanted to stop the alienation of Maori land from the Maori owners. Martin Luther King wanted basic human rights afforded all citizens of the United States particularly the African Americans. Gandhi wanted an independent India. Do these guys want to end world poverty? Do they want Wall Street to wake up one morning and give all their bonuses to charity? Do they want the total collapse of the western system of capitalism?

Time to retreat and rethink the strategy then.

- © Fairfax NZ News