Socialist Wanker makes a showing at the Mar 19 anti-war demo

summary of proceedings

We attempt to get to the stage in order to interview George Galloway. No chance. Six stewards descend on the editor and one of them notices the expiry date on the press pass.

SWP loyalists (we assume) tell us that we are "scum" and that "you need a good kicking, really mate, don't you".

Boring speeches follow, as per normal.

Then Unpeople get on stage and start rhyming. Whoooo!!!! And, get it, here's the story:

Martin Mubanga, Guantanamo detainee, gets on stage to rap. And fuck it, he's good! Best thing: right-click here and "save link as" for mpeg video (1.3 MB - although it might stream, depending on your system and browser). Hi-res version (42 MB) here. Watch, listen (sound quality is better than picture quality on the lo-res one) and marvel: this ill shit is coming from a genuine terrorist recently released from Gitmo...

Hi, I happened to notice you at the demonstration on the 19th March and was just wondering what your intentions were for being there. I am not a member of any party but am supportive of anyone who protests against the war in Iraq (or any war of occupation). I have just looked at your site and found it to be very interesting, however I feel that you were perhaps met with hostility at the demonstration due to people perhaps thinking that you were there to demean it or use it as a means of self-promotion.

I've not found myself shouted down by strange misfits working as a team when I've tried to voice my opinion as I can't honestly say I've ever been in that situation, however I feel that the subject of thousands of innocent men, women and children dying for someone's financial benefit should be met with a certain degree of seriousness.

I want to ask if your dislike is just for the Socialist party or for demonstrations against the war as a whole, as I felt that this is how it came across at the demo. There were other events there that also disturbed me somewhat but Burberry-clad whistle sellers don't seem to have a website.

Many thanks.

Thanks for asking.

Good questions.

Was a bit of a weird day for us, too. I don't know what we were really trying to say, we were only met with very mild hostility by 3 people [speak for yourself - I got a lot more than that, including threats of violence - editor's note]. [I quote: "lets go and pick a fight with the SWP..." - other editor's note] I don't hate the SWP. I think they are funny. I know people who hate the SWP. They are funny too.

Someone told us that if we went to the demo with the placard (It's your fault) we would be damaging the credibility we had built up over the last year. We both decided that we didn't have any credibility and went ahead. Does that make us anti-credible or incredible?

I don't know if it's a piss take on the futility of protest - I've been protesting for years and am pretty jaded. I felt guilty when I looked into the faces of people it meant something to and wished I had the same feeling as they did. I don't know what we're trying to say. We are confused people.

Blair lied, thousands died.

And there's no fucking punchline.

I think that's why the vast majority switch off when they see protesters.

There's no fucking punchline.