People's Assembly: We've Been Here Before!

ACCORDING to the organisers well over 4,000 people attended the People's Assembly last Saturday throughout the day.  The organisers also claimed they brought together every organisation fighting and resisting austerity for the first time since the financial crash over five years ago.  They maintain that they have captured the energy, potential and hope of millions of people affected by austerity, it called for concrete action to be undertaken across the country. 
This, they say, includes:
A mass national protest at the Tory Party conference on 29 September in Manchester;
A day of civil disobedience on 5 November in every town and city across the country;
Local People's Assemblies to be established in every area possible;
A national demonstration in London in the new year.

In short yet more marching together, and inconclusive demos.  More opportunities for left-wing organisations to sell their newspapers. 
The organisers insist we now need to create an infrastructure that can support the local organisations and take forward the national initiatives that were launched at the assembly. To do this, we need your support. The People's Assembly are launching an urgent financial appeal to raise the funds to do this.
Please consider making a monthly donation, or a one off donation if you prefer. You can do this on the website here: http://thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/donate/

Many of the big names on the British left were there such as comedian Mark Steel, Caroline Lucas MP., Owen Jones, writer, and Ken Loach film maker.  It was also a 'dear Do'! with tickets at £8 and £4 unwaged.  Some asked how a movement of the grassroots could be built by the trade union bosses, and celebrities in the media and politics.  Other worries was the influence of the Labour Party in all this.
One lad called Ray, a veteran campaigner, got it right when he said:  'It's all talk and hot air'.  He continued: 
'What for?  To agree to go on another march?  It's what's been going on for 40 years.  I'm 71 in September...  Only radical action on the streets will change anything.'

But even there he's probably optimistic, for the riots of 2011 change nothing.  The thing is that inconclusive marches and demos like those already put on by the TUC disillusion people.  While street riots can often provoke a public reaction and that calls for more authoritarian measures.  Previous people's forums and assembles a decade ago eventually faded away.