A lot of things are about opinions. I was in a bar in Thailand (where I mainly live), and there was a discussion about some medication (statins). A guy who I thought was a friend, started spouting off about me being brainwashed by governments and pharmaceuticals, because I was taking statins. I calmly suggested that was his opinion, and mine was different. his response was quite angry and shouted that I was ignorant, that ignorant people like me should look at the science. I again quite calmly suggested that if he called me ignorant again , I would knock his teeth out, he quickly left taking HIS opinion with him, leaving the rest of us to enjoy our drinks. Some others, who I didn't know, said in their opinion he was a loud mouthed opinionated twat, and that i had done the right thing. The point being, that his opinion differed fom mine and a few others in the bar, had he just given his opinion I could have accepted that, but to call me ignorant for having a different opinion, then aggresively shouting that I was ignorant was OTT. Opinions, opinions. Talk about peaceful protest, I know I sshouldn't have threatened him but he was not being very peaceful!
Sorry about the drivel above, re-read it and it's not really following the lines of the OP. I should have said initially, that I agree with a lot of the comments, just stop oil and the likes, should be prosecuted as severly as posible. Disrupting peoples lives is despicable, stopping folk getting to hospital for urgent treatment or meeting appointments is in my view criminal. I don't mind "peacful" protests where they try to influence your way of thinking, but forcing their views on you by blocking roads etc, is in my mind, not a protest, it is a criminal offence. Same with the pro-palestine protesters, or indeed any protest that breaks the law.
Protests should gain support from the public, not alienate them … … protesters need to be clever, gain maximum publicity and engage people’s attention.
If someone kidnaps you , you are held in a place , against your will with no idea of when they will let you continue going about your business. Obviously no law , but if JSO block my road and I’m stuck in a sea of cars unable to go forward or back - I consider that as similar to kidnap .
