Yesterday's match was between Melbourne Ice and Canberra Knights. The former beat the latter 5-2.

Report here.

Lutfi and I attended the game (although we're not all too familiar with Australian ice hockey) and we loved it to bits. In my opinion, there weren't enough fights that broke out. -.-' After all, that's one of the best parts of ice hockey, no? :D But the players were awesomely cool! Very slick skating moves.

Dave and I have been lamenting that most of the protests covered are more often hugely symbolic than effective. I happened to be learning the topic of media accounts of protests in a recent political communication class. Here are some findings and reflections.

Apparently, protests are only mostly effective in mobilizing greater public support when

1. There is good spectacle, visual rich material that (preferably) disrupts the normality of life. Some radical groups choose violence or terrorism to publicize their causes.

2. The protestors’ message and conditions are known.

It is simply easy to gaze at pictures of coverage and attempt to empathize, but sympathy is only heightened when the cause for fighting is known.

Most of the time, mainstream media do not report the protests, if they perceive the issue as not in the mass majority interests i.e. the protestors are subordinate groups.

If the mainstream media accounts do take an interest in the issue, they would often report the activity itself, but fail to elaborate on the fight. This misrepresentation or lack of representation does not create the impact desired by the protestors.
Good news management (self-releasing reliable information) and alliance with celebrities or the media is crucial to secure a greater voice and of course, coverage.

So if you’re wondering why our blog documents protests, here are a few reasons:

1. To bring to light the protestors’ message/objectives and conditions, historical background, reasons, passions; in an attempt to inform readers about unreported [in mainstream media] concerns of the public.

2. To capture the emotions in pictures,
done by our wonderful photographer Dave and documentary extraordinaire (if not budding) Lutfi

Why do we need to know about protests, you may ask?
“Their injustice is not my cause,”, you shrug.

Well, the mainstream media tends to cater to us as consumers, displaying information they think we ought to know, rather than to voice our concerns as participants of a democratic public sphere. We have actually been, and are being increasingly conditioned to not realize our rights to democracy. Sure we have the right to protest—a democratic right in itself, but is it a true right if the concerns are not heard or considered?

I’m pretty sure we are all prepared to fight for more than one cause.
So while we uncover stories (by covering stories), we hope that a greater awareness of certain issues will help us turn symbolism into reality.  

Picture above courtesy of pictureisunrelated.com

Amnesty International's Candle Day was held in the CBD last Friday at four different locations; Federation Square, QV, State Library and Bourke Street Mall. The following pictures highlight some of the activities that were held at the four locations.


1. I had an AI logo painted on my right hand.


2. One of the volunteers at the Fed Square booth.


3. Booth at the State Library.


4. One of the volunteers talking to a passer-by at the State Library.


5. Signing of petition at the QV booth.


6. One of the volunteers at the QV booth.


7. That's the AI (Vic) coordinator, Zoe, who got a passer-by to sign a petition letter.


8. The QV booth.


9. Bourke Street Mall booth. There was a 'human statue' who dressed up as a Guantanamo Bay inmate. Beside him is an American volunteer.


10. The Bourke Street Mall booth.


11. More staff members congregated at the Fed Square booth in the evening.


12. Sue Anne and Jia (the latter is a Karipap News journalist) were quite sporting to attend this AI function.


13. They were so sporting that they even signed some petition letters (that's Chelsea on the left, BTW. She heads the Media Team at the AI Victoria branch)...


14. ... posed with the 'human statue'...



15. ... got their faces painted...


16. ... and they did a lil' jig to show how happy they were. :D


17. The ladies at the Fed Square booth.


18. The ladies at the Fed Square booth.


19. The human statue overlooking Fed Square.


20. Overall, the Candle Day event was quite a success. Kudos to the organisers and volunteers for their hard work. :)

Candle Day is Amnesty International’s annual awareness-raising campaign involving hundreds of volunteers across the state. It runs from the 8th to 10th May and celebrates AI’s successes while also reminding us of the challenges that lie ahead.

On April 29, 2009, there was a student-protest gathering which started at the University of Melbourne, and this rally proceeded to the steps of Parliament House, where a draft and bill proposal was delivered to a State Representative.


1. The protest, Fair Fares started at the University of Melbourne. Its primary aim is to champion the rights of international students to use concession travel tickets.


2. One of the coordinators giving a talk to students of the importance of Fair Fares at the University of Melbourne.


3. Teammates trying to secure an interview with one of the coordinators.


4. March! March!


5. The Police provided escort.


6. Walking on Swanston Street.


7. Crossing over to Parliament House.


8. Parliament House in the background.


9. Following the entourage on Spring Street.


10. Lutfi in the foreground and being with the protesters.


11. Rallying the students.


12. A passionate protester.


13. Handing of the proposed bill to a State Representative.

More will follow.

These Free Burma protest pictures were shot on May 2, 2009. Lutfi and I were in the city when he spotted this event, and we decided to cover it.


1. A congregation of people at the Victorian State Library (for some reason, this spot is highly a popular place for civil protests and picketing).


2. A lady holding up a banner.


3. An MC with a Buddhist monk.


4. A cause that cuts the ethnic and geographical boundaries.


5. Protest participants.


6. A documenter.


7. The monk leading a prayer session.


8. Moment of silence.


9. An elderly participant resting on the stairs.


10. A devotee-protester.


11. Lutfi and I interviewed these two individuals. Video of the interview will be uploaded at a later date.


12. Dusk provides a nice ambiance to the pictures.


13. Participants sitting in for the second time.


14. Participants sitting in for the second time.