On 3 April 2008 Tony Blair gave a ‘faith’ lecture at Westminster Cathedral. Working with Stop the War and Brian Eno, I helped organise ‘rough-musiking’ to disrupt the event. People turned up with pots and pans, whistles and drums. I had this goat bell with me and when Peter Mandelson left the cathedral, I walked beside him along Victoria Street and rang it close to his ear, repeating the word 'Murderer!’ to him. The street was crowded and although Mandelson had two burly bodyguards accompanying him ,he was unable to set them on me.
"Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee." (John Donne).
Three centuries later, Antonio Gramsci said "The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters."
Sadly that is still true, but we all need to be involved in mankind and never despair. Ring them bells.
"Oh, it's rush hour now
On the wheel and the plow
And the sun is going down
Upon the sacred cow
Ring them bells, for the time that flies
For the child that cries
When innocence dies" (Bob Dylan)
