Forum Topic

🍓Matt Palmer ~ Fame At Last 🍓

A 48-year-old man from Putney has been arrested and charged while dressed as a strawberry while protesting at the office of a drinks company.See his rise to fame ~ story on forum homepage.😂

Sue Hammond ● 1451d81 Comments

It's amazing just how many people are willing to dress up and look a prat. Their 15 minutes of fame were good for a laugh though. 😹

Sue Hammond ● 1379d

Brilliant pictures.  It is a story that isn't going away despite its inconvenience.

Philippa Bond ● 1379d

The Mail has actually given you more coverage than the Grauniad. Secret admirers!

Jonathan Callaway ● 1379d

I knew that strawberry outfit was the gift that would keep on giving!https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9958121/Police-slam-XR-protesters-sitting-middle-roads-mob-FINALLY-wraps-two-week-protest-chaos.html

Matt Palmer ● 1379d

http://www.putneysw15.com/default.asp?section=info&page=conxrdemo003.htmA  reminder for the record!

Philippa Bond ● 1430d

But Sue - You've already started this one!

Philippa Bond ● 1433d

Well start a thread about it.

Sue Hammond ● 1433d

LOL.  It's all about protesting about the lack of attention being paid to the damage being caused to the world we live in - and all the greenwashing we are getting instead of positive action.

Philippa Bond ● 1433d

Philippa why don't you just start a new thread for your various whinges about 'whatever' instead of constantly high jacking others?  It is becoming very tiresome.

Sue Hammond ● 1433d

Now why wouldn't you know that XR had been protesting about the lack of free press (and our papers being controlled by four climate crisis denying billionaires)?

Philippa Bond ● 1433d

and an event from 5 years ago has what to do with the price of eggs? or this string?

Andy Pike ● 1434d

I see Michael Gove and Priti Patel went to the Murdoch/Hall wedding.  Others politicians didn't.

Philippa Bond ● 1434d

Very worrying Matt, with the passing of Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill it doesn't look good.Not helped by the Labour's late change of mind to oppose the bill.I disagree with XR's methods but rights of citizens has been won by protest. Strange that he UK supports violent protests abroad but peaceful protest here will become illegal or the fear of them being illegal will prevent protest.

Ed Robinson ● 1434d

https://extinctionrebellion.uk/2021/06/25/breaking-caught-in-the-act-police-arrest-women-making-art-in-extinction-rebellion-warehouse-raid/

Matt Palmer ● 1434d

On the same day they raided our art factory and arrested 3 people who were making a banner. Guess art is illegal now!

Matt Palmer ● 1435d

They are beautiful structures and that was an art installation.  I'm sure I read somewhere that Priti Patel was a friend of Rupert Murdoch's.

Philippa Bond ● 1435d

Tough on crime and the art of crime!I missed this story. Still I guess someone may have been annoyed by the art!https://www.dezeen.com/2021/06/26/antepavilion-police-raid-staff-arrested-london/

Ed Robinson ● 1435d

https://www.sas.org.uk/depositreturnscheme/There's a campaign to bring more attention to this as it keeps on being put back.  It seems to be 2024 now.  Please sign the petition.It is nearly 15 years since Hawaii: Message in the Waves where we saw some of the total devastation to wildlife caused by ur careless throwaway society lifestyles.

Philippa Bond ● 1435d

The Constellations sounds interesting - definitely lots of stars in it!  The idea reminds me a bit of something Station House Opera did.  You're brave going out to the theatre.  We're not ready for that yet.The accident in the film Yesterday happened as a result of a black out.  It was generally amusing and light with some great lines.

Philippa Bond ● 1435d

Michael, YESTERDAY Channel 9 tonight. 11.25. The young man who sings in this movie has a fantastic voice, bit of a soppy story, but well worth watching. Beatles songs.

Barbara Stevens ● 1437d

Ha, ha. Just been to see Costellations (Nick Payne) with Zoe Wanamaker and Peter Capaldi!

Michael Ixer ● 1438d

A parallel universe?

Philippa Bond ● 1438d

Thanks, Barbara. I've vague recollections of it now you describe it, but don't think I went to it. This thread seems to have deviated in an odd direction 🙂

Michael Ixer ● 1438d

The film Yesterday was a Musical, about the Beatles songs. The main actor had an accident when he woke up he was the only one who could remember the Beatles. so he started writing the songs, that everybody loved and singing them.

Barbara Stevens ● 1438d

I didn't see the film but I have attended a number of lectures on space weather. I think my map reading skills are still quite good,  I rarely use sat nav but finding an up to date map that's not Google can be difficult. I'm told that satellites are more resilient these days so it's hoped outages would be temporary. The bigger issue might be domestic equipment and operational technology on the ground that's not protected and could be damaged by induced currents, in a similar way that lightning sometimes affects equipment.I think  commerce has a concern about whether the internet could be blocked by disabling the domain name system - it's happened on a limited scale on occasions, sometimes accidentally.

Michael Ixer ● 1438d

Did you see Danny Boyle's film Yesterday on TV the other day?  That made me think about one of these CME events.  No online maps for anyone.

Philippa Bond ● 1438d

"What would happen if all our communications went down if everything is online?". An interesting question. A recent Zoom infosec presentation I was participating in quoted the following: "A total internet shutdown would would lead to a daily loss of 1.9% of GDP for a country with high connectivity and a daily loss of 0.4% of GDP. for a low connectivity country.  (World Economic Forum 2020)" - and that's before one takes into account to chaos of no online banking, shopping, government services, etc that are relied on. I think the UK would count as a country with high connectivity.

Michael Ixer ● 1438d

What would happen if all our communications went down if everything is online?It's now Plastic-Free July and because of the virus there seems to be even more of the stuff.  I'm certainly finding it harder work to reduce the amount.I am pleased to say that as a family we have most definitely conquered the use of the supermarket carrier bag!  I remember when those of us who bothered to take our own bags shopping used to greet each other - pioneers in a plastic bag land.Did you see the film Message in the Waves?  That was about all the albatrosses who were dying because they were swallowing plastic.  All our throw-away plastic.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yom6zlm5VqE

Philippa Bond ● 1439d

Hi MichaelYes I posted in the wrong thread lol. Was switching between them and trying to watch the tennis at the same time lol. Thanks for pointing it out, I'll copy it into the correct one.I get you point about intersex people but they are born that way and is a totally different scenario.

Sue Hammond ● 1439d

Sue. Is this in the wrong thread? 🙂 Incidentally, the world isn't binary as there are intersex people who have the wrong number of X & Y chromosomes.

Michael Ixer ● 1439d

No, Barbara, I was just trying to be slightly flippant 🙂

Michael Ixer ● 1439d

"Does it matter, other than perhaps to the person themselves? But if they're happy why should it matter to anyone else?"In other words: everybody has the right to look a prat if it makes them happy.  Fruit Loops ...🍓🍌🍓However I draw the line at referring to a singular person as 'they'. When I was taught grammar at primary school the word 'they' was a personal pronoun referring to two or more people, and as far as I am concerned it still does. If some people do not want to be defined by the pronouns he/she, I will make them happy and refer them as 'it'.All this non-binary crap is ridiculous.🙄

Sue Hammond ● 1439d

Michael, are you having a bad day. I feel you rather annoyed.

Barbara Stevens ● 1439d

There's probaby a 100% chance of a meorite landing, or at least a meteoroid entering the earth's atmosphere, somewhere tomorrow but the chances of it being large enough to cause catastrophic damage are very, very unlikely. Still, if I'm wrong, who's going to post it on the forum?🙂

Michael Ixer ● 1439d

I admit I haven't considered this possibility.

Matt Palmer ● 1439d

What if a Meteorite dropped tomorrow, all for nothing.

Barbara Stevens ● 1439d

living healthily and sustainably on a planet with a ecosystem viable for continued human existence?

Matt Palmer ● 1439d

Yes, in the olden days people dressed up with flowers in their hair and danced about nude. But I thought I'd be a fruit instead a strawberry, Oh granddad, you are silly, what would you like us to be when we grow up?

Barbara Stevens ● 1439d

👍

Jonathan Callaway ● 1439d

😁😁something to tell the grandchildren Matt"And what did you do during the clinate emergency grandpa? "," I dressed up as a Strawberry and wasted everyone's time"

Andy Pike ● 1439d

Good to hear that, Matt. Common sense rules for once, or they've been watching Monty Python from 1970 ...https://youtu.be/F4PZXuk3TsM

Michael Ixer ● 1439d

Bad news Barbara, Sue and Andy, the police have decided that a strawberry sitting in front of a reception desk isn't actually aggravated trespass and have dropped all charges.

Matt Palmer ● 1439d

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/extinction-rebellion-horse-manure-london-protests-b942855.htmlGood for strawberries I believe!

Ed Robinson ● 1449d

All the attentions has gone to Matt Hancock. Another fool. Who will be the next Matt to be a c=ck.

Barbara Stevens ● 1449d

Exactly that @Ed

Matt Palmer ● 1450d

Michael it is not just big companies.The Labour party seems to think voters will just hang around another year, like football fans that loyally support a club. The reality is it's more like a supermarket. Bare shelves a couple of weeks or even months but years? Shoppers will go elsewhere!Voting intention amongst 18-24s (+/- since 2019):LAB: 35% (-21)GRN: 27% (+23)CON: 21% (-)LD: 12% (+1)SNP: 3% (-3)REF: 1% (-)Via @YouGov 9-10 June

Ed Robinson ● 1450d

Ed. I think companies such as Coca Cola are looking for any excuse to push back on change initiatives like this and focus on the "greenwashing" that Matt and his associates are rightly highlighting but if I'm fair I know some organisations during the past year have been spending significant management time and other resources in making operational changes to cope with the pandemic.

Michael Ixer ● 1450d

Philippa,Next year has been put back a year :)The public are very adaptable and actually want sensible change IMO. The media, government including the official opposition and big companies quite like the way things are.

Ed Robinson ● 1450d

Very good!

Jonathan Callaway ● 1450d

for Matt to be cool surely he should have been dressed as a cucumber?

Adam Tripp ● 1450d

Funny you should ask that Andy, the strawberry outfits have a very busy schedule over the next couple of weeks ;)

Matt Palmer ● 1450d

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/07/coca-cola-pepsi-and-nestle-named-top-plastic-polluters-for-third-year-in-a-rowThat was last year - and the Deposit Return Scheme has been put back yet again.  Is the public really that enamoured with iconic packaging or is that just yet more marketing?  https://www.cpre.org.uk/discover/deposit-return-schemes-explained/Business Insider showing Coca Cola's enormous empire of drinks is a bit of an eye-opener!  It was disappointing when West London's Innocent was sold to them.

Philippa Bond ● 1450d

Off to Wimbledon on Monday Matt dressed as a Strawberry? You'll need to take buckets of Cream with you.

Andy Pike ● 1450d

Very good point Michael, she can chuck vegan dumplings!

Matt Palmer ● 1451d

I'd like to think that by then we'll all be vegan so throwing eggs won't be socially acceptable 🙂

Michael Ixer ● 1451d

Oh that's really cool! Please invite her to follow us on twitter @plasticsrebel or facebook https://www.facebook.com/plasticsrebellion

Matt Palmer ● 1451d

awww, now i'm imaginging myself on the fourth plinth.... and Barbara below throwing eggs...

Matt Palmer ● 1451d

Matt, I told my daughter today that we have a neighbour who was arrested for aggravated trespass while dressed as a strawberry.  She knew all about the protest and strongly approves of action against greenwashing campaigns by companies whose credentials fall well short.  Basically, she thinks you’re cool!!

Jonathan Callaway ● 1451d

Better to think of when they erect those statues to eco-warriors in the next century: Sir Matt Palmer who saved the planet in his strawberry uniform 🙂

Michael Ixer ● 1451d

ummmm ok

Matt Palmer ● 1451d

Mrs Browns Boys, Oh son who are you today, Ah Mammy, what ever you want me to be. Pr-ck. Ah son that's nothing new think of your children son at school, being taken the micky out of. Oh mammy there thank me in the end.

Barbara Stevens ● 1451d

This was about plastics Nick but i'm glad you liked the fruity outfit.But if we're talking about the UK and climate change (as I can't do anything about China) then lets hear from the UK governments own advisors just yesterday!"The government is failing to deliver on promises to dramatically cut the UK's greenhouse gas emissions, according to its own climate advisers.They warn ministers need to rapidly step up action, with every month of delay making it harder to meet legal obligations to reach net zero by 2050."https://news.sky.com/story/climate-change-governments-own-advisers-say-its-failing-to-deliver-change-fast-enough-12340424

Matt Palmer ● 1451d

Matt, you’re very naughty but I did like the outfit!As you know all the stats how does the Uk compare to China which is responsible for 27 percent of world emissions?

Nick Gulliford ● 1451d

I always thought he was a bit of  Fruitcake!!🍋🍒Now we Know!!

Vic Condon ● 1451d

Argh "sit there" ! Interesting, I corrected that but predictive must have changed it again! 

Michael Ixer ● 1451d

come on Andy there must be a tiny little part of you that see's the funny side surely?I know the last time Barbara found something amusing was before movies got sound but i thought you might appreciate it a bit.

Matt Palmer ● 1451d

So we have extinction rebellion and plastics rebellion just seems like an excuse to either block traffic or dress up to look like a pratt. Daddy why do you tell me not to do stupid things yet you walk ths streets dressed as  Strawberry ?? With your friends called pineapple, pear and banana.

Andy Pike ● 1451d

I think you're both right. The fact is Innocent could have just let a peaceful protest happen and eventually we would have left. However we knew the potential consequences... etc etc

Matt Palmer ● 1451d

Why should a group of people, whether they are protesting peacefully or not, just be allowed to trespass in a building Michael? If a group of people rocked up outside your house and sat in your garden or porch for whatever reason they thought they could I am sure you would call the police to have them removed, so what's the difference?  Matt and his fruity friends were not invited into that building to hold their protest so they were trespassing however you try to dress it up.

Sue Hammond ● 1451d

Bonkers.

Andy Pike ● 1451d

Perhaps the police should just have left them to sit their? By arresting them they helped to make it more news worthy? They we just sitting there and not harming anyone. I assume there must be a natural time limit on such demos as one would need to go for a pee at some stage. (And I wonder if the costumes will catch on?)But, more seriously, the use of plastics has to be a major concern. Innocent do try and promote themnselves as being environmentally friendly when a lot of that is untrue - although perhaps that's the Coke influence?

Michael Ixer ● 1451d

May have been peaceful, but the police are being taken away from more urgent crimes like stabbings etc, all just for attention to look a proper lemon.

Barbara Stevens ● 1451d

So XR claim Innocent are guilty of misrepresenting their green credentials and Matt is innocent?Although some may say Matt looks like a lemon it looks like a peaceful protest :)Interesting reading:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innocent_Drinks

Ed Robinson ● 1451d

100% worth it! If nothing else just for the photo's.

Matt Palmer ● 1451d

I went to have a look at what all the new fuss about Sadiq Khan was....

Philippa Bond ● 1451d

What if the charge does stick Matt? Was it worth it to get a criminal record?

Sue Hammond ● 1451d

I'm not sure they're going to be able to make that stick to be honest. During the police interview they accused me of blocking entrances/exits/staff working etc which I believe would make it 'aggravated' but as you can see we were just sitting in front of the desk, not blocking anyone.Am bailed at the moment so will find out in a few weeks

Matt Palmer ● 1451d

I can see sitting in a company's reception might be trespass but what's aggravating about it?

Michael Ixer ● 1451d

There was one other strawberry and a banana too! The banana wasnt arrested though, he decided to 'split' (as planned) when the police arrived.

Matt Palmer ● 1451d

"He was arrested along with a pear and a pineapple"Fruit Loops! 😂

Sue Hammond ● 1451d

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!I wasn't expecting to see that on the forum!!

Matt Palmer ● 1451d