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Protesters pledge more anti-Boris booze-ups
Benedict Moore-Bridger, Robert Mendick and Kiran Randhawa02.06.08
Organisers behind the Tube drink ban protest which spiralled out of control are planning further demonstrations, the Evening Standard can reveal.
Future venues for mass parties against London Mayor Boris Johnson include Leicester Square and Hyde Park, according to entries on the social networking site Facebook.
Several groups were set up on the website specifically to organise Saturday's protest - including the Anti-Boris Tube Crawl, One Final Tube Booze Party, the Circle Line Cocktail Party and the Last Round On The Underground.
One Facebook group - London Underground's Last Ever Party - has already begun the discussion for the next demonstration. Its organiser Ryan Sampson posted this message yesterday: "After the Carnage! Brothers in arms! Thanks y'all to everyone who came and had a great time last night. We rocked !
"... massive cheers for the fact that there were only a few knobheads making things violent and barely any incidents or arrests as a result. I'd call that a roaring success, what what?!
"But now to the future. Allons-y. What next? A freaky frat party in a Tesco's car park? A motherfunking mash up in Leicester square? let's keep the party happening!"
Another Facebook site - Operation Buck Foris - is also planning a "post protest celebration party" for 14 June in Hyde Park.
Details of some of the organisers behind the Saturday night protests can be revealed today. Alexandre Graham, 26, who set up the Circle Line Party - Last Day Of Drinking On The Tube, which attracted more than 1,000 members on Facebook - is a bilingual graduate in mathematics and management from Loughborough University who has spent the past 18 months working as a banker with the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Mr Graham, 26, who rents a flat in Fulham High Street in west London, said he had "no idea" the Circle Line gathering would spiral so badly out of control.
"I hope I don't get sacked," he said today. "You are going to expect a bit of trouble, but I was surprised and disappointed because I don't want to be associated [with it]."
Referring to his qualifications and position at the RBS, he joked: "It makes me sound like a responsible person and not a lunatic - but I am one."
Mr Graham said the idea for the party came from a dislike of new London Mayor Boris Johnson - but admitted it was also about getting drunk. He said: "One of my friends worked for Ken in the environment department but was sacked after he left - it's any excuse to get at Boris."
Mr Graham's co-organiser Ian Rawlings, 23, an exhibitions executive who lives with his parents in Saffron Walden, said: "We all have very good jobs, we work hard for our money and when we get the chance to spend it we like to spend it."
However Mr Rawlings, added: "While we wanted to enjoy ourselves and have a bit of fun, and almost stick two fingers up at the establishment, we also know it is not just our Tube. Other people have to use it."
Another group, One Final Tube Booze Party, which attracted more than 4,000 members, was set up by student Dan Collings, 19. Mr Collings, a graphic design student at London Metropolitan University who lives in Stepney Green, said: "Our group was all about fun, not vandalism, getting on well with police, carrying our litter off the trains. It's a shame that other groups were not so well-behaved, as members of the public got intoxicated and ended up getting themselves arrested.
"Other people took it too far, and started vandalising carriages on other trains - which I find stupid, because it's more evidence that drinking should not be allowed on the Tube."
Witnesses described nightmarish scenes on trains and in stations as drunken people fought and vomited.
Reader views (19)
I notice by the photo's that the smoking ban wasn't followed. If these social networking sites are going to advertise these drunken parties then maybe they should be held responsible for any trouble.
- J Carter, Brighton, East Sussex
This is shocking. I thought the new mayor was supposed to reduce crime not fuel it. Bring back Ken.
- Billy Blighty, Sydney Australia
What upsets me is the amount of energy people put into 'protesting' against such unimportant issues. Imagine if all those people on the tube on Saturday put their weight behind an issue that really affected the world at large.
Just imagine what they could achieve!
- Will, London
Oh please... trying to convince us that the height of human civilization in a liberal democracy is to get as drunk and obnoxious as possible on public transport. Send these cretins to the gulags.
- Sam, London
Are they seriously that stupid that they'll advertise their location so that the police can pick them up for affray and causing a nuisance? They sound like a right bunch of morons, let's hope they never breed.
- Nuck L Dragger, Norbury
An old saying: Act your age, not your shoe size.
- M Hollands, Welling UK
I hope the firms employing these morons sack the lot of them!
- Paul Humphreys, Essex
I don't drink, I'm 26 and I am appalled at this militant alcoholism, there is so much wrong with this country, complaining about not being able to drink yourself stupid is not worth fighting for
Anyone who participated is pathetic, it is not your human right to get drunk...
- Daveb, London
A challenge the the democratically expressed will of the London public. And so we look to the police to stop any further misbehaviour of this sort.
- Peter Haldane, London
It's good to see that some groups were being responsible and not littering or vandalising. I was on the 'One Final Tube Booze Party' and it was pure laughs, joking with the police once they realised we weren't any trouble, involving fellow travellers in banter. Everyone was loving it... up until about 8pm when the trains got jam packed and our group was split up.
- Harry Middleditch, Kent, England.
Stick with it Boris. These mindless overpaid morons Will have to "toe the line"
- Mick Wright, Northants uk
This is absolutely disgraceful behaviour by the moronic morose section of the community who unfortunately now populate our fair city.
I suspect that a vast swathe of people involved in this "demonstration" have moved into London and have never travelled on the tube under the age of 12 having been to a play with parents and then having to contend with drunks, further fuelling themselves with a can of Stella or a cheeky sniff of Whisky.
It further proves that a lot of people from outside London do not care about our city, the inhabitants or the visitors, the will of the people (in voting for Boris) and far more seriously in Law and Order.
I hope you are all very proud of yourselves
- Nick Eddison, London NW11
Yet another Facebook events causes tens of thousands of pounds in damages - is anyone surprised. I am concenred that this was more a political event staged by militant Ken Livingstone supporters and the Labour Party should distance itself from this violence. There is more to this story.
- Joe, London
Time for mass redundancies so the one with really good jobs still living with mummy and daddy learn some values since they clearly aren't at home...
- Anna Moreno, luxembourg
Nothing else to do have they? Spend most of their income on rent and idle their life away on facebook. Should of had the party on the track if you ask me.
- Roanld, United Kingdom
These sad little cretins know absolutely nothing about politics, political issues or the very serious issues and problems that affect this City. They are pointless little drunks. Grow up and get a job or an education, you tedious morons.
- Anthony, London, W2
Mr Graham's co-organiser Ian Rawlings, 23, an exhibitions executive who lives with his parents in Saffron Walden, said: "We all have very good jobs, we work hard for our money and when we get the chance to spend it we like to spend it."
If his job is that good why is he still living at home with mummy and daddy? Is it because he's just a big baby himself?
Grow up you lot.
- Boris For Prime Minister, London
Send these idiots the clean-up and policing bills! These aren't protests, they just think it's funny to cause problems for the public. Who do they think will pay for this? Will they apologise to the staff and members of the public who were insulted, assaulted and inconvenienced by their selfishness?
- Mark, London, UK
So, the typical Livingstone supporter is an alcoholic 23 yr old who lives with his mum and enjoys being an anarchist when he's not working for a bank. Thank goodness enough of the rest of us got out and voted for Boris!
- St, London
