Glasgow has been excluded (with the rest of the world) by Glasgow Cop26
As a citizen of Glasgow… I agree with Greta Thunberg (see her tweet here ).
Cop26 is excluding lots of people while at the same time, it is lecturing us. Glasgow has been excluded. Low income countries are excluded. Low income families and their representatives are excluded. This is a thing happening to Glasgow, like it is something happening to the world. To the majority of us who don’t have millions or billigons of pounds to relocate to our third home or space. To us, who will become refugees as the C02 and polar ice cap melt claims the Clyde Valley, Jakarta, the Marshall Islands…
I cycled all around Glasgow today, talking to some activists who lectured me in the particular direction they were coming from. I cycled past a fish on a bicycle and areas where activists had temporarily reclaimed from the destroyed industrial past and I gave them stickers. Next week these people will leave Glasgow to bemused Glaswegians when this performance is over.
The security, although not at Mondays level (the last time I cycled around) is still quite something. I’d recommend anyone who can to take a tour around- Kelvingrove Clyde walkway, Partick, George Square etc. Huge concrete bollards and security ramps, designed to stop trucks. Steel doorways in steel fences and police in bunches every few yards. Glasgow’s criminal economy is finding different corners to operate from, temporarily. Though today there seemed to be a bigger variety of religious nutters about, proclaiming the end of the world which was interesting, and quite depressing.
At the security gates from SECC at the Squinty Bridge , I stopped and watched as delegates came and went… all very tall, beautiful, middle class. I watched some very beautiful delegates posing with their lanyards taking selfies outside Kelvingrove Museum (which is still totally closed off). The delegates and officials I have seen over the week really do not look as if they understand how to house, feed, and keep a family warm on low wages. People who make decisions for people who they observe, rather than belong with. Of course, there will be exceptions. But the rule I saw were well dressed, fit, tall. Gods of capitalism frantically trying to find ways to save it. To greenwash it. To justify their middle class job.
I also helped a young guy who had just injected and collapsed in front of me as I was stickering a lamppost along the Clyde near Glasgow Green… I got him help… asked (bused in english) polis to phone an ambulance and waited with him until paramedics came. As I cycled on, Police were sitting with another pale, malnourished, scab faced young guy a few yards further down.
A Glasgow that has things done to it.
Excluded people.
By N Scott.
