J.T. prepared himself to speak into the XNNN camera. He had timed it fairly well to coincide with the speech from Ana Marama, the Chief of Staff from Oan. His fellow protestors knew the drill, rain down boos, hold up signs to obstruct cameras during Ms. Marama’s speech, and to constantly chant protest slogans. What they were not to do was obstruct police, jump fences, or assault Ms. Marama. The flashbangs were not part of J.T.'s group of protestors.
J.T. had begun his speech to XNNN before the grenades fell. “I have always understood that I was part of a system that would give me opportunities to fulfill my dreams. Well before my lifetime, leaders of Aurora got together and decided to give peace a try, and created an organization that has resulted in a peaceful and stable Aurora. Not only this, but an Aurora that has become the economic powerhouse of Urth, while still also providing for its fellow citizens. This organization is the ACA, and while not perfect, it represents the best of all of us on Aurora. People my age have had dreams of providing for their families, and living life to the fullest. A handful of greedy oligarchs have twisted and poisoned what the ACA stands for so it can better suit their purposes. These oligarchs have created a separate organization that will only serve to grow their own wealth and power and will do the most harm to my generation. All the progress we have made over the past forty years, everything we have done, will be upended with this Auroran Union, and the young will suffer the consequences of the greed of the old.”
“So, why do we protest? Why are we not content with just staying at home on our devices? Because, contrary to what the older generation says, we are committed and active, and have one goal in mind: to leave Urth in a better place than we were born into. Mark my words, the Auroran Union won’t do this. It will only serve the neoliberals and the oligarchs. Look at that woman behind me (points back to her). She is attempting to sway the crowd, expressing solidarity, likely saying she ‘hears their concerns’. Don’t believe it. Down with her, down with the AU, keep the—”
As J.T. is still pointing, flashbang grenades went off near Ms. Marama’s podium. Smoke quickly filled the air, combined with screams and the sound of fences, and people, being thrown to the ground. J.T. is pushed aside by the XNNN crew, who move to get a better shot of the pandemonium. Did someone just attack the woman? J.T. thought. This is bad; the police will be all over our protest. I need to get out of here. J.T. grabbed the megaphone he carried with him and yelled, “everyone, get out of this area, don’t cause trouble, get out of here!” Quickly grabbing a couple of protestors and running, J.T. noticed a sizeable number of black bloc individuals. Anarchists, of course, they have disrupted our protest. The best thing to do is to let them stay here and get quelled by the riot police, and for the real protestors to get outta here.
J.T. ran from the summit location and the park, and continued to yell out to his fellow protestors to leave and don’t cause trouble. [edit_reason]Wrote post[/edit_reason]
