Thatcher Opponents Turn Their Back, Boo at Funeral Procession

[Hissyspit]

Source: Reuters

Thatcher opponents turn their back, boo at funeral procession

Wed Apr 17, 2013 6:06am EDT

LONDON (Reuters) - About two dozen opponents of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher turned their backs on her funeral procession and some others booed as her coffin passed through central London on a gun carriage on Wednesday.

One man held up a placard "Boo!" and some shouted "scum" while others clapped, threw flowers along the route and cheered for Britain's longest serving prime minister of the 20th Century, Reuters reporters said.

Thousands of supporters lined the route from Westminster to St Paul's Cathedral.

Polls have shown that many are unhappy that the estimated 10-million ($15 million) pound bill for the funeral is being picked up by the taxpayer, while some left-wing lawmakers say the pomp-filled funeral is excessive.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Angus MacSwan)


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE93G0C420130417

[davidpdx]

1. Which is funny because CNN was downplaying the protests

I listened to it for a few minutes, but Richard Quest drives me nuts. I wish they'd put him in the casket with ole' Thatcher.

[Shivering Jemmy]

2. You wish he was dead???

[davidpdx]

10. No, not really.

Just that CNN would take him off the air.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

14. Oh, so you want him buried alive, eh? You're a monster!!!

(just kidding )

[FreeBC]

4. That article says "2 dozen" protesters...

[mwooldri]

5. Aside from that tasteless remark...

It wasn't just CNN who was downplaying the protests. They were pretty much absent - period.
Margaret has had her funeral, and is to be cremated later today. As was said at the funeral service today was not a day for speaking about politics but for remembering the person.

We can continue the conversation about her politics tomorrow.

As for that tasteless remark about Richard Quest being dead... it is tasteless. World Service is obligatory listening here and it was straightforward commentary, stating facts. I don't turn to American media first for news outside the USA. Funerals like hers are not uncommon, she just had hers on a much larger scale - basically because of what she did for so long. I don't think she was as good as Churchill by any stretch of the imagination but her impact wad pretty close to his in modern times.

Anyway the funeral is over. We can move on.

[non sociopath skin]

6. Most of us who loathed Thatcher are largely ignoring the funeral today. I think.

But the controversy over its cost will be likely to continue.

The Skin

[davidpdx]

9. I can't stand Quest's voice

Unfortunately in Korea there aren't many options. I'm sure in England you have many different choices. There are certainly better personalities on CNN, some of the people based in Asia.

[ReRe]

3. Did anyone watch it on C-Span2?

... I thought the horses were going to bolt. They were definitely upset about something there around the end of the procession as they made their way to the cathedral. I did hear some boos, and some all around general heckling (couldn't make out the words.) Maybe the hecklers were throwing something?

[HeiressofBickworth]

12. I watched for a while on C-Span 2

As the coffin passed through the crowd-lined streets and applause was heard, I found myself wondering if this was the very polite British way of saying, "hooray, she's dead." The announcers assumed that the applause was a showing of approval of her, but I have my doubts.

The announcer also said that the crowd was largely people young enough not to have been alive or aware during Thatcher's time in office. Perhaps this goes to what another poster here as offered, that those who opposed her ignored her funeral.

Kissinger was at the funeral -- why wasn't his ass arrested for war crimes? There's no statute of limitations on war crimes.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

13. Someone commented Thatcher looked like Frau Blücher on a bad day.

[bucolic_frolic]

7. A Fitting Farewell

I applaud her resolve, I disagree with many of her policies, politicians must expect
to be remembered - the good and the bad - by supporters, partisans, citizens,
detractors, and protestors. Thank goodness most of the world lives under
governments who protect the right to disagree, to protest. Classy, no.
Peaceful, yes.

Wonder if politicians are mindful of the cost of their funerals? Churchill didn't
seem like someone who would want grand processions.

I think most don't think about it, as they, um, won't be attending.

But they are a political ritual, a rite of public life.

[patricia92243]

8. They are just now buring her?? I thought that happened last week..I wonder why

they waited so long.

[magic59]

11. I hope Ronnie Raygun is keeping a hot seat for her

in Hell.