schwantz

Vanguard Bears would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Rangers fans who turned up to support the protest against BBC Scotland on Saturday; The Blue Order, Union Bears, Rangers Media, Gersnet and many others including the Assembly and supporters clubs, both at home and overseas, who offered many messages of support did themselves and Rangers FC proud. The behaviour of our fans was as we expected....impeccable. The BBC in Scotland and more importantly the entire media and our support now know there are issues that need addressed within this publicly funded organisation. What Saturday did was raise awareness of our concerns and if it leads to more questions from our support and other areas of the media that can only be good for the Rangers and indeed for the BBC. As we stated in our protest statement we will no longer tolerate imbalances in reporting and a less than professional standard from such an integral and influential part of British Broadcasting. Once again many thanks to all those who travelled from near and far to support this worthwhile protest. Strength in Unity! http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=175:bbc-protest-our-gratitude

What a depressing thread this is.... It's about choices & opinions, if you feel strong enough about what the BBC is doing to our club, you go to the protest. If however you don't agree and don't think it's a good idea, that's also fine. I think what the guys are trying to get across is, that some like to bump their gums and moan, but when they have the opportunity to do something positive, they don't. One could argue I guess that it's their prorogative to also do that, but from my end of the telescope, ill never be able to understand it. I suspect a large proportion of our support falls into this category, which is sad. Let's try & concentrate on positives from Saturday. Sorry about spelling & grammar, typing this on phone.

Reading through some of the comments on here on how to organise a protest is quite depressing, especially after yesterdays protest went so well. Its actually very simple, be part of the organisation process and make suggestions on how to make more of an impact. Its very easy to criticise after the event, especially if you either didn't attend, or turned up for 5 minutes then left, or worse still, intended to go, but couldn't be arsed on the day. Next time, get involved and make suggestions up front, rather than moan after the event. I'm sure there will be a next time...

^^^ This ....

Why would you want a video.........

Can I extend a heartfelt thanks for all those from RM that attended today's protest. Every single one of you are a credit to Rangers & your respective RSA's. Special mention to UB's & TBO - awesome thats all! You will hear negative BBC spin over the next few days, however the message has been well & truly delivered, don't underestimate it's impact on this publicly funded organisation.! For those who signed up to go, and didn't, you missed the chance to be part of a powerful message delivered to our enemies!

Completely lost for words with that. Wait, let's all go check the offended diary & check in case a particular day would offend someone somewhere! I despair, I really do.

No surprise, as the 'owner' isn't involved, & nor does this initiative generate any income.... The effort put into arranging this was immense. There is no hidden agenda, no profit, no glory & the individuals involved will remain relatively nameless. This was set-up by very hard working Bears, who share only one prime motive - The Rangers. I'd also add, for those swithering whether to go or not, get along to the BBC protest this Saturday, and keep the momentum against those who would attack our club. Show the BBC what happens when a sleeping giant turns on its enemies. Onwards & Upwards.

A must read on the front page: http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/ Enjoy......

There's a protest at BBC HQ London & Belfast - same time same arrangements.

BBC protest update @ guidelines. Please take time to read & forward to anyone you know that may be going http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=172:protest-guidelines

The folk organising it will make sure it's controlled, however it goes without saying that everyone needs to behave which I'm sure they will. As for what's happening, most fans groups are bringing banners, and there will be megaphones, etc. With the exception of ££ of course, who won't allow the protest to be even discussed on the site, which is a real shame. Let's make it a day to remember.

Well said that man, I'll see you there! Remember the saying: All that is needed for the forces of evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. Perhaps the saying in this context is a bit dramatic, however, the message is nevertheless the same. Too long has the Rangers support been apathetic, adopting the dignified silence stance. This was partly caused by the previous custodian & his board, who wouldn't lift a finger to defend the club or its fans. Do you think its ok to be regularly called a H** on radio etc, while the media go mad at the slightest hint of the F word? Do you think its fair to conduct news reports on Scottish sectarianism outside Ibrox? Can you imaging the outcry if it was in the East end? Do you think its unfair to edit film footage to make McCoist look like he was laughing during serious discussions about sectarianism? Do you think its fair to target Craig Whyte, when folk like Lemmon, Desmond et al have been involved in shady business deals? I could go on... Whats the objective I hear asked? Its simple, for too long has this organisation chipped away at us with their snide innuendo & bigoted comments and now its time to show the BBC just what happens when you push too far. This protest is all about publicity, the more that turns up, the more publicity we will get - and they'll hate it. We now have a custodian thats willing to take action, so lets show solidarity with him & let the BBC know that we are united and wont take anymore. If your content to sit & moan behind a keyboard, fine, this isn't for you. Likewise, like a few have suggested on here, they cant see anything wrong with the BBC, then also fine, sit at home or go to the game. However, if you want to send a clear message to the BBC, then go to the protest and stand with other Bears. Is it worth a couple of hours out your life? I certainly think so. From small acorns......

Latest press release on the BBC protest can be found here: http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/

Some unashamed publicity for this event: http://www.<No links to this website>/news/scottish-news/2011/10/23/rangers-fans-plan-bbc-protest-86908-23509114/

Now you know this is the wrong site for Jaffa cakes ! But I'll defo buy you a beer !

The information on the above sticky hasn't been updated - yet ! As I've said hopefully VB will be up and running again tomorrow, or asap. Seemingly it's been a nightmare problem with the hosting company. Could I extend thanks to RM admin for allowing updates on this. Much appreciated !

Just been informed by text that the good ship VB may be up and running again tomorrow ! Just keep checking.

Just a small acknowlegement to all the rangers fans who turned out today to support our armed forces. I have some pictures that I'll upload soon. Nice to see the Para's getting a special cheer ..........

Almost guaranteed they will try !

Admin, would it be possible to leave this up for a day or so, or perhaps make it a sticky for maximum exposure? There is now less than one month to go before this year's Armed Forces Day celebrations get underway. Designed to honour our Service personnel, past, present and future, the theme for Armed Forces Day is 'Show Your Support'. Could I ask everyone reading this to please try and make the effort to either attend, or show their support in some other way. • The national event takes place on Saturday 26 June and will be hosted by Cardiff City Council. This will be complemented by over 170 community-led events in towns and cities across the UK on or around 26 June. For the full event listing and to see how you can get involved in your local event, see attached links. • Public support for Armed Forces Day is growing every day with over 260,000 fans on the dedicated Facebook page and almost 1,300 followers on Twitter. There are lots of messages of support posted every day. • Monday 21 June is the 'Fly the Flag' initiative where local authorities across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will be provided with an Armed Forces Day flag to fly in honour of the event. Commanding Officers and Heads of Establishments are encouraged to support these events where they can. • 'Uniform to Work Day' - as part of the Armed Forces Day activities, Reservists (including Volunteer Reserve Training personnel) of all three Services are encouraged to wear their Service uniforms at their civilian place of work on Friday 25 June. In parallel with this, veterans are also encouraged to wear their HM Armed Forces Veterans Badges on the same day. 1. Armed Forces Day (AFD) will now be held annually on the last Saturday of June. Now in its second year, the aim of AFD is to boost public support and appreciation of all those who serve and have served in HM Armed Forces (serving personnel, veterans and cadets) and the contribution they have made. It is intended to build on the success of the previous Veterans Day and last year's AFD. 2. The event is also intended to embrace the wider Armed Forces Community which includes veterans such as those who served with the Merchant Marine in support of military operations during World War Two and during the Falklands conflict, family members of those serving in the Armed Forces, and the wider veterans' community, including bereaved families of those killed during military service. Air Vice-Marshal Murray, Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel), said: "Armed Forces Day is a fantastic opportunity for the nation to show its support for the men and women of Britain's Armed Forces. This day is not just about serving personnel, it is a celebration of everyone who is involved with the Armed Forces; their families, veterans and cadets. "I would encourage everyone in the UK to get behind our Forces and take part in one of the many events taking place across the country." 3. This year's national AFD event will be hosted by Cardiff City Council. The day will commence with a celebration parade through Cardiff city centre featuring contingents from the three Armed Forces, veterans, and cadets with standards. The parade will set out from Cardiff Castle in the heart of the city, featuring over 1,500 military personnel. After taking the salute in front of the Wales Millennium Centre, the parade will join VIPs and spectators for a Drumhead Service, which will finish with a fly-over by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. The event is free to enter, so there is no need to reserve a space or book a ticket, though a high volume of people are expected to attend. 4. A number of towns, cities and other organisations are organising events that will also take place across the UK on or around 26 June. Events already planned include a Family Fun Day in Ross-on-Wye on 19 June, with lots to try out and look at, including an inflatable assault course, tanks and weapons of the Queen's Dragoon Guards and a tug-of-war competition. Meanwhile, in Blackpool, a whole week of events is planned, from a '1940s tea room experience' to a concert entitled 'Music for Heroes' at Blackpool's famous Winter Gardens. The MOD Ceremonial Events and Commemorations Team provided part-funding for those event organisers that were able to prove that their event had the potential to contribute significantly to the Department's aim for AFD. Bands and other Service display assets have been allocated to some of the larger local events to be held on 26 June. In addition, it is expected that events organisers will invite local or affiliated units to participate in their events. Such participation is encouraged, but only to the extent that unit commanders consider such involvement to be compatible with their own commitments and the demands on their personnel. The policy for engaging in these events in set out in 2010DIN09-003. Uniform to Work Day 5. It is intended to hold a 'Uniform to Work Day' on Friday 25 June 2010. This would apply to all Service personnel who do not normally wear their uniform when on duty and it would involve encouraging Reserve Forces personnel (including Volunteer Reserve Training personnel) to wear their uniforms at their civilian place of work on Friday 25 June where this is compatible with their civilian duties and local security considerations. In parallel with 'Uniform to Work Day' this year, veterans employed at MOD establishments are encouraged to wear their HM Armed Forces Veterans Badges on 25 June. Promoting this concept will encourage others who are eligible to apply for their Veterans Badge and raise awareness in the workplace of the valuable contribution veterans continue to make after leaving the Armed Forces. More information and details of how to apply for the HM Armed Forces Veterans Badge can be found at Related www links. Fly the Flag for our Armed Forces 6. The Devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, together with the Regional Governments in England and every local authority in the UK, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man will again be invited to fly an AFD flag during the week preceding AFD. In 2009 every local authority in Wales, England and Scotland and nearly all in Northern Ireland flew an AFD flag. They were joined by government departments, overseas territories and military bases across the world. See Related www links to view the design of the flag. Authorities will also be invited to hold a simple flag ceremony at 1030hrs (UK Summer Time) on Monday 21 June 2010 and to fly the flag until after AFD on 26 June 2010. It is hoped that Local Authorities will engage with veterans organisations, local service units and the Reserve Forces and Cadet Association within their area to arrange Service and cadet participation in these ceremonies; Commanding Officers and Heads of Establishment are encouraged to support these events where they can. AFD flags can be purchased by anyone wishing to show their support by flying a flag from Zeyphyr - see Related www links. Celebrity endorsement 7. A variety of famous names have already signed up to support the day, including 'Forces' Sweethearts' Dame Vera Lynn and Katherine Jenkins, stars such as Ray Winstone and Jason Statham, the manager of the England rugby union team, Martin Johnson, and the England World Cup football team. Famous veterans Dame Kelly Holmes and Andy McNab are also showing their support. See Related www links to find out what other celebrities are supporting AFD. Ways to Show Your Support 8. There are lots of easy ways to 'Show Your Support' if you are not able to attend the national event: • There are hundreds of local and community events taking place across the UK and include street parties, parades and concerts. • 'Fly a Flag' for Armed Forces Day. Buy through the official AFD supplier - the Zephyr Online Store. • Follow AFD on Facebook. Post photos and leave messages of support for the Forces and veterans on the website, and on the AFD Flickr and YouTube pages. • Register your support online and get a free AFD window sticker. Glasgow's event takes place on Saturday 26 June and will be hosted by the The Lord Provost of Glasgow. Some 500 service personnel and veterans, will march past the City Chambers and on to George Square, where a short service will be staged at the Cenotaph, between 11:50am and 12.30pm. The service will include a presentation of veterans badges, and will include in a fly-past. The veterans and active service personnel will then make their way to a hospitality marquee on the west side of George Square for lunch - please note that access to this marquee is strictly by invitation only. The general public are most welcome to attend the service in the Square, and can enjoy displays of military hardware and fun activities from 11:00am until 4:00pm. Contact -------- Name: Anne Galbraith Phone: 0141 287 5086 Email: anne.galbraith@glasgow.gov.uk

I know its early, but I've received notification today that this years AFD will be held on Saturday 26th of June. Could I encourage all RM members to please advertise this as far & wide as possible, and hopefully we can have a bigger turn out than last year in support of our armed servicemen & women, both past & present.

I'd like to add this picture of the beasts captured during the minutes silence. Perhaps someone may recognise one or 2 of these inbreds, who booed jeered and found the abuse amusing:

As I recall, everyone who was on the CCC scheme, had signed up to European, AND cup games, all got tickets. I certainly did, and had to queue for 4 hours to get them !

Particularly good post mate...