Protests about U2 Playing

[strudders]

Would it be better - generally - if Water-Aid, Oxfam, etc didn't exist, and Glastonbury didn't support them?

[strudders]

Bollocks to the poll tax banner?

[geebus]

Me don't care if they do protest or not, just I would say they could put there efforts into something more worthy and something that will actualy make a difference. Because when all is said and done. It's people buying their music and seeing their concerts that's at the heart of this issue and thats not going to change much.

[strudders]

With people getting riled up about polticians and bankers, I think this is something that might actually make them THINK a bit about the reality of the way the world works.

But then over all people don't really like 'thinking' much and generally find it much easier to get annoyed (whether it be about those perpetrating or those moaning about them.)

[ig1234]

I can't seriously believe that philanthropy makes up for using your money to pay for people to move your money so it can't be legitimately used to pay for public services and such like. Taxes pay for public goods. Philanthropy is a choice, they are in control, they can choose where the money goes. It may go to good things, bad things, it doesn't matter. If they really cared, they wouldn't put practices in place that restrict the amount of tax they pay to help people in their own country. Bono and co. in any case need to step away from their "saving the developing world" coin, because they've turned people against it by becoming a cliché and cause more damage. If it was more about "saving the world" and less about ego they could do a lot more, but not do it with their faces on it.

Even so, I'll be there as I enjoy the music, but if the protest goes ahead, I'll join that.

[Hotfoxy]

Everybody should be going to see The Lancashire Hotpots at Croissant Neuf instead of U2 anyways!

A conga or some irish dweebs?! I know what i will be doing!

SAY NO TO BONO!!!

[Winston Legthigh]

I don't think I've ever seen any kind of protest at Glastonbury in the 40 years I've been going

trying to make people aware? yes...

[Steve P]

I heard that Adam Clayton used to pull the wings off flies as a child. I'm going to protest about that.

[jimmyt]

The thing that confuses me is that, as far as I'm aware, U2 pay tax on every euro they generate in Ireland. They also pay tax in every other country where they generate an income. The issue is that they're not so keen on being taxed on already taxed earnings. I agree with them. They should pay tax on all their earnings in the country where those earnings are generated. They shouldn't then have to pay again. Every CD they sell in Ireland, they pay income tax on, they create VAT for the country and they promote their home nation proudly. I'm well aware that my politics aren't the same as a lot of people on here but I really don't get this. Please can someone explain because I know I must be missing something.

[duggie20]

Whilst i agree with you Nal, I do suspect that Terry Wogan would come out tops as Irelands most famous man.

[strudders]

The thing that confuses me is that, as far as I'm aware, U2 pay tax on every euro they generate in Ireland. They also pay tax in every other country where they generate an income. The issue is that they're not so keen on being taxed on already taxed earnings. I agree with them. They should pay tax on all their earnings in the country where those earnings are generated. They shouldn't then have to pay again. Every CD they sell in Ireland, they pay income tax on, they create VAT for the country and they promote their home nation proudly. I'm well aware that my politics aren't the same as a lot of people on here but I really don't get this. Please can someone explain because I know I must be missing something.

[fnchy77]

"the History of the Festival and the leftfield tent beg to differ."

Exactly - and those who don't agree with Glasto being a place for freedom of expression can't really call themselves fans of the festival given thats its' part and parcel of what Glasto is all about. To deny any peaceful protestor the opportunity to peacefully protest at Glasto goes against everything Glasto is all about.

[Bobser]

Why weren't Uncut protesting at Prince Charles' visit to the site last year? Surely he has a more direct impact on their own taxes as opposed to U2s lack of paying does.

[Winston Legthigh]

... "f**k Bush"... the revolution starts here!

I'm talking about active protests.

I know the festival has a lot to do with raising awareness (which is what I said).

[tylerdurden]

no. She's getting slated for whingeing about only having however many millions it is left, after paying her tax.

wrong again, see above

[fur_q]

Why weren't Uncut protesting at Prince Charles' visit to the site last year? Surely he has a more direct impact on their own taxes as opposed to U2s lack of paying does.

[sifi]

Just asked a few people at work and Gerry Adams came out top, followed by Graham Norton.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Was Charles's visit even publicised much in advance?. I don't recall hearing about it.

But yes - people do protest the royalty. So much so that planned protests on the day of the Royal wedding were pre-emptively locked down to prevent them happening.

[fur_q]

I rather suspect that more people might have heard of St Patrick? Although I'm not sure he was Irish.

[sifi]

I wish Bono would do a Hotblack Dessiato from Disaster Zone style manouevre and spend a year dead "for tax reasons".

There are lots of bands that I love who have been engaged in tax avoidance - The Stones, Floyd jump straight off the page - that for me to damn U2 would be entirely hypocritical, unless I damned them too. Would these people do the same thing if Roger Waters was playing?

[Simon1803201]

I've certainly payed more tax this yaer than I could have potentially payed had I gone to the effot of exploiting loopholes. Does that make me a idiot?

[sifi]

He was Welsh

[jimmyt]

I'm sorry, but yeah. Kinda. Why should you pay more tax than you're supposed to? The government isn't a charity. I'm not gonna send a £20 to Downing St if I'm feeling a bit flush after a nice win on the horses, similarly I wouldn't pay any more tax than I am legally required to do.

I don't agree with the various tax avoidance (not evasion) loopholes, but they're there. And they're legal, not semi legal, just legal. Protests should be focused at people who would have the power to close the loopholes, not people who are prudent enough to take advantage of them. In the grand scheme of things, any tax the members of U2 are avoiding amount to basically nothing compared to the hundreds of millions if not billions of tax avoided by all the similarly rich people in Ireland.

[fur_q]

I'm sorry, but yeah. Kinda. Why should you pay more tax than you're supposed to? The government isn't a charity. I'm not gonna send a £20 to Downing St if I'm feeling a bit flush after a nice win on the horses, similarly I wouldn't pay any more tax than I am legally required to do.

I don't agree with the various tax avoidance (not evasion) loopholes, but they're there. And they're legal, not semi legal, just legal. Protests should be focused at people who would have the power to close the loopholes, not people who are prudent enough to take advantage of them. In the grand scheme of things, any tax the members of U2 are avoiding amount to basically nothing compared to the hundreds of millions if not billions o

f tax avoided by all the similarly rich people in Ireland.

[eFestivals]

The irony of Irelands low corporate tax rate as an incentive to multinationals to come here ahead of other European countries and how we bitch about ze Germans when they criticise it totally lost on you then? People don't want to get rid of the low tax rate do they?

f**ks sake! Pathetic stiff. Cringing actually.

some people obviously like having to pay much higher taxes themselves rather than the stupidly rich pay those taxes instead.