Well, looks like none of the five SPEAK protestors arrested at Saturday’s demo were even from Oxford!

The five arrested for breaches of public order were released on bail until Thursday, January 26. They are barred from entering Oxford. Two are from Essex and others from Northampton, London and Kent.
The Oxford Mail, 16th January 2006

This suggests several things, including:

1. SPEAK is having trouble finding support amongst locals and is having to bus supporters in an attempt to increase numbers.

2. Since those arrested were presumably making trouble, SPEAK is deliberately bussing in people who escalate protest beyond what is expected of peaceful demonstrators.

The latter is very possible when you consider that some of the protestors felt the need to cover their faces (why would any law-abiding citizen feel the need to do so if they are merely exercising their democratic voice in a legal manner?), and when you consider the threatening words at the protest from Mel Broughton, spokesman for SPEAK;

Now it is time to fight. We must take this chance, we must do what is necessary… The time has come for fighting, not talking… You have got every opportunity to enter this city any time of day or night and they won’t stop you. They are going to have to worry about what will happen next.
The Oxford Mail, 16th January 2006

The final comment ‘they are going to have to worry about what will happen next’ perturbs me, following as it does a literal call-to-arms.  This doesn’t sit well with the idea of a peaceful organisation, which SPEAK claims to be.