Simon Pegg Speaks Out On Protest Rights And Corporate Power At Glastonbury

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Simon Pegg dropped a serious truth about protesting and corporate power in that slapstick episode during Glastonbury when Greenpeace UK had an appearance. The actor-activist has never lost his teeth talking about why resistance is so much needed now, and there was a mind-boggling amount of comments on this scene.

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Pegg is invited to reminisce about his first protesting era back in Bristol University days concerning student loans, when he felt the conscious realization of collective power. “It felt like real protest,” he said with that sideways nostalgic smile that can only really be reserved for remembering how he tasted beer for the first time. Asked about what protest means to him, he continues, “It’s vitally important…not just being obeying sheep to any kind of legislation that might go against our inner core principles.”

He strongfully stated that now becomes the time when resistance is pushed to the forefront as of paramount importance, against “corporate authority” and those systems that enrich “just a few very, very wealthy people.” Pegg’s hopeful reflection on the power of collective action found resonance within many viewers; some, in fact, found the approach to be somewhat too broad.

The comments section turned into a mini-protest scene. One user described Pegg’s comments as “intelligent and articulate” yet concerned about Greenpeace Resist T-shirts that sell out “all the time” (same here). Suddenly, the discussion went philosophical with someone correcting Pegg on saying the rights to protest were “given” to us: “The right to protest wasn’t given to us…it was fought for!” This launched the beginnings of a mini-debate on resistance movements throughout history, well worthy of a university seminar.

Some, alas, just were not feeling Pegg’s vibe. Critics described the statements as bordering on vague and questioned directly, “what is he protesting here, exactly?” Another just straightforwardly said: “He used a lot of words and said nothing of significance.” Ouch, indeed. That caused Pegg’s defenders to react in a way that fostered division rather than lessening the tempestuous atmosphere, stating that Pegg had the right to speak in generalities about democratic principles without having to name every single global crisis in a short interview.

There were general debates about what counts as effective protest (with a good roasting of Occupy Wall Street included) and random calls for a Shaun of the Dead sequel (because seriously, why not?). That “fiery” exchange also questioned whether protests achieve anything else, leading to an interjection with some historical reminders about women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement, which were basically a masterclass in Why You Should Pay Attention in History Class.

Someone afar dryly mentioned the irony of debating resistance “whilst at Glastonbury”-because nothing says sticking it to the man like a £300 festival ticket.

Amid all the argy bargy, though, Pegg’s basic message had managed to get through to many: protest should stay important to democratic societies. One thing is clear, whether you think he was spot on or danced around some issues: That discussion on corporate power and resistance ain’t going anywhere. And if Pegg is right, that in the end, good wins, those Resist T-shirts might finally reappear in stock.

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The full video view shows Pegg in his most reflective and passionate mode as he reminds us that often change starts with the voice of one person- even if that one voice sometimes is distracted by zombie movies; Greenpeace UK is taking this moment to launch their petition for free speech protections, showing that celebrity activism gets engaged involvement. If you are tuning in for politics or Pegg-isms, this protest is going to be around for a long time.