Massive demonstrations amidst NBP's campaign launchCoburan News Central reportsAt a massive party conference in Augustus, the Chairman of the NBP, Nate Fitzgerald, launched their campaign for the elections in six months. “It’s time to build a national movement now, and to start working for a better future for Cobura now!” Said the Chairman in his keynote speech to the conference, which was a jam-packed stadium in the middle of Augustus. The conference held by the NBP received great criticism for relying too heavily on big corporations and wealthy donors. To this, the chairman responded, “Just because the NBP has a lot of successful voters, should we be embarrassed? …they’ve fought their whole lives; they’ve achieved the Coburan dream through hard-work… If, for anything, these individuals should be rewarded, not humiliated,” While the conference was raging on, with huge masses of voters, staff and elected politicians, members of the Socialist Youth” were outside protesting. According to Jack Ashcroft, the Police Chief of Southern Augustus, the protesters were estimated to be around “800-1000”, and not “posing a great threat, yet” the police had to intervene on several occasions as the demonstrations got out of hand.
The Socialist Youth leader was quoted in a speech amidst the caterwauling of anti-capitalist slogans, “The NBP should get out of our country… they [NBP] are nothing but fat-cats who live off of bailouts and stock-swaps …it’s time for a rebellion against this kleptocracy the NBP wants.” After a quote by the Socialist leader, “Let’s take up arms now, and take them all… the fat-cats – all of them!” Chief Ashcroft changed the status of his servicemen to “high awareness.” Then there were serious physical fights between the socialists and the police. Some of the aforementioned managed to break into the stadium, but were quickly taken down by bodyguards and other private guards. In a total, the Chief had a Press Conference just now, where he reported: “50 arrests, about half of them were lightly wounded. No deaths occurred, but there were 5 demonstrators who ended up in critical conditions, and we have reports they are no in stable condition.” “No NBP supporters we have identified were harmed,”
Nate Fitzgerald used the situation to his advantage, saying “this is why we need more cops on the streets to take out these radicals… these thugs,” After massive applause, and a chanting of his name, and later the Police Chief’s name for exercising the brute force on the demonstrators, the people in the crowd were in absolute ecstasy. “Put ‘em all behind bars and throw away the key now!” Mr. Fitzgerald screamed on the stage to great applause and chants.
Polls indicate that the NBP is doing fairly well, along a 15% mark on average. As a very new party in the early stages of the campaign, according to our Chief Political Analyst, this is “astonishing,” and, “as the socialist leader said earlier this evening, maybe they should start worrying a bit more about the ‘kleptocracy’ after all.” The Analyst said clearly he thought that these ‘rebellions’ by socialists only give the NBP “more sympathy,” “it’s time to get real, the NBP deserve seriousness,” “Coburans aren’t stupid,”
On policy, the Chairman focused primarily on national security and foreign relations in interviews with journalists, “We need to take out all terrorist threats, both domestic and international,” “it’s our responsibility… to take out all threats to our great Republic.” Indicating this Hawkish stance, Fitzgerald remained clear that he thought the Cobura should use military force “whenever necessary,” and that we should “go outside our borders to fight the terrorists on our premises, not theirs.” On foreign relations, the Chairman focused mostly on Jakania and Zardugal: “We share borders with two sound Axis nations, and I insist on strengthening the ties between us in the Majatran,” Our Foreign Policy Expert, Dr. Lewis, made it clear that this was an important move by the candidate. Even though this is not likely to draw a lot of votes, “it’s important that we shift our policy to a friendlier, proper line…We need their help in the global fight against terrorism.”