Undercurrents.org report of Election protests

June 7
As voters trickled into the polling stations of Manchester City centre, others kept their X’s to themselves and decided to persuade voters to make their own decisions in life. Free vegan food and free plant cuttings combined with leaflets gave advice on being your own leader.

Undercurrents are the only media to cover the protests here in Manchester, as none of the news outlets have shown an interest. Police stayed at arms length videoing anyone eating a salad sandwich or drinking a herbal tea. One woman stripped half naked when police try to search her. She became the first arrest of the day once the three officers caught her. Four mounted officers and five military style dressed police guarded the doors of the Town hall polling station as political street theatre played out across the square. A smartly dressed samba band gave a melodic backdrop in place of the cities traffic noise.

A few streets away activists handed out free veggie burgers from their NotDonalds handcart outside an 800 seater American junkfood outlet. The queue for the free food stretched down the street as flak jacket wearing police protected the Corporate giants windows.

Leaflets were handed out outside HSBC bank. Seven people replaced menus in a Nescafe coffee bar with leaflets explaining how the corporation causes infant mortality due to sales of manufactured baby milk.

One activist expressed his frustration about the elections: “Labour are in the hands of the big corporations and are just aiming for the centralist middle ground. I could vote green but what would be the point, they haven’t got a chance in hell.”

Another woman handing ot leaflets added “It doesn’t matter who you vote for, it all stays the same. The Corporations have the power and they have nothing to do with democracy but just work on getting money”.

Larger demonstrations are expected this evening from 6.30pm as Samba bands will mix with cycling street blockaders.