the manchester loombreaker - issue 26
loombreaker collective | 27.02.2002 18:15
Back in the days of 'Free Trade' & 'Democracy' they used to talk about Political Economy and 'Manchester Economics' was regarded as a prize example. The new economics and factory system was certainly an accurate fortetaste of the misery and squalor that industrial capitalism has long since spread worldwide. But it was also a social environment that forged the development of progressive movements and radical ideas. The Free Trade Hall was one expression of that early struggle for social justice. Now it is to become a five-star 16 storey hotel...
FREED TRADE HALL
On Saturday 2nd of February Manchester's Free Trade Hall was taken back into public use, albeit briefly. Furious at the council's decision to sell this historic public space, demonstrators occupied for three hours and banners were unfurled protesting at the sale and demolition of the building.
On the site of the infamous Peterloo Massacre, the Free Trade Hall has a unique place in Manchester history. The building itself was founded in 1840 to house the great Corn Law debates of the 19th century and to provide space for Manchester people to hold political, religious and cultural public meetings. Since then, it has been the scene of
Suffragette meetings , the famous electric Bob "Judas" Dylan gig, the Sex Pistols gig that inspired Joy Division to form and much more. The Manchester Corporation bought the Free Trade Hall from the Manchester Public Hall Company in May 1921, "so that the Hall should not be lost to citizens". Yet more recent times has seen Manchester Council's attitude change.
The occupation of the Free Trade Hall was timed to tie in with opposition to capitalism around the world. The same weekend saw huge demonstrations in Munich, New York and Buenos Aires. In Munich nearly 900 people were arrested for protesting as more than 7000 people took to the streets to disrupt NATO's annual meeting. In New
York almost 20,000 demonstrated against the World Economic Forum, with 40 arrests. In Argentina there was a huge "casserole" demonstration, with thousands of demonstrators beating pots and pans in a noise demo in the Beunos Aires' main square.
Other stories: Burnage Housing Office Occupied; Headache for Bayer; Colin Davies - a healer not a dealer; Anti-nuke actions.
On Saturday 2nd of February Manchester's Free Trade Hall was taken back into public use, albeit briefly. Furious at the council's decision to sell this historic public space, demonstrators occupied for three hours and banners were unfurled protesting at the sale and demolition of the building.
On the site of the infamous Peterloo Massacre, the Free Trade Hall has a unique place in Manchester history. The building itself was founded in 1840 to house the great Corn Law debates of the 19th century and to provide space for Manchester people to hold political, religious and cultural public meetings. Since then, it has been the scene of
Suffragette meetings , the famous electric Bob "Judas" Dylan gig, the Sex Pistols gig that inspired Joy Division to form and much more. The Manchester Corporation bought the Free Trade Hall from the Manchester Public Hall Company in May 1921, "so that the Hall should not be lost to citizens". Yet more recent times has seen Manchester Council's attitude change.
The occupation of the Free Trade Hall was timed to tie in with opposition to capitalism around the world. The same weekend saw huge demonstrations in Munich, New York and Buenos Aires. In Munich nearly 900 people were arrested for protesting as more than 7000 people took to the streets to disrupt NATO's annual meeting. In New
York almost 20,000 demonstrated against the World Economic Forum, with 40 arrests. In Argentina there was a huge "casserole" demonstration, with thousands of demonstrators beating pots and pans in a noise demo in the Beunos Aires' main square.
Other stories: Burnage Housing Office Occupied; Headache for Bayer; Colin Davies - a healer not a dealer; Anti-nuke actions.
loombreaker collective
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