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Residents and visiting activists march through Craigmillar

Voluntary Slave | 02.07.2005 11:03 | G8 2005

Residents of the most deprived area of Edinburgh joined with anti-G8 protestors camping on a park in their estate. They marched through the estate to show their opposition to poverty here and abroad.

The Jack Kane Centre
The Jack Kane Centre

The Jack Kane Centre Says Make Poverty History
The Jack Kane Centre Says Make Poverty History

Campers and local residents enter the camp site
Campers and local residents enter the camp site

The march enters the estate
The march enters the estate

The local residents' banner
The local residents' banner

The march in the estate
The march in the estate

Banners from resident and visiting protesters
Banners from resident and visiting protesters

Residents come out of their houses to hear the samba
Residents come out of their houses to hear the samba

Local banner again
Local banner again

The march continued through the estate
The march continued through the estate


Community groups associated with the Jack Kane Community Centre approached protesters camping in the park next door, and together they arranged a joint march through the Craigmillar estate, where the community centre and the park are located. Craigmillar is the most deprived area of Edinburgh, and so marching through this area made the slogan 'Make Poverty History' more immediate than it might be in the rich surroundings of central Edinburgh.

About 100 marchers assembled at 10:00 outside the campsite. After negotiating with the Council-provided security firm, local residents and a samba band where allowed onto the site. They circled round and picked up more marchers, before leaving the site and heading into the Craigmillar estate, which is just next door. At this point they numbered 150-200, and they marched to the beats of the Samba and the cheers and waves of local residents coming from doors and windows. After marching through the estate for about 15 minutes, they arrived at the bus stop and headed into central Edinburgh to take part in various parts of the main demonstration, including the Make Poverty History march, the Anti-capitalist block, and the Clown Army.

Voluntary Slave

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March around Craigmillar

05.07.2005 13:29

I was born and bred in Craigmillar and it was great to see demonstrators marching around the street where I lived - only a fundemental change in society can give the people of Craigmillar a future - Forward to Socialism and down with the system that breed poverty!

Richard Vivian