Preliminary Report on Gloucester Anti-Cuts Demo
PeterPannier | 20.11.2010 20:57 | Public sector cuts | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements
Decent enough demo in drizzle. People went on to either shut down vodafone and a productive hour or so's chanting and leafleting about tax-dodgers and the cuts, or to an organising meeting for building the anti-cuts resistance (which I'm sure/hope was equally productive).
Demo went well - circa 2000 people, union leaders and other speakers gave decent enough speeches, with the PCS person expressing sympathy/solidarity will Millbank protesters and calling for more Direct Action.
After the demo, an assorted bunch of West Country and further afield anarchists shut down Gloucester's vodafone, and protested outside fellow-taxdodgers Boots (who kept their doors open, but had less custom). The FIT team appeared at this point, creating a little tension but generally more amusement (we had three cameras surrounding their two officers at one point)
Despite the rain, there was a good mood, and generally good public support (save a few of the usual 'Get a job' 'It's all Gordon Brown's fault' comments...)
Personally, I handed out a wadge of flyers, and got some positive feedback on my anarchist placard...
Oh, and we got a decent round of chanting
"Build a bonfire/ build a bonfire / put the tories on the top.
Put the bankers in the middle, and we'll burn the fucking lot"
in. Still feel UK demos need much better chanting and singing if we're to get anywhere!
It's only the beginning...
(full report and photos tomorrow)
After the demo, an assorted bunch of West Country and further afield anarchists shut down Gloucester's vodafone, and protested outside fellow-taxdodgers Boots (who kept their doors open, but had less custom). The FIT team appeared at this point, creating a little tension but generally more amusement (we had three cameras surrounding their two officers at one point)
Despite the rain, there was a good mood, and generally good public support (save a few of the usual 'Get a job' 'It's all Gordon Brown's fault' comments...)
Personally, I handed out a wadge of flyers, and got some positive feedback on my anarchist placard...
Oh, and we got a decent round of chanting
"Build a bonfire/ build a bonfire / put the tories on the top.
Put the bankers in the middle, and we'll burn the fucking lot"
in. Still feel UK demos need much better chanting and singing if we're to get anywhere!
It's only the beginning...
(full report and photos tomorrow)
PeterPannier
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