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Protest in David Cameron's constituency against youth centre cuts

adelayde | 10.12.2010 17:47 | Public sector cuts | Oxford

Protesters from a group called UK Save Our Youth Groups are gathering in David Cameron's constituency of Witney, Oxfordshire.

At around 5.20 this afternoon over sixty people had amassed on Witney High Street outside David Cameron's constituency office to demand that the government halt the cuts to public services and realise that by doing so they are removing valuable lifelines to the youth of this country.

I spoke to Catherine Hickman of Oxford Save Our Services who told me that she was personally completely opposed to the public sector cuts, including those that take valuable services away from the young and vulnerable. Of the government's utterly hypocritical rhetoric on the matter, she said "the government complain about the problems of teenage drinking and petty crime on the streets by disaffected youth on one hand, but then remove funding from the very services that offer them any form of alternative on the other."

By about 5.30, traffic was building on the High Street and people generally supported and cars beeping their horns in support. The protesters are chanting "We want what's fair, we want our youth groups here!" and "Save our youth centres: Why should young people pay?" and there is a generally good-natured atmosphere and a very minimal police presence so far.

adelayde

Additions

Protest

10.12.2010 20:01

I was there and i was shouting, i am a young volunteer at the allandale youth centre in carterton and seeing how many older people were supporting our protest was quite amazing. I was then glad to here that after the protest had dispersed, that david cameron was actually in his office and had heard our protest.

Emma Akehurst
mail e-mail: miss.match@hotmail.co.uk


reported in the guardian

11.12.2010 01:32

The Guardian carries an article about how a youth organiser of this protest was threaten by the Police about personal consequences to him if any disorder broke out

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/dec/10/schoolboy-quizzed-cameron-office-picket

Lopekal


incredible level of bullying from the State

11.12.2010 20:09

Not just any cops; he was threatened by anti-terrorist cops... and they made a veiled threat about armed police potentially being present and shooting people! (!!!)

The details are in the Guardian article.

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