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Protest against city council cuts: March 5th

anon@indymedia.org (Concerned of Notts) | 05.03.2011 19:23

On Saturday March 5th, Notts SOS organised a protest in the Market Square. The demonstration was held 2 days before Nottingham City Council meets to set its budget for next, year, slashing millions of pounds of spending.

Organisers claimed protesters numbered around 150. While not tiny, the demonstration was a fraction of the size of recent demonstrations against cuts at the city council and the privatisation of the Royal Mail.

The inclement weather can't have helped attendance. While not heavy, the rain didn't let-up throughout.

One organisation whose banners had been prominent on the post and county council demonstrations, but who were notable by their absence was the Labour Party. While happy to criticise the Tory-run county council for cutting services, they are curiously quiet about the Labour-run city council's decision to do the same.

The demonstration was intriguingly juxtaposed alongside the Nottingham Wheel and a Help For Heroes event involving people in 1940's costume and a range of contemporary vehicles.

The rally lasted for a couple of hours and was addressed by campaigners, trade unionists, students, homeless people and even a councillor (one from the Green Party). Speakers discussed their anger about the cuts, the impact on ordinary people and the possibility of challenging the government's austerity drive.

After the demonstration, some campaigners went on to visit Vodafone, Boots and Natwest, continuing a long-running local UK Uncut campaign.

Protesters will return to the square on Monday 7th March to protest outside the council's budget meeting. There will be a demonstration from 1pm with a second wave, for people leaving work, from 5-7pm.


anon@indymedia.org (Concerned of Notts)
- http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/1014