This is the same man who in 2009 went on the record as claiming expenses for his parent's home, which is just eight miles from his own (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Pickles)!
Shock revelation: Debating Union used for public discourse!
No fees required for this talk!
Surrounded in by the issues!
Making it clear what they think!
The most 'bling' placard ever? Replete with LEDs...
The infamous Pig's head...
A striking resemblance!
All in a pickle.
Minister of cuts...
An interesting juxtaposition...
Weapons of sound!
Activists got this close to the hall...
A noisy lobby in the lobby.
Police turn up...
Ejected!
We have you surrounded!
Another way in..?
Rather brutish behaviour by 'security'...
A last burst of racket before heading off.
And finally...
The second half started when many activists managed to find a way into the building and sneaked into the lobby in front of the hall through a side entrance, then proceeded to continue making loads of noise right in front of the hall (including lots more drumming), with a few people even having a little dance there!
Things started to turn ugly though, ironically not when the police turned up (about half a dozen officers arrived and entered the lobby), but when the privately hired 'security' gaurds started to remove activists from the building, at times using a lot more force than was actually necessary in the context, with one 'security' gaurd even being restrained by two police officers when he got a little too enthusiastic about his job!
After this, activists continued to wander around the building, eventually finding a couple of side entrances down an alleyway, then blockaded them, with others still being very noisy about it.
There was a very brief stalemate situation, then at the top of an outside stairwell, once again the 'security' gaurds were seen to be using extreme force against activists, with one young man having his wrist injured, and another young lady being seen to be first lifted off the ground (this was also about twenty five foot up on the stairwell), then put into an arm lock, by which time it was clear that she was very distressed. Once again, the police were seen to take these private 'security' gaurds to task about their behaviour, and the girl was released and allowed to leave.
All this does beg the question why Cambridge University is being seen to be hiring such thugs and allowing them to perpetrate these crimes on their property, even when there are police present.
These dark episodes aside, the demonstration should be seen to be effective in that it it successfully disrupted the Debating Union meeting and made it clear to Mr. Pickles that the people of Cambridge do not like what he is doing to their public services.
There was a brief lull in the action as activists decided whether to stay until Mr.Pickles left or disperse. It was decided that one last bout of noise would be made then people would go their own separate ways.
As for Mr. Pickles himself, he entered the debating Union building earlier in the evening by a side entrance and was not seen again, as he chose to stay inside the hall for the duration of the meeting.
Another question that should be asked is why the so-called Debating Union keeps insisting on booking such unpleasant characters as Eric Pickles, when they must realise it is likely to provoke an extreme response from local people.
They too should be held to account for their decisions, along with their dubious choice of 'security' team.
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