Manchester Pride Launch Interrupted by Protesters

Young Activists Ejected from Lord Mayor's Reception - Council Balloon Launch Ambushed in Surprise “Birthday” Message - Around half a dozen young gay activists gave Manchester Pride an unexpected surprise this evening when they surrounded the imminent balloon launch set to mark the event's 18th anniversary. City wide LGBT event faces tension within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community.

Lord Mayor Prepare to Launch Pride 18th Birthday Balloons.. public not invited

Bemused Councillors and Officials look on in dismay as youth ambush commences

Directors of Manchester Pride alongside Pride is a Protest Activists

We shall not, we shallnot be moved!

Crowds gather.... to see what the fuss is all about

Even more media people and passing public turn up

More Banners uncovered taking over the event

Even more attention gathers..

Activists Invade Town Hall... over half an hour before security appear

Peter Lukes Customer Service Manager politely asks us to leave

... accomined by city council heavies and grilled by protestors with questions

Protest Continued

Young People recruited to release the balloons for the council had a last minute disagreement with Pride organisers over their refusal to allow them to wear “hoodies”. One 18 year old, Lou told a local journalist “I told them I had valid reasons for wearing my hooded top but the organisers told me that would detract from the image they wanted to convey”. “I decided to get involved with this event to increase to the visibility of young people at Pride and now I feel we've just been used and marginalised even more”.

During the official media opportunity, protesters encircled the Lord Mayor and Pride Organises set to launch dozens of pink balloons, then released in full view of the media and surrounded by political signs and banners stating “Pride Not Profit”, “Smash the Pink Pound”, “Liberation not Equality” and messages in support of saving the Manchester Gay Centre which the council recently held secret meetings about to discuss its closure.

Opposition to the increasingly commercialised festival has been mounting in recent years after the introduction of a wristband scheme blocking entry to the gay village for 4 days to anyone who could not afford the ever increasing ticket price. Since the introduction of the ticket fee the funding for charities and good causes that Manchester Pride claims to be it's main objective has fluctuated if not decreased significantly. Many groups have now pulled out of the main event claiming new charges for stalls and parade entries that were previous free coupled with the lever increasing lack of accessibility have made it impossible for them to participate.

Manchester Pride is estimated to generate over £20 million for the city each year (figures from Marketing Manchester and the North West Tourist Board) despite the level of contributions and results filtering back to the community and small, unfunded voluntary groups decreasing year after year.

Tonight's demonstration is one of the only moments in history that a public protest has actually taken place inside
the Town Hall. The group which describes itself as a cross section of community activists and local young people from a number of groups including Trans Youth and the Queer Youth Network bypassed the Town Hall's formidable security to gain entry to the Lord Mayors champagne reception where they unfolded several banners and held signs in a silent protest to the bemusement of local business leaders, politicians and invited guests.

Despite several members of the group actually having official invitations to the event, it wasn't long before they were removed from he Town Hall building apparently at the request of the lord mayor herself surrounded by an entourage of intimidating security guards.

Local journalists were invited to accompany the protesters and a significant amount of photographic and video footage has been documented which will shortly be available at

http://www.get-bent-manchester.com/

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACTS
Tomboi-

transyouthnet@yahoo.co.uk
David – 07747 063 458

david@queeryouth.net

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Pride is a Protest Manchester
Homepage: http://www.queeryouth.org.uk

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Additions

oldie

18.08.2008 11:31

There was a protest inside the Town Hall in 1989 or 90, when there was a demo/rally in the square against the instroduction of Student Loans. About 6 anarchist students ran up through the builidng with red/black flags, and found themselves in a small room with 'Lord Mayor's Pantry' on the door!, The window openened out above the door of the Town Hall and flags were waved and loo-rolls chucked down tothe crowd below. Totaly pointless really but quite fun! Much respect for the action, the commercialisation is ludicrous, and especially the news about the moeny raised for charity and causes: £60,000 in the old days (1995) and only £65,000 in 2006. Where does all the money go? Policing costs?

demo in the town hall

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

New website - Bash Back News

16.08.2008 06:26

Came across it earlier today, It definately puts the M into Militant!

http://bashbacknews.wordpress.com

Could it be a spin off from Bite Back

http://www.directaction.info?

I hope so! Even up the score I say, about time too!

As somebody who is not gay but previously suffered from physical bullying because people 'thought' I was, this definitely puts a smile on my face.

If only I read about this earlier I would of bashed back....until next time though!

"crucify the racists and bash all the homophobes?" - Leftover Crack

POINTS OF UNITY

Members of Bash Back! must agree to:

1. Fight for liberation. Nothing more, nothing less. State recognition in the form of oppressive institutions such as marriage and militarism are not steps toward liberation but rather towards heteronormative assimilation.

2. A rejection of Capitalism, Imperialism, and all forms of State power.

3. Actively oppose oppression both in and out of the “movement.” All oppressive behavior is not to be tolerated.

4. Respect a diversity of tactics in the struggle for liberation. Do not solely condemn an action on the grounds that the State deems it to be illegal.

Antifascist

Hoodies suck

16.08.2008 11:42

I agree with them about hoods. I hate them. Haha! Sorry.

Ruby

To Ruby...

16.08.2008 17:25

I like the point about the balloons killing wildlife, but as for your comment about hoodies, it shouldn't matter whether you like them or not, people should be allowed to wear whatever they want. If everyone was hooded and masked up, it might be a different story but I very much doubt anyone would have wanted to turn up like that for the event. Someone not being allowed to wear their hoodie is pretty stupid.

I hate that Pride is becoming so commercialised - having to pay to go to this event, to go into the village is ridiculous.

Stay proud of who you are (everyone)

Jane Doe

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