Lancaster and Morecambe Against the Cuts grew significantly as a protest movement today with its march through the city of Lancaster. The successful and lively march reached numbers well over 400 local people, gathering significant support from shoppers as it passed through the city centre.
The marchers - including babes in arms - assemble by the Canal at Thurnham street car park. A cross-section of Lancaster citizens begin arriving from all directions. By 12.15 we are ready to go!
The march sets off down Penny Street and soon starts to grow even bigger!
It gathers more momentum, filling the shopping centre. People are chanting slogans in unison: "They Say Cutback - but we say Fightback!" and "No ifs', no buts, - no public service cuts"...
The march reaches 'TopShop' and halts outside for a while, as the protesters highlight tax dodging corporations. Top Shop's owner, the ninth richest man in Britain is a tax dodger! Philip Green's Arcadia group avoids paying tax by being registered in Monaco! Billions are lost to the British public purse by tax dodging giant corporations like Arcadia and Vodafone who dominate our hight streets but avoid paying their taxes. The protesters argued that the government should make these corporations pay their fair share of taxes there would be no need for these horrible attacks on the disabled, on students or any other cuts to public services! Saturday was a national day of action against such tax dodging corporations.
Thanks to Dan and Mikey for the photo's ....
The march then headed to the bottom of the shopping area, and then back round and up the ring-road to a rally in Dalton Square.
Here a variety of speakers drew impassioned applause from the crowd - and future plans for action were announced. People seem determined to build a protest movement that could break the 'Con-Dem' governmental coalition apart and stop the cuts.
Young and old, men and women, workers and students all had their say...
Graham, a local disability rights campaigner who lead the march captivated the crowd with a powerful speech. He spoke about about how the government's massive cuts to disability care budgets are making people suffer deeply, driving them to the edge of desperation. The crowd were angered by hearing how the poorest and most vulnerable in our society are being hit the hardest, and pledged to stand in solidarity with people with disabilities in their campaign.
After the rally, the fun continued as people who had dispersed then made their way individually across town and re-assembled later with another group of protestors. These began another protest outside the Market Sq store of corporate tax dodgers vodafone, who have been let off a tax bill of billions by George Osborne, the Tory Chancellor.
NEXT WEEK - as the government tries to pass its fee rise in Parliament, students and others will be taking to the streets everywhere, including Lancaster on the Wednesday. More reports to follow.
Pics by Hilary and Mikey.
