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Feb. 5th, 2011 06:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hathycolToday has been a good day. I woke up splendidly early and headed out into the drizzle up to the train station, meeting Jo on the train and emerald_embers to Moorfields station, and then we followed people with signs and interesting hats to Liverpool Town Hall for a Protest.
The last time I went on a protest against Tory cuts, I was 7. I went with my mum, and it was around Ormskirk. I remember it raining a lot, that a man called John Major was quite unpopular, and we got to go home and have hot blackcurrent. I wasn't massively politically aware at the time! (Jo remembers the same protest; we vaguely think the local primary schools may have organised it.)
This time, though, I am an adult who is very politically aware and a bit afraid of being kettled. So I went along, ready to run if I needed to but looking forward to showing that I too was v. unhappy with these cuts. We were part of a vaguely middle class group of people who weren't there for a local service in particular or a union but more turning out to show support. I suspect a lot of people, like me, read about it in The Guardian.
We marched through the streets of London, shouting slogans with varying degrees of enthusiasm, but the atmosphere was safe and rather lovely, actually. However, what I didn't realise is that the big rally would be inside Liverpool Cathedral itself! It was all very civilised.emerald_embers had bought scones, so we sat in this enormous building, gently drying off and eating. About 2000 people or so were rammed inside the cathdral, and we listened to speakers of varying quality, including a very good 17 year old girl from Kirkby and, of course, Tony Benn. His speech was interrupted by an anti-war protester, which was a great shame.
After that, we went out and consumed lunch and had a little wander until the rain got too bad and we were chased home. I have now done most of my weekend cleaning, but for a few hours I hope I helped show the government that we really aren't happy about these cuts.
I have no idea if I helped make a difference. I hope I did.
emerald_embers to Moorfields station, and then we followed people with signs and interesting hats to Liverpool Town Hall for a Protest.The last time I went on a protest against Tory cuts, I was 7. I went with my mum, and it was around Ormskirk. I remember it raining a lot, that a man called John Major was quite unpopular, and we got to go home and have hot blackcurrent. I wasn't massively politically aware at the time! (Jo remembers the same protest; we vaguely think the local primary schools may have organised it.)
This time, though, I am an adult who is very politically aware and a bit afraid of being kettled. So I went along, ready to run if I needed to but looking forward to showing that I too was v. unhappy with these cuts. We were part of a vaguely middle class group of people who weren't there for a local service in particular or a union but more turning out to show support. I suspect a lot of people, like me, read about it in The Guardian.
We marched through the streets of London, shouting slogans with varying degrees of enthusiasm, but the atmosphere was safe and rather lovely, actually. However, what I didn't realise is that the big rally would be inside Liverpool Cathedral itself! It was all very civilised.
emerald_embers had bought scones, so we sat in this enormous building, gently drying off and eating. About 2000 people or so were rammed inside the cathdral, and we listened to speakers of varying quality, including a very good 17 year old girl from Kirkby and, of course, Tony Benn. His speech was interrupted by an anti-war protester, which was a great shame.After that, we went out and consumed lunch and had a little wander until the rain got too bad and we were chased home. I have now done most of my weekend cleaning, but for a few hours I hope I helped show the government that we really aren't happy about these cuts.
I have no idea if I helped make a difference. I hope I did.
