Protest against cuts – Big day of action, but what do they do next?
Unions ponder next move after Camden protesters march against lifeline care centre cuts
Published: 31st March, 2011
by TOM FOOT and JOSIE HINTON
PARENTS, teachers, students, pupils, pensioners, postal workers, carers, teachers, firefighters, council and NHS employees – men, women and children. All stood shoulder to shoulder in a memorable day of protest on Saturday.
Thousands of people from Camden beefed-up the mass march through central London with a defiant display of people power against the government assault on public services. Trade union leaders warned that they would aim to follow up on the day of action by organising “co-ordinated strikes”.
Camden Unison branch secretary George Binette said: “It was a weird combination of Glastonbury and the Labour movement coming to London. I found it quite uplifting.
“It was a day that we abolished the distinctions between blue and white collar workers. It was a living rebuttal to Cameron’s attacks on multiculturalism. But it ultimately begs the question: where to from here? We are looking at more demonstrations and support for occupations, local strikes and effective co-ordinated strikes.”
Hundreds of Camden protesters met at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Holborn, at 11am before joining a walking train that stretched back as far as the eye could see. Official estimates ranged from 250,000 to 500,000.
Caversham Children’s Centre, Netherwood day centre for Alzheimer’s sufferers and day centres for the elderly including Great Croft and Millman Street were represented with home-made banners and placards.
The more mischievous slogans ranged from “The End of the Lib Dems is Nigh” and “Academics Against Stupidity” to “Barclays Ate My Babies”.
Away from the main march, anarchists hurled green smoke bombs in Piccadilly and windows of HSBC and Lloyds banks were smashed at around 2pm.
The campaign group Uk Uncut occupied Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly and police circling hundreds of young people occupying Trafalgar Square moved in on them at around 1am.
The Met’s tactics were monitored by a team of green-vested “observers” from the campaign group Liberty. In general, the mood was far from aggressive.
Candy Udwin, from Camden Keep Our NHS Public, said: “Now we need to step up the action against cuts and to stop the NHS Bill.”