Anti austerity march...urb meet up?

[Orang Utan]

Having a rest up at picadilly, was nice to see so many people, not used to outnumbering the fuzz.

May head back but not sure.

I was surprised how few cops seemed to be out in force. Only saw a couple of gangs of the nastier brand in green park, lurking

 

[Hocus Eye.]

I looked at the Sky live stream for quite a while. It all seemed a bit aimless at the end of the march.The cameraman/woman was wandering around and sometimes going against the flow of people traffic, It also looked very much larger than I expected.

I hope that people who support the anti-austerity cause can summon up their arguments for it. There seem to be too many people who just accept the Tory (and general media) propaganda in favour of "saving money".

 

[chainsawjob]

Oh and I only met one Urbanite: chainsawjob nice to meet you! Hope you found your mates again!

Yes I did thanks! Slightly turned into a pub crawl here, we may yet make it to Parliament Square, possibly

 

[Artaxerxes]

I saw a fair few protecting macd's at charing cross, there were also a few of the black boots no high vis scattered around Bank. They were very spread out overall, which is nice, lots o mischief

 

[Pickman's model]

hang the tory party and save the money which would have been paid out on their pensions

 

[Hocus Eye.]

Badgers join left wing organisations and then when they have a quorum at an ill-attended meeting, they vote down the officers and replace them with badgers, all to pass badger-friendly motions and divert funds to dam-building causes. That's entryism. The humans involved are useful idiots, who simply fell in with the wrong set.

I think you may have got your badgers mixed up with your otters.

 

[Pickman's model]

I saw a fair few protecting macd's at charing cross, there were also a few of the black boots no high vis scattered around Bank. They were very spread out overall, which is nice, lots o mischief

didn't see any protecting mcds but they were in force o/s topshop

 

[Maurice Picarda]

I think you may have got your badgers mixed up with your otters.

No, with beavers. Bugger.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

It was a long route with a lot of people, they weren't going to be able to have big mobs of coppers in many places. There weren't even that many outside Downing Street.

War memorials on Whitehall were rather pointedly boarded up.

 

[Maharani]

.

 

[Maharani]

That was fun. There was no way i was hanging around for crappy speechs, so walked to Green Park and am already at London Bridge to cycle home.
Seemed pretty peaceful and jolly to me.
When we entered the march, the atmosphere seemed pretty weird. Everyone was looking us up and down and frowning. I said to my mate that maybe people thought we were cops (3 men in their early 40s dressed rather conventionally), but then my mate pointed out that we were the only men and we'd stumbled into a bloc of sisters against cuts. So we moved out sharpish and joined anither part of the march.

crappy speeches?

 

[Hocus Eye.]

didn't see any protecting mcds but they were in force o/s topshop

On the Sky live video they were a mass presence around the Cenotaph.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I never stay for speeches either tbh. I try to avoid them at the start, too.

 

[Hocus Eye.]

No, with beavers. Bugger.

Oh yes, that is the pair of us misidentifying our wildlife.

 

[ddraig]

crappy speeches?

yes to the converted
what use are they, what comes from them?

 

[Maharani]

yes to the converted
what use are they, what comes from them?

They're reiterating how people feel and giving young people more of an idea of what socialism is about. I find them inspiring.

 

[ddraig]

fair enough!
but do the rabble get roused beyond agreeing with what's being said?

 

[Orang Utan]

crappy speeches?

Yeah, vaguely famous actors and populist politicos spouting platitudes. Not for me.

 

[DotCommunist]

I never stay for speeches either tbh. I try to avoid them at the start, too.

looks like you missed fartin martin mguiness

 

[emanymton]

Ah - here it is:

Rallies / timeline
11:45: Start point rally on Queen Victoria Street, corner of Queen Street
Speakers to include:
Anita Wright- People's Assembly
Ben Chacko - Morning Star
Kate Hudson - CND
Lindsey German - Stop the war
Jackie Davies - Keep NHS public
Shelly Asquith - NUS
Shakira Martin - NUS
Matt Wrack - FBU
Sally Hunt - UCU
Dianne Abbott MP
Sabby Dhalu - Unite against fascism
John Hillary - War on want
Dave Ward – CWU
12:00: official march form up begins
12:45: head of march photcall
13:00: march sets off
13:30: short march gathers Whitehall, opposite Downing Street. Joins DPAG bloc.
14:30: Head of march arrives in Parliament SQ
15:00 Speakers Parliament Square
Steve Turner - Unite & People's Assembly
Romayne Phoenix - People's Assembly
Owen Jones
Christine Blower - NUT
Len McCluskey - Unite
Mark Serwotka - PCS
Charlotte Church
Julie Hesmondhalagh - Actress
Marina Prentulis - Greece Solidarity
Caroline Lucas MP
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Martin McGuinness - Sinn Fein
Liz Carr
Sam Fairbairn - People's Assembly
Shappi Khorsandi
John Rees -People's Assembly
Francesca Martinez - Comedian
17:30: ENDS

I couldn't go today, well done to all those who did.

I don't normally stay for the speakers anyway but what does it say about me that the two I am most sorry to have missed are Charlotte Church and Shappi Khorsandi?

 

[editor]

Yeah, vaguely famous actors and populist politicos spouting platitudes. Not for me.

Charlotte Church's speech was one of the most inspirational I've heard in a very long time. Fantastic stuff.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I couldn't go today, well done to all those who did.

I don't normally stay for the speakers anyway but what does it say about me that the two I am most sorry to have missed are Charlotte Church and Shappi Khorsandi?

It says you're like me they were two I wouldn't have minded staying for. They'll be on YouTube in a bit though.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

One can take the piss out of Owen Jones but he does do a good speech too. He's always been excellent when I've heard him at marches.

 

[Orang Utan]

Charlotte Church's speech was one of the most inspirational I've heard in a very long time. Fantastic stuff.

I'll watch it on YouTube whilst sitting down. And I'll be able to see AND hear her.

 

[DotCommunist]

One simply read: "We're mad as hell and we're not taking it any more."

hope the glasgow lot had a decent turn out too

 

[Guineveretoo]

It says you're like me they were two I wouldn't have minded staying for. They'll be on YouTube in a bit though.

They are on facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/ThePeoplesAssembly?fref=nf

 

[Maharani]

I'll watch it on YouTube whilst sitting down. And I'll be able to see AND hear her.

I did see her. I did hear here. I did sit down.

 

[Maharani]

So annoying on the lack of reporting of numbers.

More than 250,000 people. I'm not on Facebook so it would be great if people could spread that.

 

[ska invita]

 

[ddraig]

brilliant!