Report from Manchester anti-cuts demo

Wrexham Socialists’ were in attendance at a demo against cuts and fees last Saturday, January 29th, in Manchester.

The demo was called by the PCS Young Members Network, and was supported by the TUC, the NUS and the UCU, with around 5000 people out on the streets. We marched from Manchester University through Rusholme, before hearing speakers at Platt’s Field.

Aaron Porter, the president of the NUS, who has faced heavy criticism for his willingness to accept increased tuition fees and for placing his future career ambitions as an aspirant New Labour politician ahead of his members interests, was forced to abandon the demo before it had even started, after several hundred demonstrators made their views on the NUS president quite clear! Some media reports in the right wing press, and Porter himself, have alleged anti-semitic abuse. However, supporters of Wrexham Socialist Party were in the crowd protesting against Porter, and we can state categorically that there is no merit to these allegations. It would appear to be a deliberate misinterpretation of the chant ’Aaron Porter, we know you, you’re a f***ing tory too’.

Porter, who had private security guards disguised as stewards, opted to hide in the university union rather than answer the students he has repeatedly betrayed.

We then began the lively main march through Rushholme, which was characterised by much chanting and singing. We marched for around an hour, and in good spirits, before arriving at Platt’s Field for the TUC organised rally. At the rally, we heard from a number of speakers, most trotting out dull pro-Labour statement after pro-Labour statement about ‘ConDem cuts’, with notable exceptions from the likes of Jenny Warburton of PCS and Matt Wrack of the FBU, who called for co-ordinated resistance to the cuts and criticised the TUC response.

In replacement for runaway Aaron Porter, NUS vice president Shane Chowen spoke, but was cut short by almost universal booing – as befits the NUS leadership, which has diabolically sold out its members.

As the demo began to wind down, and given we were now several miles from Manchester city centre, many people began to head back into the city, still singing and chanting. Unfortunately the police took this as a license to crack down on what had been a peaceful protest. The demonstrators were overtaken by a number of large riot vans, which would periodically stop to make arrests, seemingly at random. We then found ourselves kettled and harassed at regular intervals as we headed down Oxford Road and towards the train home.

Despite the provocative behaviour of the police and the attempts by the TUC bureaucrats to dampen the spirits of the demonstrators, Saturday was an effective and peaceful day which demonstrated the strength of anger and resistance amongst working class and young people.

Pictures courtesy of Stillshooter.

You can read an article from Hugh Caffey of Manchester Socialist Party here.