One Year Later: 11th April - National Day of Action

I can quite believe that 😂

It was a striking difference.
I made a point of not looking or paying them attention but the voices were all male. And the things they shouted so male patterned. The idea they are women is just ludicrous - no woman could or would do what they have!

Don’t think so.

I think we were clearly having much more fun than they were at the end & that must have been pretty annoying in itself.

No nasty incidents? Fantastic- pics look great.

I was particularly struck by the contrast in noise from the two sides.

One side of the road a bunch of women (and a few men) listening to experts talking sensibly about women's rights and the erosion of those rights, the other side reminded me of a fairly typical beer'd up football crowd. Just like a typical football crowd, the TRA chants appeared to be lead by a pasty, topless fella with moobs.

Surely, if you had any vestige of sanity in that TRA crowd, you must have wondered what the hell you were supporting if the figurehead (poster boy?) is a topless guy with hormone induced moobs screaming about JKR.

I do hope that some of the TRAs opposite checked out the contrast between the two sides and asked themselves if they were in fact on the right side of history

For me the highlight of the day was hearing the words of Maya Forstater and others echoing off the building behind the TRAs. The noise from the TRA side was audible but the voices of sanity could clearly be heard above it - a metaphor for where the debate currently stands. A great day

By the Millicent Fawcett statue I saw a copper with his finger in his ear. It must have been very difficult to stand in the blare of the loudhailer

"No, not the effin' TRA lot AGAIN Sarge, I drew that short straw last time! Can't I swap and go on the women's side? They're polite and their singin' is much better. And all that bloody drummin' and hollerin' gives me a right bloody headache..."

(Said in the manner of Corporal Nobbs from the City Watch)

The TRA holding the placard with 'hangman'!!!!!
Can you imagine if women carried a similar one? I know it wouldn't happen, but the audacity of carrying that placard. She should be ashamed of herself. Yet there's toxicity on both sides? Yeah right

Well done all. Love that dinosaur 🦖

A grand day out. The little group at the top of the steps by the Millicent Fawcett statue were ridiculous. The optics are stark. A gathering of women of all ages calmly standing around, chatting and waiting to move off having a lot of hyperbolic nonsense being shouted at them through a loud hailer by young men and their female support humans.
Cannot fault the London policing. They were chatty and amenable. I did wonder if they had to draw lots to see who gets what side to manage.

Great work to all you wims! Thank you 🥰

I certainly did, and so were quite a few women around me. They all smiled and said we were welcome, have a good evening etc. A far cry from having to babysit the Mantrum Brigade who were calling them fascists

I think many of us thanked the police as we left.

When Julia was doing her cockney medley, some of the police were definitely struggling not to laugh.

As we were leaving we commented to the police “I bet you’re glad you were over this side” and they replied, “Yes, we were just saying the same thing”.

I loved the dinosaur sketch! And hats off to Mr Menno for the singalong.

Given the excellent speeches, the very entertaining dinosaur sketch and the rousing singalong at the end with Julia Long & Mr Menno, the noise the TRAs were making really did fade into the background.

London was excellent, the police were great and the TRAs were largely kept away from us. There was a small bunch when we gathered at the Fawcett statue but they weren't allowed to follow us. Then there were more at the end of the march but the sound system was good so they were kind of just a vague drone/drumming noise in the background.

A great day with excellent speeches.

The bad and the ugly:

I was there today. The good: a selfie with Maya.

On the
train home now, great to meet @JumpingPumpkin and @GloomyWednesday. All good, apart from less than ideal weather.

I seee them! The Rosa Luxembourgs! 😀

There's a small contingent outside the library in Manchester.

London women be careful near the QEII centre, that’s where the TRAs are gathering.

I can’t go to the Manc one now (epileptic seizure). Gutted. Had my AHF T-shirt all ready.

Hope everyone going has a brilliant time, can’t wait to hear what it was like!

I know several people going, am abroad but with you in spirit and will be following online ❤️