TUC National Demonstration Against Cuts

[OrangeBernard]

Who's going? I've just booked my train tickets. Its my first protest, any advice or tips? Bit worried about kettling.

Also on the BBC.

The valiant police protest against the sacking of police officers and cuts in policing. Those on the march also protesting for their colleagues who are on duty.

8rubberduckies

isn't it just?

i thought they were all mask-wearing petrol bomb throwing thugs, that chap giving the thumbs up is in the wrong place then

Not watching it on the news. I was there but what do I know [shrugemoticon] - am enjoying the FB pics that UKUncut are posting from Fortnums though [counterrevolutionaryyumyumemoticon]

I saw an elderly couple on the Embankment, arguing over who should have the last of their cheese sandwiches. Total anarchy.

Ha ha - I saw one group walking along sharing a tupperware bowl of babaganoush and couscous! How very middle class.

LFN Against my better judgment, I did have a look at Sky news live streaming, but they seem to be reporting on a "small splinter group of troublemakers", not the nurses, teachers, students and others on the peaceful protest trying to stop rescue workers help injured people using Molotov cocktails. Not a sign of the large-scale anarchy you report on the BBC news either. I suppose though, you can whip yourself into a frenzy and interpret news reports as all sorts if you watch Sky News long enough though.

• now I come to think of it, DS was given a packet of swizzels and a banana by a man from Wakefield.

longfingernails you sound utterly unhinged or at the very least uneducated.

To all the marchers - good on you. Would be there but DH is working in New Zealand so will be tweeting my support instead. Must show this government that they are not supported by all. We have democracy so let's embrace the fact we can protest.
Sorry to hear people calling the public sector lazy, will they remember that when they use the services we provide?
I also have my own business and am very concerned as think that unemployment will affect my business.

What a shame that the huge amount of peaceful protestors message has been somewhat overtaken by these morons. I bet if you asked half of them what they were protesting about, they wouldn't have a clue.

So frustrating for everyone who attended, I should imagine.

I should imagine students felt much the same about Mr FireExtinguisherOffTheRoof.

Also, the live streaming right now is bound to focus on non-TUC aspects as the official bit and speeches etc are over.

But the news coverage isn't that bad; though I think some bits got a bit garbled in the versions posted here.

I think that the public sector is hit bad (I used to work for the public sector) I had to move to the private sector as I moved areas. The private sector do not pay as much as the public sector you get less holidays, less pay pension is rubbish. But it was not as busy. I do feel sorry for anyone out of work or taking pay cuts but I do feel everyone needs to make a stand not just public sector cuts everyone is feeling the pinch well accept the bankers...... I think a protest is needed for a few things really petrol costs/cost of living/job losses cuts everywhere think we need a national strike then the gov might sit up and listen? I was laid off last May never been out of work in my life (worked form 15 yrs old to may 2010 33 yrs old) found out I was pregnant not long after it was not planned and was very worried tried to get a job but no one wanted a pregnant woman working for them! Hope to get a job about 5 months after having baby who knows.....

The atmosphere on the TUC march was really good, many many old people, disabled, young, veyr young, hundreds of thousands of ordinary people who care about the terrible things this govt are doing to us while shielding the very rich and handing the NHS to their cronies on a plate.

I saw the anarchists earlier on in the day making some noise round trafalgar square and they did look intimidating but they were the minority. I think the BBC has been at pains to separate those intent on anticapitalist violence from those of us asserting our right to peaceful protest.

Just wanted to voice my support for everyone that marched - good on you. I had to have Alf and am gutted I couldn't be part of this.

I work in Social Care. Those on their Daily Mail informed seats of judgement have no idea just how stuffed they will be once the full effects of these cuts kick in in a couple of years or so.

I am not against addressing the deficit. I am against the speed and level of the cuts imposed.

herbitea I am sure there would be people marching in your scenario- there were a number of protests in the Blair years, not only the Iraq demo- but fewer because these cuts appear ideologically driven and it's that, and things like NHS reform, free schools that are anathema to many, that brought so many 'ordinary' people out today.

The protest in Fortnums was peaceful. I have friends who were involved in it.

The Alternative herbietea is to block the tax loopholes that are in place so that more revenue is brought back to the country's coffers. And to get back the money used to bail out the banks, and use this to pay off the loans the country has.

Public spending cuts DO have to be made, but it's the fact that it's front-line jobs go first and then the systematic dismantling of the NHS that is most worrying for most people who took action today.

desperately

I posted a link to some of the pics posted from F&Ms, maybe your friends were in those

Beaker: if that's the alternative, can you confirm how much revenue the closing of the loopholes will bring? Which cuts can be reversed with that sum? (Please remember that even with the current cuts, we need to borrow an additional £146b or so).

What is the plan for getting the money back from the Banks?

I will have a look. They sent me some pictures on their phone. Apparantly they were sat listening to poetry.

When I picture longfingernails why am I getting the image of someone dressed in red,white and blue union flag clothes, with pictures of Mrs. Thatcher all round the Walls of the room, drinking a gin and tonic?

Herewith my top three quotes written on placards seen today on the march:

1. "You can stuff your royal wedding up your a*se"
2. "This is what a Feminist Looks Like" (held by busty blonde clearly wearing wonderbra)
3. "David you can fuvk Nick but you cant fuvk us"

Yours?