Well over 1,000 students took part in the anti-cuts demo in Manchester last Wednesday. A sizable minority were secondary students. The demo largely passed off peacefully despite the best efforts of the police who were intent on provoking the demonstrators. At one point the police snatched a student for dancing because they weren’t happy about it and threatened to arrest him unless he stopped!!
As the demo reached the centre of Manchester an attempt was made to “kettle” the demonstration but many people had the good sense to disperse in order to get through the police lines. The demo was then able to reform and carry on. Towards the end of the demo a major road through the centre of the university area was blocked. The police surrounded the demonstration with horses in an attempt to clear the road.
The road was cleared as the demo broke up. However, groups of students attempted to occupy various building around the university. Plans had obviously been made to stop buildings being occupied but with so many buildings being attempted to be occupied at the same time the plans didn’t work and a number of buildings were occupied.
The demonstration ending with occupations made a pleasant change to having to listen to endless boring speeches by politicians and would-be politicians in love with the sound of their own voices.
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