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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/23/russell-brand-march-against-austerity
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| It's not about Russell Brand: why we marched against austerity | It's not about Russell Brand: why we marched against austerity |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A march organised by the People's Assembly attracted an estimated 50,000 to London on Saturday to protest against the coalition's austerity measures. Speakers included Owen Jones, Caroline Lucas, Mark Steel and the comedian Russell Brand. | A march organised by the People's Assembly attracted an estimated 50,000 to London on Saturday to protest against the coalition's austerity measures. Speakers included Owen Jones, Caroline Lucas, Mark Steel and the comedian Russell Brand. |
| Sam Fairburn, the group's national secretary, said: "Cuts are killing | Sam Fairburn, the group's national secretary, said: "Cuts are killing |
| people and destroying cherished public services which have served | people and destroying cherished public services which have served |
| generations." | generations." |
| Guardian readers have been telling us why they attended the protest. Attendees who contacted us were frustrated at the lack of coverage of the march in the media, with the BBC in particular criticised for their lack of coverage. | Guardian readers have been telling us why they attended the protest. Attendees who contacted us were frustrated at the lack of coverage of the march in the media, with the BBC in particular criticised for their lack of coverage. |
| Where you at the protest? Add your own accounts in the comments thread below | Where you at the protest? Add your own accounts in the comments thread below |
| "I felt the march galvanised us" | "I felt the march galvanised us" |
| I was there today in the NHS bloc, the march was very | I was there today in the NHS bloc, the march was very |
| diverse but differences aside we were there to put on an united front | diverse but differences aside we were there to put on an united front |
| and let our faces be seen & voices be heard, young and old. | and let our faces be seen & voices be heard, young and old. |
| To | To |
| be honest for me this march was for the people, going down Regent Street I hoped the people we passed realised there were people standing | be honest for me this march was for the people, going down Regent Street I hoped the people we passed realised there were people standing |
| up to the ConDems in the analogue world as well as the digital. | up to the ConDems in the analogue world as well as the digital. |
| I | I |
| wasn't surprised to discover the BBC ignored us again as they did the | wasn't surprised to discover the BBC ignored us again as they did the |
| 50,000 in Manchester when people marched for the NHS outside Tory | 50,000 in Manchester when people marched for the NHS outside Tory |
| conference. | conference. |
| I don't pretend to think that a bunch of speakers | I don't pretend to think that a bunch of speakers |
| preaching to the converted will change the way we are but I felt the | preaching to the converted will change the way we are but I felt the |
| march galvanised us. | march galvanised us. |
| There are 10 long months until the election | There are 10 long months until the election |
| and those that marched today know that if the Tories remain in power | and those that marched today know that if the Tories remain in power |
| that's the death knell of the public sector. | that's the death knell of the public sector. |
| labmonkey181 | labmonkey181 |
| The view in Parliament Square! @pplsassembly pic.twitter.com/plHuUWhHe2 | The view in Parliament Square! @pplsassembly pic.twitter.com/plHuUWhHe2 |
| "Even the old bill were enjoying the atmosphere" | "Even the old bill were enjoying the atmosphere" |
| It was lovely to see so many families taking part, with the | It was lovely to see so many families taking part, with the |
| young and old marching together, and many people of different faiths | young and old marching together, and many people of different faiths |
| and ethnicity joining in, helping to create a carnival atmosphere. | and ethnicity joining in, helping to create a carnival atmosphere. |
| Even | Even |
| the Old Bill were enjoying the atmosphere and the weather, with a few | the Old Bill were enjoying the atmosphere and the weather, with a few |
| of them getting into the spirit, and chatting about the issues such as | of them getting into the spirit, and chatting about the issues such as |
| their shrinking pensions. | their shrinking pensions. |
| I just hope that yesterday's peaceful march will encourage ten times as many people to take part in October. | I just hope that yesterday's peaceful march will encourage ten times as many people to take part in October. |
| Stephen Porter | Stephen Porter |
| "This is people across the social spectrum" | "This is people across the social spectrum" |
| Russel Brand was one man at an event of thousands. He was one of a dozen | Russel Brand was one man at an event of thousands. He was one of a dozen |
| or more speakers. | or more speakers. |
| This is not rent a | This is not rent a |
| mob. This is people across the social spectrum working in the public | mob. This is people across the social spectrum working in the public |
| sector, private individuals who care about the services that the state | sector, private individuals who care about the services that the state |
| provides, and standing up for all of us so that we might still have a | provides, and standing up for all of us so that we might still have a |
| decent education, a welfare state when we need it, and support when we are | decent education, a welfare state when we need it, and support when we are |
| sick or elderly. | sick or elderly. |
| jimpson | jimpson |
| Whoop @pplsassembly pic.twitter.com/BVBKxqLFAY | |
| "Two of the best speeches came from non-celebrities" | "Two of the best speeches came from non-celebrities" |
| Two of the best speeches came from non-celebrities campaigning in | Two of the best speeches came from non-celebrities campaigning in |
| communities: women from East London fighting for homes for families, and | communities: women from East London fighting for homes for families, and |
| health care workers from Bassetlaw fighting cuts. | health care workers from Bassetlaw fighting cuts. |
| It is that mix of | It is that mix of |
| local actions backing the inspiring ideas from people like Owen Jones | local actions backing the inspiring ideas from people like Owen Jones |
| and Caroline Lucas that make this movement more and more important and | and Caroline Lucas that make this movement more and more important and |
| Labour sadly less and less relevant for the 21st century. | Labour sadly less and less relevant for the 21st century. |
| A meeting I attended at which Owen Jones spoke was among the most | A meeting I attended at which Owen Jones spoke was among the most |
| inspiring and positive I have experienced | inspiring and positive I have experienced |
| in 30 years of political activity, sparking a wide range of actions by a | in 30 years of political activity, sparking a wide range of actions by a |
| very varied group of people. I think much more is going to come | very varied group of people. I think much more is going to come |
| irrespective of national elections. | irrespective of national elections. |
| I tend to be sceptical about protest marches per se, but I have been | I tend to be sceptical about protest marches per se, but I have been |
| impressed how an alternative coalition is developing in communities via | impressed how an alternative coalition is developing in communities via |
| the People's Assembly, not only to argue against the impacts of | the People's Assembly, not only to argue against the impacts of |
| austerity policies and practices, but also to propose | austerity policies and practices, but also to propose |
| alternative measures. I follow online groups which disseminate | alternative measures. I follow online groups which disseminate |
| much information about local actions but also global matters, raising | much information about local actions but also global matters, raising |
| awareness and solidarity. | awareness and solidarity. |
| I think this is forming an interesting counterpoint to the rise of | I think this is forming an interesting counterpoint to the rise of |
| UKIP from the opposite perspective with its rhetoric of ''the people's | UKIP from the opposite perspective with its rhetoric of ''the people's |
| army.'' It seems the traditional mainstream parties are caught in those | army.'' It seems the traditional mainstream parties are caught in those |
| two headlights like rather perplexed rabbits. | two headlights like rather perplexed rabbits. |
| They also have far fewer government powers given the dominance of | They also have far fewer government powers given the dominance of |
| global capital, which movements like this are starting to challenge in, | global capital, which movements like this are starting to challenge in, |
| I think, some interesting and new ways despite some traditional | I think, some interesting and new ways despite some traditional |
| approaches like coming together occasionally in public | approaches like coming together occasionally in public |
| events and protests still being part of the mix. But without some | events and protests still being part of the mix. But without some |
| visibility of course growth is difficult. | visibility of course growth is difficult. |
| I am also sceptical about conspiracy theories, but I was surprised | I am also sceptical about conspiracy theories, but I was surprised |
| that The Guardian seems to have been the only mainstream media to cover | that The Guardian seems to have been the only mainstream media to cover |
| the event, despite it being well organised, peaceful, humorous and | the event, despite it being well organised, peaceful, humorous and |
| non-threatening, well received by crowds of shoppers | non-threatening, well received by crowds of shoppers |
| in central London, and starting right outside the BBC to make that | in central London, and starting right outside the BBC to make that |
| point about their coverage of protests compared to the volumes about | point about their coverage of protests compared to the volumes about |
| UKIP. I have made a formal complaint to the BBC and may pursue that | UKIP. I have made a formal complaint to the BBC and may pursue that |
| further. | further. |
| artery | artery |