Anti-austerity protests continued last night as protestors were on Canal Street to project their anger at cuts affecting the LGBT community.
Members of the People’s Assembly and Queer Resistance North West stood outside Velvet Bar where the Tories were supposed to be holding their Conference Pride Reception.
Protestors became angry because the meeting, which was supposed to be about LGBT issues, looked as if it was just a ‘cocktail party’.
NO CUTS: LGBT groups protest outside Conservative reception
Steph, from the People’s Assembly, said: “The Tories are not friends of the LGBT community.
“Young LGBT people who are kicked out of home can no longer find anywhere to live – the shelters are shut down, and anti-homophobia initiatives in schools are being shut down.”
The protests at the weekends found strength in numbers as there were over 100,000 people in attendance. Last night’s event showed power and passion in words.
The protestors chanted ‘we will not be quiet, Stonewall was a riot’, referencing the Tory conference from earlier in the day which was held to discuss bullying in schools, discrimination in healthcare systems and the treatment of transgender people.
The protestors do not believe the Tories are dealing with any of the issues they were said to be discussing at yesterday’s various meetings.
Steph said: “We’re here to protest this meeting and we are going to chase them down wherever they are, until they get out of our city of Manchester, and until they get out of office.”
NO MORE AUSTERITY: Protestors accused as homophobes
Clare Solomon, from the People’s Assembly said: “We are absolutely disgusted that the Tories are implementing cuts right across society. LGBT people are disproportionally affected by these cuts.
“The cuts to the services and welfare provisions, people are actually dying from the welfare cuts.
“We are also against the Tories going to war in Syria, one of the excuses they often use for war is that they want to liberate LGBT people which we think is a bloody disgrace too, more people die in war than are liberated.”
Steph also spoke about the refugee situation in Europe: “LGBT refugees are being sent back by this vicious government to countries where they face prejudice and persecution and even murder.”
One guest at the meeting repeatedly came outside to call the protestors ‘homophobes’ and one woman told them to ‘f*ck off’ as she entered the bar:
Attendee of Tory LGBT meeting calls protestors ‘homophobes’ @PplsAssemblyMcr @MM_newsonline pic.twitter.com/ydm9kv6qZR
— Jonny (@jonnyyates) October 6, 2015
Solomon said: “It’s an absolute disgrace that the Tories brought their conference to Manchester, one of the places that has got a history of class fighters, it’s got a history of people resisting.”
Image courtesy of Emma, with thanks.
