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Hundreds of protesters turn backs on Margaret Thatcher’s coffin
Hundreds of protesters turned their back on Margaret Thatcher’s funeral procession on Wednesday during a highly charged but peaceful demonstration.
People gathered at Ludgate Circus near the end of the route, where organisers had called for a silent protest against Thatcher and her policies.
In the event there were shouts of “what a waste of money” and “Tory scum” as Thatcher’s coffin passed by at about 10.45am although there were no reports of violence. Similar shouts at other points on the route were drowned out by rival clapping from supporters of Thatcher.
Rebecca Lush Blum, 41, from Hampshire, who set up a Facebook group to organise the event, said she was pleased people had been allowed to voice their anger at Thatcher’s legacy.
Protesters at the funeral
“We have shown the world that not everyone in this country thinks Margaret Thatcher was a great thing for this country … today felt like an important moment in the battle over what her legacy is and what sort of country we want so I am pleased that our voice was heard.”
Police had told Blum that the protest could go ahead and by 9.30am around 100 people had gathered at Ludgate Circus. As the first ceremonial military band went past just before 10am there were boos and cries of “waste of money” from protesters. Thatcher supporters – including one man on a balcony overlooking the crowd in a suit and Thatcher T-shirt – clapped and cheered.
Numbers of protesters swelled and by the time Thatcher’s coffin went by at 10.45 police at the scene estimated there were about 300 protesters.
The atmosphere was tense, with military personnel gathered at the other side of the road, clapping and cheering.
Dave Winslow, 22, an anthropology student from Durham who was holding an acrylic placard reading “Rest of us in Poverty” and wearing a T-shirt with the messages “Power to the people” and “Society does exist”, was one of those who wanted a silent protest.
“We want to maintain a dignified protest. It’s counterproductive to cat-call and sing Ding Dong, the Witch Is Dead. The message is that spending £10m on such a divisive figure in times of austerity, especially when austerity is being imposed on the poor, is wrong, especially when harm is being caused to the disabled and the NHS.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/…CMP=twt_gu
2013-04-17 06:45:06
Source: http://yeoldefalseflag.com/thread-hundreds-of-protesters-turn-backs-on-margaret-thatcher-s-coffin
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