Manchester Reclaimed
Article published: Monday, May 19th 2008
April was marked by an explosion of activism when squatters, clowns, students and ravers took to the streets…
It all began with Fossil Fools day on 1 April. An army of clowns, with support from a samba band and protesters in fancy dress, embarked on a rolling demo to warn of the threat to our climate caused by fossil fuels, targeting the RBS bank (the oil and gas bank) and flight centres in central Manchester.
Ali Garrigan of People and Planet told MULE the impacts on day-to-day life can no longer be overlooked. This demo is not focusing on an abstract issues but on global problems that are in danger of spiralling out of control.
On April 11, Space Invaders and Manchester No Borders (MNB) moved in for a taste of the action. The No Borders collective spent a week campaigning against immigration controls, draping cranes in the city centre with slogans in support of freedom of movement for all.
On April 12 they came back for more. Groups met in Cathedral Gardens outside Urbis, where the public got music from local samba band Rhythms of Resistance, two mobile sound systems and a folk band. Then some 200 Space Invaders and Manchester No Borders propelled a banner saying freedom of movement down busy main roads and narrow alleyways in a symbolic move to reclaim the city. Demonstrators handed out copies of the Mesho paper, a subversive spoof of the Metro, and the procession culminated in a celebratory squat party at Jacksons Wharf, Castlefield.
Hungry for more, they then staged another do in Ardwick. Never ones to miss a party, over 60 police officers came to the rave. However they did not appreciate the music. As one raver Biz Bliss recalls: When backup arrived they became increasingly aggressive, pushing people off the pavement and into the road and attempting to forcibly remove mobile phones which were recording their actions.
In spite of this, the Space Invaders collective told MULE that the weekend overall was a massive success: We showed the reality of squatting to those who hadnt experienced it they said.
Not to be outdone by the ravers, squatters, space invaders and samba bands, Manchesters students also took to the streets on 22 April to demand that the university stop putting profits before education. Some 300 university students out manoeuvred police during a demonstration by Reclaim the University, breaking polices lines, marching down Oxford Rd and later occupying the Arthur Lewis building.
And finally, not to be beaten by the students, on 24 April a mass of around 700 striking teachers from Greater Manchester gathered in Albert square and marched on Deansgate, demanding better conditions.
Why such a busy April? you might ask. Well, as one of the activists explained:There is no escape from the cold reality this isnt just politics, any more. Private property comes before community, universities choose business over education and the fossil fools take big bucks over the environment.
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