Queercommie Girl
10th October 2011, 12:19
Yesterday (Sunday, 09/10/2011) I went to the Block the Westminster Bridge and Defend the NHS (National Health Service) Demonstration in central London, just beside the Houses of Parliament. Basically the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government is planning to partly privatise the British NHS system, which will make the UK system more like the American one. There was a huge turn-out at this event. There were Marxists, anarchists and leftists of all sorts there. The police blocked us on the bridge from both sides for most of the day. I went with the group called Queer Resistance Against the Cuts in the morning since as a transgender person, cuts to the NHS affect me directly in a negative way.
Here is what a general leaflet given out at this demo says about this event:
Block the Bill - This is our last chance to save the NHS
The government's health bill will
- undermine universal healthcare
- allow private companies to profit off your healthcare needs
- force cuts to vital health services
British Medical Association - Voted to reject the bill, "there is no electoral mandate for the plans."
Royal College of Nurses - 99% vote of no confidence for the NHS bill.
This week, the government plans to sell-off the NHS forever. Today, thousands of people from across the country have come to Westminster Bridge to stop them.
End of Universal Healthcare
This bridge leads from the Houses of Parliament, where the Health and Social Care Bill will be considered by the Lords, to St Thomas' Hospital, one of the UK's oldest medical institutions. If the bill reaches hospitals like St Thomas', universal healthcare will be undermined, NHS staff will lose their jobs and standards will decline.
No Mandate
No one voted for this bill, and the government refuses to listen; the vast majority of doctors and nurses hate it, and ordinary patients stand to suffer. Those benefiting are American-style private healthcare firms, who have spent millions lobbying the government.
The NHS is a cornerstone of our society and an institution we should defend proudly.
UK Uncut is a national network of people fighting the government cuts.
Austerity-economics is the policy of the rich and powerful. It cannot be stopped by asking nicely. We cannot wait until the next election. We must take to the streets now and make our voices heard.
Here are some photos of this event:
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s320x320/319200_273353869362030_100000622583066_964516_3967 42983_n.jpg
Defend the NHS!! Defend the People!!
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/294401_273353906028693_100000622583066_964517_5832 17140_n.jpg
The pink banner of Queer Resistance Against Cuts
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/313590_273353929362024_100000622583066_964518_1597 42023_n.jpg
A SWP member holding up a placard
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s320x320/308086_273353976028686_100000622583066_964519_2087 875861_n.jpg
The red flag of UNITE the trade union
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s320x320/308176_273353986028685_100000622583066_964520_1953 020117_n.jpg
The banner of SOAS students (School of Oriental and African Studies)
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/307654_273354006028683_100000622583066_964521_7969 30613_n.jpg
Police blocking us on the Westminster Bridge
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/317668_273354086028675_100000622583066_964524_6058 87624_n.jpg
An anarchist waving his red and black flag
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s320x320/296559_273354099362007_100000622583066_964525_1315 418210_n.jpg
A SWP stall at the demo. There were multiple SWP stalls on the Westminster Bridge yesterday.
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/297518_273354132695337_100000622583066_964526_2768 64214_n.jpg
I helped Queer Resistance Against Cuts to write a big sign - "SAVE OUR NHS" on the ground. Hopefully it can be seen from the air.
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/300385_273354152695335_100000622583066_964527_1920 664670_n.jpg
Occupy London General Assembly
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/303998_273354189361998_100000622583066_964528_1880 765695_n.jpg
Protestors dressed up as severely injured patients in need of medical assistance
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/315505_273354212695329_100000622583066_964529_1706 565192_n.jpg
Two guys cross-dressing as female nurses at the demo
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/293413_273354276028656_100000622583066_964531_2915 18079_n.jpg
The sign reads: Hackney Doctors Say Keep Our NHS Public - Publicly funded, Publicly provided, Publicly accountable
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/291718_273354289361988_100000622583066_964532_7627 04776_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s320x320/314486_273354332695317_100000622583066_964533_2283 70189_n.jpg
After the main demonstration on Westminster Bridge, I went to an adjacent bridge with a few anarchists and many other leftists to continue the protest. We were blocked and totally surrounded by the police from all sides for about 2 hours. A few anarchists tried to break through but were pushed back by the police. During this time I held a placard high so that passers-by and people in vehicles and buses on the road beside us can know what the protest is about. In the end the police allowed us out one by one. The police tried to ask for my personal details, which I refused to give them. When they try to take a photo of me, I used the placard to block my face.
The anarchists were completely anti-police, but ideologically I believe the rank-and-file police potentially can be won over or at least influenced in a progressive way. So I actually spoke to a police officer and said: "I'm completely peaceful here. I'm here on the demonstration to defend the NHS. The NHS defends the people, you should defend the people too." The police officer replied: "I understand".
Here is what a general leaflet given out at this demo says about this event:
Block the Bill - This is our last chance to save the NHS
The government's health bill will
- undermine universal healthcare
- allow private companies to profit off your healthcare needs
- force cuts to vital health services
British Medical Association - Voted to reject the bill, "there is no electoral mandate for the plans."
Royal College of Nurses - 99% vote of no confidence for the NHS bill.
This week, the government plans to sell-off the NHS forever. Today, thousands of people from across the country have come to Westminster Bridge to stop them.
End of Universal Healthcare
This bridge leads from the Houses of Parliament, where the Health and Social Care Bill will be considered by the Lords, to St Thomas' Hospital, one of the UK's oldest medical institutions. If the bill reaches hospitals like St Thomas', universal healthcare will be undermined, NHS staff will lose their jobs and standards will decline.
No Mandate
No one voted for this bill, and the government refuses to listen; the vast majority of doctors and nurses hate it, and ordinary patients stand to suffer. Those benefiting are American-style private healthcare firms, who have spent millions lobbying the government.
The NHS is a cornerstone of our society and an institution we should defend proudly.
UK Uncut is a national network of people fighting the government cuts.
Austerity-economics is the policy of the rich and powerful. It cannot be stopped by asking nicely. We cannot wait until the next election. We must take to the streets now and make our voices heard.
Here are some photos of this event:
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s320x320/319200_273353869362030_100000622583066_964516_3967 42983_n.jpg
Defend the NHS!! Defend the People!!
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/294401_273353906028693_100000622583066_964517_5832 17140_n.jpg
The pink banner of Queer Resistance Against Cuts
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/313590_273353929362024_100000622583066_964518_1597 42023_n.jpg
A SWP member holding up a placard
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s320x320/308086_273353976028686_100000622583066_964519_2087 875861_n.jpg
The red flag of UNITE the trade union
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s320x320/308176_273353986028685_100000622583066_964520_1953 020117_n.jpg
The banner of SOAS students (School of Oriental and African Studies)
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/307654_273354006028683_100000622583066_964521_7969 30613_n.jpg
Police blocking us on the Westminster Bridge
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/317668_273354086028675_100000622583066_964524_6058 87624_n.jpg
An anarchist waving his red and black flag
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s320x320/296559_273354099362007_100000622583066_964525_1315 418210_n.jpg
A SWP stall at the demo. There were multiple SWP stalls on the Westminster Bridge yesterday.
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/297518_273354132695337_100000622583066_964526_2768 64214_n.jpg
I helped Queer Resistance Against Cuts to write a big sign - "SAVE OUR NHS" on the ground. Hopefully it can be seen from the air.
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/300385_273354152695335_100000622583066_964527_1920 664670_n.jpg
Occupy London General Assembly
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/303998_273354189361998_100000622583066_964528_1880 765695_n.jpg
Protestors dressed up as severely injured patients in need of medical assistance
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/315505_273354212695329_100000622583066_964529_1706 565192_n.jpg
Two guys cross-dressing as female nurses at the demo
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/293413_273354276028656_100000622583066_964531_2915 18079_n.jpg
The sign reads: Hackney Doctors Say Keep Our NHS Public - Publicly funded, Publicly provided, Publicly accountable
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/291718_273354289361988_100000622583066_964532_7627 04776_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s320x320/314486_273354332695317_100000622583066_964533_2283 70189_n.jpg
After the main demonstration on Westminster Bridge, I went to an adjacent bridge with a few anarchists and many other leftists to continue the protest. We were blocked and totally surrounded by the police from all sides for about 2 hours. A few anarchists tried to break through but were pushed back by the police. During this time I held a placard high so that passers-by and people in vehicles and buses on the road beside us can know what the protest is about. In the end the police allowed us out one by one. The police tried to ask for my personal details, which I refused to give them. When they try to take a photo of me, I used the placard to block my face.
The anarchists were completely anti-police, but ideologically I believe the rank-and-file police potentially can be won over or at least influenced in a progressive way. So I actually spoke to a police officer and said: "I'm completely peaceful here. I'm here on the demonstration to defend the NHS. The NHS defends the people, you should defend the people too." The police officer replied: "I understand".