A “no more austerity” march is gearing up in the British capital and RT’s Sara Firth says tens of thousands have already come to demand an alternative to the “greed and selfishness” of the Con-Dem coalition.
The rally, which also includes a festival,
was called by The People’s Assembly Against Austerity, an broad
coalition of anti-government groups that embraces trade unions
and other campaigners.
“Living standards continue to drop, forcing millions into
poverty, yet the politicians remain addicted to austerity,”
the rally’s web page said.
Assembling on the doorstep of the BBC’s offices in London, the
demonstrators are to march to the Houses of Parliament to demand
that “the alternative to austerity” is no longer
ignored. The advertised speakers include Len McCluskey, leader of
Unite, one of the two biggest UK trade unions, Caroline Lucas,
leader of the Green Party and Russell Brand, the
anti-establishment comedian.
Thousands of anti-austerity protestors marching through Central
#London
right now
#antiausteritydemo pic.twitter.com/1GQQRzTQJO
— Sara Firth (@SaraFirth_RT) June
21, 2014
The diverse march has even been joined by Franciscan monks.
Anglican Franciscan monks in their traditional brown robes were
at the forefront of the protest with trade unions and campaign
groups to demand an alternative to the British government’s
austerity program.
Anti-austerity march in #London
underway. Join @RT_com
live this hour we’ll be reporting from the heart of the march
pic.twitter.com/s6BFImjWhi
— Sara Firth (@SaraFirth_RT) June
21, 2014
“Christianity places a quite firm obligation from those who
have more to share to look after those who have less,”
Brother Robert, of the Franciscan order, told the leftist Morning
Star newspaper.
‘The message to Government: Stop punishing the poor’ @CarolineLucas speaking
at
#antiausteritydemo pic.twitter.com/DIb8awPFwd
— Sara Firth (@SaraFirth_RT) June
21, 2014
“At the moment the government seems to promote an atmosphere
that is rather, well, different,” added the monk, employing
characteristic British understatement.
Crowds gathering for
#antiausteritydemo #London.
They’ll be marching to Parliament Square soon. pic.twitter.com/B43sXmsyTA
— Sara Firth (@SaraFirth_RT) June
21, 2014
Brand came to prominence in UK politics in October 2013, when he
called in a TV interview for worldwide “socialist
revolution” against the status quo and dismissed the idea of
voting for the current political parties represented in the UK
parliament.
While one left-wing novelist, Joan Smith, dismissed his
performance as “adolescent waffle,” a columnist for the
Independent, Simon Kelner, defended him saying: “It sounded
rather attractive, even if it wasn’t exactly worked
through.”
Young, old everyone in between out at
#austeritydemolondon for all kinds of issues: education,
NHS, bedroom tax…. pic.twitter.com/XjUJMWBI60
— Sara Firth (@SaraFirth_RT) June
21, 2014
The anti-austerity protest takes place as the largest-ever study
into deprivation in Britain revealed that poverty is getting
worse, and even working families are now struggling to make ends
meet.
The Poverty and Social Exclusion project found that more than
500,000 children are living in families who can’t afford to feed
them properly and 5.5 million adults have to go without essential
clothing.
Love this guy! ‘#Cameron
ruined the country #Miliband
has no clue’ he tells @RT_com at today’s austerity
protest pic.twitter.com/Zd3PzU8m6T
— Sara Firth (@SaraFirth_RT) June
21, 2014