Hundreds of demonstrators blocked Euston Road outside St Pancras station for over an hour as Camden Council barricaded the doors to the town hall and ringed the building with police, refusing to allow protesters into the public gallery. Protesters aged 9 to 90 marched from Camden to the Town Hall. Students joined council workers and community organisations to call on the Labour Council not to carry out government cuts of £100 million that will mean cutting 1000 jobs and across the board cuts to play centres, closures of libraries, nurseries and centres for older people.
Arriving at the Town Hall the demonstration took over the road and councillors got an angry reception when they came out to try and put their argument that they have no choice but to make the cuts.
Then came lock down. Despite the best efforts of the crowd to argue or push their way in, councillors started the meeting in private. Inside the Town Hall, the deputation from Camden United Against Cuts (which included John Lipetz, a Labour party member and ex-councillor and Roger Lloyd Pack the actor who plays Trigger from Only Fools and Horses) forced a postponement of the meeting demanding that the public were let in.
Meanwhile outside the protest moved to Euston Road, allowing only ambulances through as traffic tailed back for miles, finally forcing police and council officials to agree to let people into the Town Hall. With much of the gallery still empty the council agreed to make the cuts.
Now we need urgent discussion about what next to save our services
- What action should we take to protect our services and jobs
- Council consultations
- Supporting strike action against the cuts
- Making 26 March demonstration massive
CAMPAIGN MEETING: AFTER THE BUDGET, WHAT NEXT?
WEDNESDAY 02 MARCH 7pm
Camden Town Hall, Judd St, WC1
