Nation-wide rally demands an 'alternative to austerity and to policies that only benefit those at the top'
Published on Saturday, June 20, 2015 by Common Dreams by Sarah Lazare, staff writer
From across the United Kingdom, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of London Saturday to demand an end to brutal—and deadly—austerity measures.
The mass march, still ongoing at the time of publication, comes just over a month after the Conservative (Tory) Party's election wins.
The independent anti-austerity forum, the People's Assembly, declared ahead of the march that protesters aim to send a "clear message to the Tory government; we demand an alternative to austerity and to policies that only benefit those at the top."
"We'll be assembling the demonstration in the heart of the City of London right on the doorstep of the very people who created the crisis in the first place, and marching to the doorstep of Parliament," said the assembly.
Huge numbers heeded this call, with people from diverse backgrounds and numerous families with children taking to the streets with banners and signs that read "Austerity kills" and "No cuts." Numerous placards urged an end to the scapegoating of immigrants, people of color, and urged investment in common goods that ordinary people depend on, including education, health care, and other public services.
Tobi Seriki, a 28-year-old from Depford, told the Guardian she is marching because "Austerity isn't working at all and we need to change track.'
Labor unions, environmental groups, and migrant and economic justice organizations could be seen marching through the streets. Celebrities spotted in the crowd include comedian Russell Brand and musician Charlotte Church.
The mass march can be followed on Twitter:
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