Leeds Socialist Party joined around 400 people on Sunday at a demonstration against the government’s new police bill. The bill represents a significant attack on the right to protest and the mood among the largely young protesters was determined and angry.
James Ellis, Leeds Socialist Party
The Socialist Party gave out over 300 leaflets, sold 9 papers and got a number of contacts. Socialist Party member Iain Dalton spoke from the platform and our ideas were met with huge cheers – particularly our call for democratic control of the police and our criticism of the Starmer’s Labour Party. Iain explained the need for a new workers party and outlined the reasons for TUSC’s challenge in the upcoming May election – and we afterwards we received several offers of support with leafletting!
The protest felt like it was about more than just defending the right to protest. Speakers touched on the tragic death of Sarah Everard and the need to oppose violence against women, on the disproportionate numbers of BAME people that suffer at the hands of police brutality and the inability of Capitalism to meet society’s needs.
There is a huge amount of anger simmering under the surface in society and a palpable desire for change. This is will increasingly find its voice as lockdown lifts. The Socialist Party will be there to support workers and young people move into struggle, arming protestors with the ideas necessary to change society.