Liveblog: Brighton's Labour Conference protest (From The Argus)

Liveblog: Brighton's Labour Conference protest

10:56am Sunday 27th September 2009 in

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Hundreds of protesters are taking their fight to the Prime Minister at the Labour Party Conference beginning today.

The Argus was on the self-titled Rage Train packed with protesters on their way to demonstrate in Brighton, and on the ground during the protest itself.

Click here for our section for coverage of the conference itself

Click here for a gallery of pictures of the protest.

10.40am

About 500 activists from unions around London and the country gathered at Victoria Station this morning for the 10.43am rage train to Brighton.

The train is sponsored by six unions - the NUJ, UCU, PCS, NUT, CWU and the RMT.

The activists are protesting at proposed budget cuts in key sectors including education and are fighting for the Right To Work.

Miriam Scharf, from the NUT, the National Union of Teachers, said: “There is a lot of bitterness at this Labour government and the protest will show that the unions are fighting back.

“This is a rage against Labour. We have had enough of money being cut. We have to look to the unions now but I don’t think that Labour will listen to any of it.”

Once at Brighton station the protesters will march to Madeira Drive.

11.25am

As the Rage Train passes Gatwick, the protest co-ordinator, Charlie Kimber, said he expects a peaceful demonstration but is concerned about the behaviour of the police.

He said: "There is a very heavy police presence and I am sure the people of Brighton are slightly unnerved about it.

"I am quite sure it will be a peaceful demonstration but am worried because of the behaviour of the police at the G20 protest in London. I hope there will not be a repeat of that."

Protesters are mingling amiably around the Rage Train at the moment.

As it passes through Croydon there has been no shouting or chanting or yet but one member of the Socialist Workers Party said they are saving that for Brighton.

11.30am

Into the Sussex countryside now on a very sunny day.

Protesting must be very thirsty work as there is a massive queue for the toilets that is growing by the minute.

11.43am

Ten minutes from Brighton and some heated debates are starting up on just who is to blame for the country's problems. Most of the answers revolve around Labour.

Activists are canvassing each other for donations and membership to their causes.

Reporter Rebecca Evans says: "At this rate I will be a member of every leftist organisation in the country by the time the train reaches Brighton."

11.52am

The protesters are being warned to expect a large police presence at the station including sniffer dogs.

They have also been told to expect to be searched.

12.05pm

As the march prepares to take place, police forces and vans are starting to line Madeira Drive to escort marchers to the Brighton Centre.

Some protesters are already waiting there for the march to start. Among them is Sally Hunt, General Secretary of the University and College Union said: “This rally should act as a wake-up call to all politicians.

“Making cuts to the public sector is not the way ahead for this country.

“Reducing investment and sacking educators during a recession is an act of academic vandalism.

“Where will the next generation of nurses, doctors, engineers and social workers come from? “ Mark Serwotka, leader of the Public and Commercial Services Union, said: “The main political parties have forged a damaging consensus on public sector cuts when it was the greed of the City that caused the financial crisis.

“Bumper bonuses are back for self-proclaimed ‘Masters of the Universe’ while the ordinary taxpayer foots the bill and political parties sharpen the knives to cut public services to pay for a bailout of the banks.”

12.10pm

The rage train contigent have arrived at Brighton Station and have started chanting.

12.15pm

The police's Twitter account for Operation Otter reports: "The 'Rage Train' arrived at Brighton Station and around 450 people are currently marching to the seafront down Queen's Road. Expect delays

12.20pm

Among demonstrators gathering in Madeira Drive are Nick O’Brian, 28, a teacher from Norwich representing the National Union of Teachers.

He said: “We are here to ask the government to spend money on jobs and education. We are told the recession is over and the government has solved the crisis. We have bailed the banks out but no money is coming back into education.”

Willy Sullivan, of Vote for Change, organised a “gravy train” manned by crew wearing Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling masks to ferry delegates to the conference centre.

He said: “We are campaigning for a referendum on the way MPs get their jobs on the back of the expenses row.

“This is one of the ways we hope to get our message across.”

12.30pm

Greg Hewitt, 58, from St Andrew’s Road, Portslade, is leading local workers from the RMT Rail Union.

He said: “We are here to protest about jobs, education, and peace. This government has ignored the needs of ordinary working people and particularly with regard to the railways.

“If you ask anyone if they would rather have a public or private railway, most would say they want a public service.

“Yet the government continues to go down the road of privatisation.” More are protesters are arriving at Madeira Drive, but reporter Nigel Freedman says everything is peaceful.

12.35pm

christt tweets: "The demo is rolling thru centre of #Brighton now. Very high cop presence."

12.37pm

Hundreds of chanting protesters have arrived at Madeira Drive to join the main protest. They included Islington Teachers’ Association, London Fire Brigade, and Waltham Forest Trades Council.

They are chanting Workers United, Will Never be Defeated and are carrying placards saying Fight for Every Job, and are marching along Madeira Drive to form up for the main rally.

The police's Twitter account for Operation Otter reports the Westbound A259 will be closing shortly.

12.40pm

Some reaction from Twitter to the protest.

christt tweets:”I like "Organise! Occupy!" as a slogan much more than "No ifs! No buts! no education cuts!" which just sounds like grammar class.”

simon_price01 tweets “is bemused by Fortress Brighton. If PM Brown's so paranoid about assassination, why not hold the conference inside RAF Brize Norton?”

Doug Platts takes a picture of the parade in North Street, saying it looks like there are more police than protesters.

12.50am

As protesters line up on Madeira Drive, various speakers outline their message for action against job cuts and to tackle climate change.

Meanwhile, JTownend tweets: “In the Loop (or The Thick of It) comes to Brighton. Chris Addison lookalikes everywhere...”

1.00pm

The protesters are on the verge of parading along the seafront.

Ian Crosson, a UCU membership secretary, said: "We are here today to send a message to the Government and we say stop the cuts in education."

Reporter Richard Gurner added: "Everyone is in good voice, and there are plenty of banners being waved in the air. There's no trouble whatsoever."

1.08pm

While commenting on how things are going in Brighton today, Sarah Brown studiously avoids mentioning the protest. She tweets: "Brighton looking gorgeous: sun's out - arrived to see a packed food festival and a BHF bike ride on the sea front."

1.10pm

The parade has started to move, led by four mounted police officers. They have started to leave Madeira Drive, chanting “They say Cutbacks, We say Fightback.” Up to 1,000 banner and placard-waving protesters are following the police horses out into Kings Road and along the seafront towards Brighton Centre.

1.15pm

The parade has just passed the pier.

Hundreds of people are lining the aquarium roundabout and outside the Royal Albion Hotel watching the protesters as they continued their march along the seafront.

1.20pm

As the rally paused outside the Grosvenor Casino, the Sussex Police helicopter circled the marchers as they paused. The parade is now continuing onto the Thistle Hotel.

1.25pm

As the demonstration continues, police estimate 1500 people are taking part in the march. So far it has been noisy but good-natured in bright autumn sunshine.

1.30pm

From Twitter: AaronSimmons says: "Just got stoped and searched by the police in Brighton for buying cinema tickets!"

1.35pm

As the marchers approach West Street and the ring of street, the volume of chanting increases. More protesters join the march walking along the pavement.

The marchers are held at West Street before going onto the Brighton Centre.

1.40pm Marchers enter the ring of steel and are diverted onto the pavement where they began to gather outside the Brighton Centre.

A heavy police presence is being met by jeering as they are held outside the Odeon.

1.45pm

Demonstrators let off orange flares as they paused briefly outside the Brighton Centre. Some stage a brief sit down protest shouting “Anti-capitalista” before getting up and running towards the front of the rally to rejoin the march.

1.50pm

Protesters begin to chant: "Shame on you, Shame on you, Shame on you for turning blue."

2pm

Among protesters outside the conference centre was former Guantanamo Bay detainee Omar Deghayes. He was among people campaigning for the release of Shaker Omar, from London, who has been held at Guantanamo for eight years.

Mr Deghayes said: “He is British and his wife and children are British and we don’t know why he is still being held there.

“A group of us from across Sussex are here to draw attention to his continued detention.”

Meanwhile, michael_taggart tweets: "Giving the #lab09 conference a wide birth - partly because I've left my pass locked in a drawer at work, partly cos X-Factor is on again."

2.20pm

After more than an hour, the march, flanked by police officers, has reached the peace statue on the border of Brighton and Hove, and the lawns, where a French market is taking place So far, the march has been largely peaceful, if noisy.

As the protesters turn to march back towards the conference centre from the peace statue, police confirm there have been no arrests in a largely good natured protest.

2.40pm

The march continues back along the seafront to the Hilton Hotel where the PM is believed to be staying. It stops for speeches by the organisers, including Tom Hickey of the University Colleges Union.

3.10pm

Speeches continue on the lower esplanade outside the Hilton Hotel. Speakers are given loud cheers and applause as they highlight the protest's main aim of reducing spending cuts and getting our troops out of Iraq.

3.30pm

After the speeches by various union members, the protesters have begun to leave the lower esplanade.

3.50pm

The protest has now wound down and most people have left the area.

Reporters: Nigel Freedman, Rebecca Evans and Richard Gurner. Liveblog: James Glover and Jo Wadsworth.