‘Girls just wanna walk home:’ Manchester councillor vows to make Fallowfield safer as students take to the streets and boycott nightclubs

Hundreds of people gathered at St Peters Square in Mancheste, as part of a national boycotting of nightclubs.

The emergency Girls Night In protest was organised by the the University of Manchester Student’s Union “concerned about the rising spikings across Fallowfield and Manchester.”

They addressed the crowds and read the names of the women lost to femicide in the last year, among them Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa.

A one-minute silence was held in their memory.

Speakerr said people had reached “crisis point”, that every girl here “had been or knows someone who has been spiked, in every city in the UK.”

“Were here because we deserve to feel safe… it isn’t a privilege that some people can walk home it isn’t a privilege that some people can go out and feel safe, it is a right that is taken from us,” said one speaker.

As part of the protest, hundreds of students and fellow supporters marched from St Peters Square, down Oxford Road to gather outside home cinema, blocking buses and cars as they went.

The Northern Quota spoke to some of the male students amongst the crowd on their reasons for attending.

James said:“We could stand here and say it’s not all men, but it’s not just a women’s issue, it’s not their responsibility to end gendered violence men are the problem. We’re here to be part of the solution, we may not fully understand but we should be here to demand action, support and learn.”

Students had gathered at the student union before the protest to make banners, which they carried on the march as they chanted “Whose streets? Our streets!”

Among the crowd was Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and his daughter. Who although did not address the crowd, was there to support and receive an open letter from the Exec Officers outlining measures they would like to see Greater Manchester Combined Authority take.

Students were cautioned to wear nondescript clothing and not to speak to the police or mention their names if they did.

Fallowfield Councillor Jade Doswell addressed the crowds, outlining her position not only as councillor but as a young female on the current spiking epidemic. In her speech, she vowed to take direct actions to make her ward safer.

Councillor Doswell told NQ she was attending a meeting with fellow councillors about the necessary action they need to take towards the safety of women and would speak to us again outlining their plan of action.