Peaceful protesters gather in St Peter’s Square to oppose Tory party conference in Manchester
- NQ reporter Hattie Payne's opinion piece on protests which took place this week against the Conservative party conference
- Event organised by Stand Up To Racism saw hundreds gather in St Peter's Square
A group of protesters came together in St Peter’s Square on Tuesday evening to take a stance against the Tory Party Conference.
I was at the peaceful protest, which was organised by Manchester Stand Up To Racism and comes in response to decisions the Conservativers have made this past year and a half.
It began at 5pm and approximately 50 of us attended.
The atmosphere was one of endurance, determination and hope as we stood under the rain to ensure the Conservatives know they are not welcome here, with one speaker calling for “a planet that puts people’s lives before profit”.
One particular highlight of the protest was when Jacob Rees Mogg walked past and immediately the air filled with the boos of protesters who demanded that we were listened to.
We held placards that read ‘Black Lives Matter’ and chanted powerful messages such as ‘Refugees are welcome here’. We also took the knee, a gesture that Nahella Ashraf (member of Manchester Stand Up To Racism) described as “a symbol of resistance”.
