Members of the Revolutionary Communist Group (RCG) joined 200+ protesters, including students, teachers, campaigns and people from the community assembled outside Lambeth Town Hall last night to tell the council they are against the bedroom tax, benefits cuts and the sell-off of Lambeth College.
Earlier that evening 60+ students, teachers and activists assembled outside Lambeth College on Brixton Hill to oppose the sell-off of the site to private developers. Campaigners are demanding the principal Mark Silvermann recognises the groups demands, which also cover issues such as expensive canteens and lack of childcare.
Members of the South London RCG with their big sound system joined protesters from the Save Brixton College campaign to take to the roads for a march down Brixton hill and around the Brixton market area. People joined on the way for chants and speeches on the microphone, explaining how the council is doing nothing to stop the sell-off of the college.
Protesters grouped together outside the Town Hall where our sound system was used to host an open-mic with different campaigns and speakers from many local groups.
(pic by Matthew Clarke)
A speaker from Save Brixton College
Tony from the Save Brixton College campaign – very good speaker
(pic by Matthew Clarke)
People passing by also joined in to say what they felt about the sell off of the college
Local lot Housing Action for Southwark and Lambeth (pic via @HousingActionSL)
Speaker from Lambeth Housing Activists and Unite Community (pic by Matthew Clarke)
Speaker from Disabled People Against the Cuts (DPAC), explaining how disabled people are not only on the front line of government attacks on benefits and welfare but told us how DPAC are fighting back in a militant and organised way
People packed the Town Hall to make demands of the council inside, where they were told a number of facts such as in the 6 years to 2016-17 Lambeth’s core funding will have been cut by 50%
Campaigners from Save Brixton College held up the meeting with chants of “No Sell Off” to ensure that the council could not continue ignoring their cause (they eventually got a meeting organised for next month!)
(pic by Matthew Clarke)
A deputation was then given urging counsellors not to sell off short-life housing and to lobby government against bedroom tax – to a loud applause.