THURSDAY 25TH OCTOBER saw over 30 disabled people and supporters march in Bristol, to draw attention to the massive impact the cuts are having on disabled people and their carers. This is especially clear in Bristol, where the Lib-Dem-led council has forced through policies shutting down eight care homes across the city, despite mass opposition from service users, workers and anyone who gives a shit about the most vulnerable in our society. To highlight the massive impact of these cuts, a report by the Children’s Society and Disability Rights U.K. claims 230,000 severely disabled people are set to get between £28 and £58 less in benefits every week, while 100,000 children stand to lose up to £28 a week, and up to 116,000 disabled people who work will be at risk of losing £40. Event organisers estimate that government cuts will directly hit more than 500,000 disabled people across the country.
After the march, tempers flared when local Lib-Dem scumbag, mayoral candidate and avid backer of care home closures Jon Rogers tried to address the crowd. Not wanting to listen to someone who has campaigned tirelessly to rob them of their facilities, the crowd responded with heckling, booing and even lobbing a few objects, including a lit cigarette, at Rogers – the least he deserved in our humble opinion. Speaking after the event, one of the demonstrators explained their actions, describing how Rogers “[doesn’t have] much of a place at a demonstration like this. He has closed operations for eight care homes in Bristol.” Quite right. Even if the care homes may be set to close, there is still more to fight for. In the meantime, the least we can do is give back a little bit of the discomfort and humiliation that politicians force on us – especially the most vulnerable of us – by making sure they can’t speak in public without having to dodge awkward questions, awkward heckles and as many flaming objects as we can throw!
