London, 28/06/2014. Today, DPAC (Disabled People Against Cuts), supported by Occupy London and UK Uncut, set up a camp in the green outside Westminster Abbey to protest against the Con/Dem government plan to cut the financial support for disabled people (Independent Living Fund, ILF). About 50 protesters were immediately confronted by a heavy police presence supported by a helicopter. The officers surrounded the activists, preventing them from pitching their tents. In the meantime, John...
more »London, 28/06/2014. Today, DPAC (Disabled People Against Cuts), supported by Occupy London and UK Uncut, set up a camp in the green outside Westminster Abbey to protest against the Con/Dem government plan to cut the financial support for disabled people (Independent Living Fund, ILF). About 50 protesters were immediately confronted by a heavy police presence supported by a helicopter. The officers surrounded the activists, preventing them from pitching their tents. In the meantime, John McDonnell MP (Labour Member of Parliament for Hayes and Harlington) intervened in support and solidarity with the protesters, and tried to establish contact with the Dean of the Abbey, which was later refused. John McDonnell MP, in an interview for the Guardian (
http://bit.ly/1z1LyZH) said: <<"We have had debate after debate in parliament. We have had 100,000 people sign a petition for another and the government refused," he said."DPAC took the government to court and won and yet, the government is going back to court to defeat them if they can. So, people have got no other option but to take direct action to expose what is going on. That is what is happening here today. It is a peaceful demonstration and I wholeheartedly support it because people are desperate.">>. From the DPW (Department for Work and Pensions) website: <<The Independent Living Fund (ILF) delivers financial support to disabled people so they can choose to live in their communities rather than in residential care. ILF is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Work and Pensions>>. The government's decision to cut ILF will prevent many disabled people from living independently and, accordingly, they will be forced into care homes and institutes.
For more information please click here:
http://dpac.uk.net/
For the video of the event please click here (Courtesy
http://www.indefilms.net/):
http://bit.ly/W3ZuU2« less
