PROTEST-Budget cuts rally in Cardiff

March 5, 2011 by Diff Graff 2 Comments

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At 11am on Saturday 5th March around two thousand people turned out to show their support for a local rally protesting about the budget cuts being implemented by the current Government across the public sector in Wales.

The march began outside Cardiff City Hall and trawlled it’s way around Kingsway and Castle Street stopping traffic but making their voices heard to the watching public.

The parade was led by representatives from Remploy with other bodies like Plaid Cymru, Unison and Unite being present aswell.
I caught glimpses of Leanne Wood AM and Chris Bryant AM aswell – but they both didn’t really seem in posing mode for photo opportunities!

During the same weekend the Welsh Conservatives and the Welsh Liberal Democrats were hosting separate party conferences in Cardiff – but at different locations.
The march first passed the Welsh Liberal Democrat conference being held at The Angel Hotel where everyone promptly stopped. Vocal support and anger went up a gear with the supporters becoming much more vocal with their chants of, “Tory scum,” and “Tories out,” giving a clear message to members within the hotel.

There was a large police presence around this hotel with some pavements blocked off which resulted in me joining the march to get ahead of it to try and get some more piccies. At this very point I bumped into tv crews from ITV Wales and BBC Wales whom thought I was part of the march! (I hope I don’t end up on TV – but I did start joining in the chants for effect – twas quite good fun and theraputic actually! brought out the militant side of me 😉 )
Talking about TV crews and it was noticeable that before 11am the BBC’s Nick Pallit was parked on a pavement outside the Holiday Inn (The old Crest Hotel) in his private vehicle with hazard lights flashing. Not sure how long he was ‘parked’ up here for but with the pavements blocked, police everywhere and a few thousand people marching down the street it didn’t help people coming into the City Centre for other purposes to pass that easily!

The parade then passed over Canton Bridge and the River Taff – where Cardiff Rowing Club were just beginning their annual Regetta. Eventually everyone arrived at Sophia Gardens where a big stage had been erected for many talkers to address the crowds at the Wales TUC Rally event. Seemingly this location was chosen as it was only a stone’s throw away from the Welsh Conservative party conference being held at the Swalec Stadium and was also near the Lib Dems venue aswell.