On a very hot July day Stand Up to Racism Dorset, Tolpuddle Festival and other pro justice groups united behind the call for the Drax family to give the Drax estate in Barbados back to the Barbadian people. From across the country and across the county hundreds of people combatted the heat and road closures to come together and peacefully demonstate.
Although the police presence seemed unnecassary with armed officers guarding Mr Drax’s front gate and others running alongside the demonstration recording everyone’s faces, the whole ambiance was good spirited and good humoured. No Stephen Yaxley Lennon, Nigel Farage or Katie Hopkins and their disciples of hate here. Just good old fashioned advocacy for human… rights and seeking the return of what was stolen.
Why were we here?
Gathering outside Mr Drax’s estate we met up with people we had only chatted with on social media alongside familiar faces from previous attempts to wrestle some humanity from those in power and the gaslit public. It is times like these when coming together also re energises our batteries from the artillery of hate, ignorance and empathy deficit that confronts us most days. Speakers informed and reminded us of the historical and contemporary barbarism reaped upon us from above, both here in the UK and across the world. Then we made the march up to another of Mr Drax’s gates and called for him to hand back what does not belong to him. He had been invited but the probability of him turning up to discuss his immoral gains were up there with climate change being a fantasy. Zilch!
Even yours truly got in on the act:
Following another set of speakers including Frances O’Grady, Secretary General of the TUC, the ex Lord Mayor of Bristol and equal justice activists we marched back down the hill.
We then remembered the dramatic effect that inequality, exploitation and industrialisation is having on us all every second of the day.
We completed the event symbollically and in recognition of our billions of brothers and sisters… worldwide.
A band played us out and then we returned to our humble abodes to prepare for yet another turn of the plutocratic wheel.
The omnibus:
Jason Cridland
PLEASE support us to keep us afloat:
