A weekend visit to Manchester with Alan Dearling
Towards arrival time into Manchester Victoria Rail Station, it’s just after 11 a.m. And a lady next to me in the crowded, hot and humid train, started to receive messages and images on her phone from her sister in the city centre. She was told that fighting was currently taking place in Piccadilly Gardens in the centre. She showed me and others around her some photos on her phone of police and rioters. The images looked very worrisome. She looked pretty panicky as she made an announcement to the people in the packed train carriage: “There’s riots and protest demos going on…fighting in Piccadilly Gardens…Take care and consider going home.”
Personally, I was uncertain as to what to do. I was scheduled to meet two friends at 2 p.m. in the Northern Quarter. They were travelling in from Macclesfield by train into Piccadilly station. Exiting from Victoria Station, it seemed eerily quiet. Then, some sounds of sirens in the distance. I entered into the nearby Manchester Cathedral. It offered a place for some quiet contemplation amongst the splendours of its magnificent modern stained glass windows and the organ towering over each end of the nave.
After some respite and peace in Manchester Cathedral, I moved towards the city centre. I walked through the streets towards the war memorial, the Cenotaph in St Peter’s Square, where large numbers of demonstrators were being escorted by mounted and foot police. These were not from far-right or EDL groups, they were pro-Palestinian protestors being funnelled down past the tram platform, and directly alongside another smaller, but vociferous, protest group on the city war memorial. They were demonstrating support against the recent, probably rigged election in Venezuela, ostensibly won by President Nicolas Maduro . The pro-Gaza and pro-Venezuelan democracy demonstrators loudly applauded each other.
This was only a few hundred yards distant from Piccadilly Gardens, which serves as a central focal space for the city of Manchester. There, a cordon of police with riot helmets at the ready, had ring-fenced using their police bodies and a few horses, what appeared to be EDL or similar supporters. I would estimate there were only about 100 of them when I arrived at about 11.45/12 noon. They were mostly looking a bit bored and waiting for something to kick off. Many carried St George’s Cross flags and Union Jacks. The predominant demographic was 35-50 year-olds, mostly male, many bald or with cropped hair, many of a pretty hefty build.
There were also small groups of youngsters, some in balaclavas around the edge of the older groups. The youngsters looked keen on engaging in some action. But, even during the stand-off, there was much milling about, and many locals were just going about their normal business. Only one arrest took place in the 20 minutes or so that I was there, and that was of a middle-aged black man draped in a St George’s flag. A somewhat surreal sight!
For the rest of the afternoon, I was with the old friends, who I had arranged to meet in the city. I had messaged them earlier in the morning about the potential riots and disturbances, but they chose to still venture into Manchester for our meet up. As we had a few drinks and a wander between hostelries, the atmosphere was distinctly edgy and conversations could be overheard, about street demonstrations, violence and the spread of riots and mayhem across the country.
In all, this was a different, nervous, Manchester: A city on a knife-edge. Scared and scary. On the streets, a sense of Fear and Loathing. Light and Darkness. Here is a brief extract from news reportage from the day.
Manchester Evening News, 3rd August 2024
“Fights broke out, a supermarket closed and public transport was at a standstill in Manchester following a day of protests. Hundreds of people descended on the city centre as a number of demonstrations were held on Saturday (August 3).
In the morning, close to 150 people joined one protest marching under the banner ‘Stand Up For Your Country: Enough is Enough’. They were met with a counter rally which featured around 350 demonstrators.
Greater Manchester Police soon issued a dispersal order for the whole of Manchester city centre until 7pm which gave them extra powers to deal with anyone taking part in or causing anti-social behaviour.
Metal fences hurled while punches were thrown by a number of people in the melee. A large number of police officers could be seen attempting to keep order and dispersing people from the area.”
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