In October 1932, the streets of Belfast were gripped by vicious and widespread rioting that lasted the best part of a week.
Thousands of unarmed demonstrators fought extended pitched battles against heavily-armed police. Unemployed workers and, indeed, whole working-class communities, dug trenches and built barricades to hold off the police assault. The event became known as the Outdoor Relief Riot – one of very few instances in which class sympathy managed to trump the religious divide.
This Saturday Seán Mitchell will discuss his recently published book, Struggle or Starve,
Struggle or Starve is the first book-length study of these events, and is based on archive research and first-hand accounts. Sean Mitchell is a founder member of People Before Profit, an all-Ireland socialist party.
Charlotte Hughes is an activist in Tameside Against The Cuts which for four years has held a weekly picket outside the Job Centre in Ashton under Lyne, offering solidarity, advice and support to claimants. She writes a weekly blog about the picket, The Poor Side of Life, and is also a regular contributor to the Morning Star socialist newspaper. In her talk she will speak from first hand expererience of the war on the poor being waged by the Tory government.
Chris Rea is chair of Manchester and Salford NUJ. He will discuss the NUJ’s guidelines on reporting poverty.
Advance booking strongly recommended, please email; [email protected]
The Mary Quaile Club – named in memory of Manchester trade unionist Mary Quaile – organises regular events on working class history and the links with contemporary political issues.
This event is part of the Take Back Manchester Festival , organised by the People’s Assembly
Saturday 30th September 2017, 1pm to 3pm. Free.
The Annexe, Working Class Movement Library, 51 Crescent, Salford M5 4WX.
