{"id":440,"date":"2013-07-12T00:11:37","date_gmt":"2013-07-12T00:11:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk\/?p=440"},"modified":"2017-08-16T00:19:18","modified_gmt":"2017-08-16T00:19:18","slug":"demonstrators-besiege-leith-jobcentre-police-manhandle-protesters-out-of-building","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk\/?p=440","title":{"rendered":"Demonstrators besiege Leith Jobcentre \u2013 police manhandle protesters out of building"},"content":{"rendered":"

Demonstrators besieged Leith Job Centre in Edinburgh on 11th July to oppose the 30% sanctions target set by a\u00a0 new manager there.\u00a0 Police manhandled <\/span><\/strong>protesters<\/span><\/strong> who entered the building and announced that the Public\u00a0 Order Act was in force.\u00a0 Part of the\u00a0Boycott Workfare<\/a>\u00a0Week of Action Against Workfare, the demo denounced all work-for-your-benefits schemes, and proclaimed opposition to the whole austerity programme.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Organised by Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty and supported by Greater Leith Against the Cuts, the demo saw around 30 \u2013 40 people participating including several disability rights activists and several people who signed on at Leith Job Centre.\u00a0 One demonstrator told how she herself had been sanctioned and was surviving on meagre hardship payments.\u00a0 Others recounted how the new Hit Squad at Leith Job Centre were trying to bully and threaten them into signing up to the Universal Jobmatch government job search account and give permission for their jobsearch to be electronically monitored.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is clear the local manager’s declaration that 30% of claimants were not meeting the conditions for receiving Job Seekers Allowance – and therefore should be sanctioned \u2013 is being translated into oppressive bullying treatment on a daily basis.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Leith Job Centre entrance guarded by police<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The police were guarding the Job Centre from hours before the demo and with reinforcements arriving police numbers grew to double figures.\u00a0 Some demonstrators entered the Job Centre but were grabbed by police in the foyer and frogmarched out.\u00a0 The policeman in charged declared the Public Order Act was in force and under its provisions ordered people to leave the approach ramp to the Job Centre.\u00a0 Despite this demonstrators crowded round the door, now guarded by a row of police.\u00a0 A cacophony of whistles, spoons beating on pots and chants of \u201cWe will not be sanctioned!\u201d and \u201cWe won’t be your 30%\u201d let the management know claimants would not be passive victims.<\/p>\n

<\/span>DEPARTMENT OF WORKFARE AND PUNISHMENT<\/span><\/strong>
\nPlacards and banners declared DWP = DEPARTMENT OF WORKFARE AND PUNISHMENT and NO TO A4ENSLAVEMENT.\u00a0 Before and at the demo hundreds of leaflets were distributed to claimants, advising : \u201cIf you have a tricky interview at the Jobcentre, take a friend or adviser with you,\u00a0this is your right.\u00a0You have the right to challenge sanctions. Ask for the decision to be reviewed and appeal against it. If need be, we can alert our Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty solidarity network to have a peaceful demo INSIDE the Jobcentre.\u00a0 \u201c\u00a0\u00a0Special leaflets on the Universal Jobmatch\u00a0explained that the DWP had no right to insist on access your jobsearch and urged claimants to resist being signed up for the scheme.<\/p>\n

Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty also leafleted the Job Centre workers, appealing to staff : \u201cIf Job Centre workers and claimants can join together to resist the attacks that are being made on us all, our fight back will be much stronger.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cWe hope you will join us in condemning the work-for-your-benefits schemes.\u00a0 Workfare not only exploits the unemployed, it undermines all workers’ wages and conditions.\u00a0 As you will know workfare is even being brought into jobcentres \u2013 we have had an unconfirmed report of the potential use of workfare placements at Wester Hailes Job Centre (west Edinburgh).\u201d<\/p>\n

The demonstrators denounced the Condem government’s austerity programme as an attack on all working class people, making the rich richer and the poor poorer.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u00a0can learn from the resistance in Brazil, Turkey, Spain, Greece and elsewhere – it’s no good relying on politicians or leaders, we need grass-roots direct action.\u00a0 It’s time to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!\u201d<\/p>\n

Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty\u00a0\u00a0ecap@lists.riseup.net\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0www.edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk<\/a>
\nGreater Leith Against the Cuts\u00a0www.edinburghagainstcuts.org.u<\/a><\/span>k<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Below: police evict <\/span>protesters<\/span> who entered Leith Job Centre<\/span><\/p>\n

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