Anti-tax avoidance organisation aims to bring 30 Barclays branches to a standstill while US Uncut plans own demonstrations
- The Guardian,
- Article history
Hundreds of protesters are expected to occupy banks around the country amid signs the direct action movement that has shut more than 100 high street stores in the UK is spreading to the US.
Activists from UK Uncut, a campaign group set up five months ago to oppose government cuts and corporate tax avoidance, will stage their first national day of action against the banks on Saturday with protesters expected to bring more than 30 high street branches of Barclays to a standstill.
The group has previously targeted companies accused of avoiding millions of pounds in tax. The demonstrations come as it emerged that protesters in the US have formed a copy cat group, US Uncut.
"The folks in the UK who decided to stand up, organise and speak out are a daily inspiration to me and the rest of the movement in the states," said Carl Gibson, 23, one of the founders of the first US Uncut group in Jackson, Mississippi.
"The message is simple – before you sacrifice hard-working public sector employee's jobs and necessary public programs, why not first make the richest of the rich pay their fair share in taxes?"Gibson, who started the first US group a week ago after reading a piece in the Nation, told the Guardian there are already US Uncut "chapters" in 20 states and at least 10 demonstrations planned for 26 February – the date of UK Uncut's second day of action against the banks. "I'm still getting emails pouring in daily from interested citizens who want to start their own US Uncut movement in their community," said Gibson. "We have US Uncut chapters in 20 states and on 26 February 26th ... the bulk of US Uncut chapters will stage demonstrations at Bank of America locations all over. We have events planned for Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Washington DC, New York City, New York, Portland, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts." Protesters in the UK have mobilised thousands of activists using the Twitter hashtag #UKuncut since the group was formed in October and Gibson says their expertise has been critical for activists in the US. "I'm in contact with UK Uncut founders on a daily basis," said Gibson, a former radio journalist. "They've been instrumental in getting this movement off the ground here in the states. They've helped with website development, Twitter and Facebook promotion, and recruiting valuable assets with connections that can help us." Today's action in the UK, which comes as banks reveal their multi-million pound bonus packages, is expected to involve a range of peaceful and creative direct actions. In a foretaste protesters occupied a London branch of Barclays on Tuesday turning it into a library. The demonstration coincided with the announcement that average earnings at the bank's investment arm have risen by 23% and that CEO Bob Diamond is in line for a bonus of more than £8m. Toni Palmer, who lives in Islington, north London, took part in the demonstration: "The banks caused this economic crisis because of their greed and reckless gambling. But the people who are really being made to pay for it are ordinary people," she said. The government cuts mean Islington council is slashing its budget by £52m and is being forced to axe a range of services including police community support officers for primary schools, advice services for troubled teenagers, and help with shopping, laundry and cleaning for the elderly. Palmer said: "Our lives are being devastated by the billion pound cuts to essential services that we all depend on. But Barclays is paying out bonuses of £2bn. This shows that we are not all in this together."
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