Star date: 7th October 2015

MANCHESTER DISABLED PEOPLE AGAINST CUTS CHAINED WHEELCHAIR PROTEST

"People are dying because of their policies..."

This morning, members of Manchester Disabled People Against Cuts (MDPAC) chained their wheelchairs together to block the V.I.P. car entrance to the Conservative Party Conference.

"We're doing it because we want to disrupt the Conference on the day of the Prime Minister's speech" explained Ric from MDPAC "We're bearing the brunt of what his Government is doing; people are dying because of their policies and we're sick of him lying..."

Full details here...

"We need hope; we can't live with what they're trying to do to us, they're trying to demoralise, stigmatise, isolate and blame disabled people..."

This morning's protest by Manchester Disabled People Against Cuts (MDPAC) was pre-billed as `Mad Mancs Fury Road: Disabled People v David Cameron', and their action didn't disappoint as they attempted to stop the Prime Minister from entering the Conservative Party Conference Centre by blocking the V.I.P. car entrance.

Those in wheelchairs chained themselves together, while others held banners and `IDS Murderer' placards as they positioned themselves on the car ramp leading up to the Centre...

"We're doing it because we want to disrupt the Conference on the day of the Prime Minister's speech" explained Ric from MDPAC "We're bearing the brunt of what his Government is doing; people are dying because of their policies and we're sick of him lying, which he does repeatedly. Between January 2011 and November 2014 at least 5,100 disabled people have died after being declared fit for work.

"Ian Duncan Smith is another massive liar" he added "The Disability Conference Scheme was his attempt to put a positive spin on everything, with businesses signing up and saying `We'll be nice to disabled people and give them jobs and things'... he said they had one thousand companies signed up but the actual number, after a Freedom of Information request, was 35. Their lies go unchallenged. Journalists as a rule either don't understand the complexities or just don't care."

Asked how the Government's disability policies had affected him personally, Ric explained how they almost led to his death...

"In 2012, I had to go through a work capability assessment and then I had to go to a tribunal to appeal the result, and before that happened I'd come off my medications, I was doing better" he recalls "By the end of it I was ill again and back on medication, and my physical and mental condition was far worse. For a short period it wasn't good at all, so I understand the people who have died because I've been close to that and we know people who have not made it through."

The fightback protests by MDPAC and national Disabled People Against Cuts members, which have seen them storm Parliament recently, are sending out a message, not only to the Government but to other disabled people that they are not alone...

"DPAC got a message through this Monday, after our protest, from someone who said `It's great to see your action, it gives me hope, and in the dark period when I began to plan for my own death by suicide, seeing these protests I've decided to stay alive'" said Ric "We need hope, we can't live with what they're trying to do to us, they're trying to demoralise, stigmatise, isolate and blame disabled people..."

After a stand-off, with police threatening to arrest people on this morning's protest and the GMP Tactical Aid Unit riot police standing by, bolt cutters were eventually used to cut the wheelchair chains and the ramp was cleared – with MDPAC having made its point...

To repeat the message that DPAC received this week, "In the dark period when I began to plan for my own death by suicide, seeing these protests I've decided to stay alive'...

*For more photos of today's protests see the Salford Star photo blog - click here

See previous Salford Star articles on this week's other DPAC actions...

Boris Johnson pelted with balls as a statement on Tory policies – click here

DPAC lays siege to Tory Party Conference – click here