Tamil Solidarity organised a protest in front of Lancashire County Cricket Club when Sri Lanka played England on 9th July. We leafleted all the gates and gave out nearly 2,000 leaflets.
By Keerthikan, Tamil Solidarity
Up to 50 mainly young people turned out to the protest: several trade unionists, a dozen from Liverpool, and many from all around Greater Manchester. Several had heard about the protest through the TS Facebook event. Others, who came to watch the match, helped our protest and leafleted other cricket fans.
We demanded: equal rights now, an end to all discrimination and racism, justice for victims of the war, and massive creation of jobs and housing.
Outside the busiest Club gate, we held two banners seen by everyone coming from the Metrolink or United’s car-parking. One of them says “MASSACRES NOT FORGOTTEN” and “40,000 TAMILS KILLED IN 3 WEEKS”; the other says “STOP THE DISCRIMINATION” and “CRICKET FOR EVERYONE.” Our placards’ slogans included, WORKERS RIGHTS NOW, EQUAL RIGHTS NOW, PUNISH THE WAR CRIMINALS.
Manchester Tamil Association (MTA) and the local British Tamil Forum (BTF) also participated in one of largest protests held locally by the Tamil community in England’s north.
Our new leaflet announced the Tamil Solidarity national public meeting, “Where is Sri Lanka going? How can we organise?” Sunday 6 November, 1-3pm, University of London Union, Malet Street, central London, WC1E 7HY
