UK workers, young people defend Yellow Vest protests in France: “I only wish that we could do it here as well!”
By
our reporters
11 December 2018
Ibrahim is a local authority worker who lives in London. He spoke to WSWS reporters at Ladbroke Grove tube station. He had watched a news report on the protests in France and was appalled by the police behaviour towards school children who were forced to kneel on the ground handcuffed.
“Many of these children joined in solidarity with the yellow vest protesters because they are living through and experiencing the hardship and struggle of their parents. The politicians in charge don’t care about the working class. Look at the Brexit deal, nobody knows what they are doing.
“Solidarity of workers from around the world uniting together is the only way forward. At the end of the day, it’s the working people that make everything and keep society running.”
Ladbroke Grove is a short distance from Grenfell Tower, where 72 residents died in an inferno in June 2017. Ibrahim said, “It doesn’t matter what political party is in power, they are all sabotaging social housing. The Grenfell fire disaster is an example of this. All they are interested in is gentrification and profit.”
WSWS reporters spoke to shoppers on the precinct in Birkenhead in the northwest of England—one of the poorest areas of the country and where shipyard workers recently took strike action against the threat of 241 redundancies at Cammell Laird.
Mick, who once worked at Cammell Laird said, with a fisted salute, “Solidarity to the French workers. I agree with what you are doing, I only wish that we could do it here as well!”
Asked her opinion on the French protests, housewife Marie said, “Anyone who’s making a stand has got to be…