Try again...

The Rugby Fanzone has been set up. I presumable for the rugby matches at Manchester's two football stadiums today: Wigan play Leeds in a league version of the game and in a pointless World Cup match Uruguay play England in union.

Skywatch Friday: Autumn along the Irwell

Autumn view of the River Irwell in the city centre, late morning yesterday. It's time for Skywatch Friday.

Palace Hotel or Winter Palace (hmm, now I'm being silly) #CityDailyPhoto #StPetersburg #Manchester

The Palace Hotel is a fine building and in scale with little old Manchester. But the Winter Palace in the twin city of St Petersburg, post the storming of it in 1917 eventually became the Hermitage and the world's largest art collection. I am not comparing the two, they each serve their own useful purposes, but I'd rather see the sights of St Petersburg as often as I see those of Manchester.

ABC Wednesday: "M" is for a Manchester (police) state of Mind #TakeBackMCR

There were police snipers on the rooftops during a peaceful demo by 100,000 on Sunday. The non-stop smaller protests against the Tory Party Conference this week have seen an over policed and over protective ring of steel - it feels like Manchester has slipped nearer to a being a police state. 

Above we have a few photos near the conference entrance including a bunch of young Tories at Brew Dog and the police brutally manhandling an innocent protestor and falsely accusing him (I witnessed all of this) during the DPAC Protest (Disabled People Against the Cuts). 

Less harrowing scenes from bloggers around the world can be seen at ABC Wednesday.

#TakeBackMCR @PSB_HQ

Monday was quite a day. On Sunday 100,000 of us marched and rallied against the undemocratically elected Tory government (votes from 24% of the electorate is not a mandate).

On Monday morning walking into work I witnessed several Tory delegates en route to their conference sneering and laughing at some homeless people trying to debate with them. I challenged them of course but they ignored me and hurried to their police escort past the ridiculous ring of steel that encloses Manchester Central at present

At lunchtime I popped back to support the DPAC, Disabled People Against cuts protest. Lively and noisy and I witnessed two police thugs hauling away a protester, falsely claiming he threw an egg and willing to use that as an excuse to throw him against the nearest wall. Had I and others (steward, photographer, members of public) not intervened they would have taken it further I am sure.

In the evening there were 8000 people inside and outside the Cathedral for The People’s Post Rally (take back the Royal Mail from the greedy and selfish Tories and shareholders who stole it from us and privatised it). Some inspiring speakers including Green and Labour Party leaders Natalie Bennett and Jeremy Corbyn.

Then hot footed it across town for the Beat Back Gig – Here are the wonderful Public Service Broadcasting playing their set, which was followed by Charlotte Church and the zany and captivating Super Furry Animals.

Hope is in the air as I post for Our World Tuesday.

Emerson overcoats of Stockport #CityDailyPhoto

Two Monday Murals for you this week. Above, seven miles out from Manchester and into Stockport, the old painted wall signage of Emerson remains although the tailor's shop is now a cafe. The sign was there in photos taken in 1905 so probably dates from the late 19th century.

While on this virtual stop of Stockport look up local bloggers Sue at the Sign Siren and Gerald at the Stockport Daily Photo. Apologies for stepping on their toes or rather, their territory, today.

Meanwhile in the twin city of St Petersburg the other week I took a photo of this (presumably) 1950s map at Finland station of the local network makes a fine mural.

Music and poets and anti-austerity #EndAusterityNow

Part of the people's anti-austerity actions was a 10 hour poetry and music concert at the People's History Museum yesterday, in the old pump house, culminating with a performance by Billy Bragg. This is Longy in action. The big demo at the Tory conference is today in Manchester with actions, benefits, comedy and drama until the unwanted Conservatives skulk back to their mansions in a few days' time.

Engels and Marx. who wrote their Communist Manifesto and other works just a half a mile of less from the Pump House would be proud, Here they are the other week in Manchester's twin city of St Petersburg.

Weekend Reflections: Manchester v St Petersburg

King Street grandeur in Manchester reflects across the road while one of those amazing green buildings from St Petersburg offers not a Weekend Reflection but two grand old men maybe lost in thoughtful reflection.

St Petersburg pedestrians versus Manchester meanderers #CityDailyPhoto

 

Down in a St Petersburg Metro station last week and on a Manchester square this week, people in thought and ancient men on pedestals for both. I cannot deny that St Petersburg with its imperial wealth from 18C and 19C and Soviet-built 20C monuments is the more beautiful city by a long way. 

Manchester has its charms though and both cities share the following: Northern outposts where 20C money was lavished on the capitals while the north was left to rot (the Leningrad World War II siege and the decimation of industrial post-World War II Manchester, although I hesitate to compare these two). 

Both cities were built on the sweat, blood and bones of an exploited workforce- the serfs in 18 and 19 C St Petersburg and the impoverished factory workers of 19C industrial Manchester. The conditions of the latter led to Frederick Engels, whose family owned a factory in nearby Weaste in Salford, to write the Making of the English Working classes in 1844, and also to work with Karl Marx in Manchester on theories such as the Communist Manifesto which, of course, was put into practice a few decades later in 1917 as Lenin arrived in St Petersburg...

City Daily Photo Theme Day: Shelter #Socialcleansing #HomelessCampManchester #TheArk

The topic for City Daily Photo Theme Day this month is Shelter, chosen by Linda Ball and Forrest Preece who’ve run the Austin, Texas Daily Photo blog since 2007.

Leaving aside my St Petersburg v Manchester twin city comparisons for a day (although I saw no homeless people in St Petersburg I imagine they exist?), here we have the Ark. A month ago it was beautifully constructed shelter under the Mancunian wave made of upcycled pallets and tarpaulin, with a loo, donated furniture, a generator, a television and spaces for many homeless people. Lots of donations and support from the caring members of the public too.

A civilised city council / country would of course, be spending money on ensuring its most vulnerable citizens were given basic human rights to shelter and water, and the police force we fund would be doing its utmost to protect those left on the streets from harassment.

But of course this is England- where Manchester city council, instead of spending money on solutions, squanders hundreds of thousands on court cases to make it illegal to erect a tent in the city centre, and aided and abetted by the lovely "boys in blue" destroy such camps around the city. Homeless charity Crisis, describe these actions as disturbing.

Videos of the defending solicitor being interviewed here, social cleansing in action here, and here and the End Manchester Homeless YouTube Channel

The Ark remains here for now, (please sign this petition) but its occupants are threatened with prison for being homeless. Manchester City Council, Biffas and Greater Manchester Police, you are a disgrace! ("but we're only following orders"...)