Thousands of protesters march through Manchester city centre as Conservative Party conference starts
Several thousand protesters marched through Manchester city centre this afternoon [Oct 3] ahead of the Conservative party's annual conference.The People's Assembly march began at Whitworth Park, on Oxford Road, and made its way through the city before finishing at the Manchester Central Convention centre.Greater Manchester Police have formed a 'ring of steel' around the convention centre, which is hosting the conference.Activists called for a swathe of reforms from the government, including an end to the proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021, which sparked previous protests earlier this year.
Sunday's march is the centre piece of the group's demonstrations, which began yesterday in St Peter's Square, and will continue until Tuesday.The march means several buses are being diverted and road closures will be in place over the course of the afternoon, although Metrolink trams are not affected.Passengers are being encouraged to plan their journey by checking Transport for Greater Manchester's website and social media channels for updates.