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PRESS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEPETERLOO MEMORIAL CAMPAIGN CALLS ON MANCHESTER TO RECREATE THE ORIGINAL MARCHES FOR THE 191st ANNIVERSARY ON 15th AUGUST 2010Following it's hugely successful anniversary gathering in 2009, the campaign is challenging residents of the regions and towns that originally sent marchers to St Peter's Fields in 1819 to do so again, after nearly 200 years. Last year 200 delegates covered the routes from Oldham, Middleton and Stockport, and rallied at the original location of the massacre with replica banners, to demand that the proposed memorial in St Peter's Square is one that truly reflects the nature of the event. The campaign is insisting the design is prominent, informative and respectful, one that breaks the long tradition of whitewashing the memory of this crucial event. Two events are planned this year- Sunday the 15th August for the mass rally, and Monday 16th to mark the actual date. Sunday 15th August The campaign calls for delegates to march and travel to the rally from the following places, all of which sent protesters in 1819 - those in bold capitals are of particular significance, being the origin of the 15 people who died at Peterloo...
The rallying point will be 1:00pm, in the plaza in front of the G Mex conference centre clock, the original time and place of the 1819 gathering. Marchers are being asked to recreate banners from the original event, and to bring red liberty caps, preferably mounted on poles, which were a prominent crucial symbol on the day of the massacre, and the target of much of the violence perpetrated by the yeomanry. “Let's fill the area with a sea of banners and red liberty caps” said Paul Fitzgerald, spokesperson for the campaign. “as a sign of our determination to see a memorial that will clearly inform people about what happened at Peterloo. We don't think a design that's abstract or conceptual will be acceptable to anyone who cares about this event, which was a turning point in the history of democracy. It's astonishing how many people still don't know about this shocking massacre in their own city, and if the design of the new memorial fails to plainly and simply let people know what occoured, that would be deeply disrespectful to those brave protesters who were injured or lost their lives. This may be people's last chance to make their feelings known before the design is finalised, so it's a crucial opportunity.” The campaign is calling upon community groups, trade unions, campaigners, schools, historical societies, churches and all other interested groups from the listed areas to rise to the challenge and following the original protesters to the site. Interested groups can contact the campaign by phone - 07800 535471, via it's website www.peterloomassacre.org, or through it's facebook group - PETERLOO MASSACRE 191st ANNIVERSARY Monday 16th August To mark the actual anniversary, people are being asked to gather at 1pm at the same location, with wreathes to lay at the site. Anyone attending the event on the 15th who wishes to contribute a wreath, please bring them along on the 15th. Press contact- Paul Fitzgerald 07800 535471 General background information about the original event, including details of the campaign's successful lobbying to have the old blue commemorative plaque replaced- |
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