UPDATE: BBC report of Boris failing to keep his promise HERE
VIDEO HERE and has now been used by the Guardian.
And is also on USA Today!
Well done Katya. What a bloody shame we didn't ask him how much the 'consultation' cost. Nevermind, we have done an FOI. Due back on the 26th.
Around 30 activists protested outside the GLA today lunchtime to demand that Boris Johnson keeps his promise to fund 3 more rape crisis centres in London.
After a tip off we caught him coming out the back entrance of the GLA on his bike with his entourage of fellow cyclists/security and stopped him in his tracks (with my foot!).
We questioned him as to why he promised money of 744k as part of his electioneering manifesto but has as yet failed to come up with the goods. He said the promise would be fulfilled by the end of his mayoral term. THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Women are being raped NOW and do not need to wait til 2012 to receive support. WE will keep up this campaign until we receive the money. And even after we will be on their backs to ensure they dont do what they normally do-set something up then let it flounder because they dont continue to invest in it then say it isn't working.
Shockingly he said (previously) that his 2nd salary of £255k is only 'chicken feed'. Well Boris, did you know that it only costs an even smaller chicken feed of £250k to fund a Rape Crisis Centre?
The protest was well received by passers-by with a few women even coming up to us a saying that they had been raped and were so pleased to see something being done about this. They all called Boris an idiot or something similar! I could not disagree.
We live in a world where women are treated like objects, treated as property; as possessions. We need to continue to fight against this system and against sexism and oppression in all its forms.
Tonight we will continue this fight at the Miss England 'Beauty Pageant' where women will be judged. We reject the idea that women can be judged on other categories such as 'intelligence', 'ambition', 'empathy' and 'sensitivity': we don't want to be judged on ANYTHING.
Join us later today to protest against this sexist competition.
6.30pm Hilton Edgeware Rd, London. Bring Banners etc. Plz forward & RT http://tinyurl.com/missengland
Called for by Mind the Gap: London Student Feminists, Object, London Feminist Network, Feminist Fightback, NUS, UNISON, UCU, and Socialist Worker Student Society.
Speakers include
JUDITH ORR- author of ‘Sexism and the System’
JO ROBINSON- from the famous 1975 protest against Miss World at the Royal Albert Hall
KATIE TOMS- London Feminist Network, Anti Porn London
SANDRINE LEVEQUE- OBJECT
LIV BAILEY- NUS Women’s Officer
40 years ago feminist activists succeeded in banning the Miss World contest. In celebration of this eminent anniversary, we will ban it again and invite you to join us in the struggle.
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