Demonstrators storm Leeds Council meeting over spending cuts

A group formed waving flags and banners, and chanting “Shame on you for turning blue”.

The council meeting, called to discuss proposed cuts of £90m to the council’s annual budget, was delayed by 90 minutes as officials and police dispersed the demonstrators from the council chamber.

At one point council officials threatened to abandon the meeting, but the protesters were eventually led away.

One of them said: “we are here because we do not want Leeds City council to make these cuts. There are up to 3,000 jobs at risk and we are opposed to the closure of Leeds Crisis Centre and day and residential centres.”

The council’s chief executive Tom Riordan said: “It is regrettable that today’s meeting of the full council was delayed for 90 minutes by protestors who occupied the council chamber.

“While respecting people’s right to voice their opinion, disrupting a public meeting and the democratic process is not the best way to get their point across.

“I’d like to thank our staff and West Yorkshire Police for the professional way in which the demonstration was handled.”

A full report appears in Thursday’s Yorkshire Post