Hundreds join march to city-centre rally

HUNDREDS of protesters were out in force in York yesterday as the city bore the brunt of much of the county’s public sector discontent.

More than 200 protesters marched from York College to a large-scale rally in Parliament Street where a number of other demonstrators gathered in the rain.

A number of public sector buildings in the city including the tax office and the headquarters of the Crown Prosecution Service in Piccadilly and the job centre offices in Monkgate were also picketed.

Many of the York protesters were supplied by the Flying Picket Cycle Cafe, a group of cyclists who toured the picket lines throughout the day providing hot drinks and sandwiches.

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire’s Ministry of Defence workers set up picket lines at the Menwith Hill base near Harrogate, RAF Linton-On-Ouse and York’s Imphal Barracks, where dozens of jobs are currently at risk.