Reclaim the Night March in Leicester

Fifty determined men and women marched through Leicester on a cold November evening last night as part of international action in support of the Reclaim the Night campaign. This was locally organised by the University of Leicester Feminist Society to raise awareness of the prevalence and normalisation of rape in society.

Enthusiastic students from both home and abroad took part, marching through the streets chanting ‘Yes means yes, no means NO!’.

Many had clearly been politicised by recent women’s movements around the world; the general women’s strike against attacks on already meagre abortion rights in Poland, the mass protests against the attempts to legalise child rape in Turkey and the Repeal the 8th movement for abortion rights in Ireland.

But these young people were also drawing socialist conclusions and seeing the link between the global crisis in capitalism and worsening conditions for women.

One Canadian student was critical of her Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, who has publicly called himself a feminist. She said ‘it is positive but people should not have any illusions. We
should judge Trudeau by his actions, not a label he gives himself’.

In fact, workers in the Old Port of Montreal went on strike for $15 an hour in May this year and Trudeau, who is also a local MP, would not even meet them. The majority of working women are low-paid so an increase in the minimum wage would disproportionately benefit them.

Socialist party members intervened in the march by distributing leaflets and selling the Socialist, the only political material on offer, and were warmly welcomed by demonstrators. The event ended on a sombre note with a candlelit vigil for rape survivors and blue ribbons being tied round railings in a local park.

However, there was also an underlying recognition of the need to fight. Our slogan in the Socialist Party is ‘Don’t mourn, organise!’.

We need fighting young men and women like those on the march to join our ranks and build a movement to fight for socialism and end the oppression of women.

COME TO OUR FORTHCOMING PUBLIC MEETING: ‘Repeal the 8th: The socialist fightback for abortion rights and against women’s oppression’. Thursday 1st December, 7.30pm, upstairs at the Barley Mow pub, Granby Street (near the train station).