Disabled protesters removed by police

By Paul Carter

Disabled protesters have been forcibly removed by police after protesting against the government’s welfare reform proposals outside Downing Street.

Members of the Disabled People’s Direct Action Network (DAN) waved banners containing slogans such as “entitlement not exploitation” and “welfare not war”, ahead of the third reading of the Welfare Reform Bill later this month.

Several members of the group then attempted to block a bus and lorry passing along Whitehall before being removed by Police. There were no arrests. 

One protester said that direct action had been their “only option” after being “sickened” by the Government’s plans for reforming the benefits system.

Nick Saunders said: “"We are sick of politicians who attack minorities, that they see as easy targets, for spending cuts."

Another protester, Barry Shaufleur, said that police had admitted that removing the activists, many whom were wheelchair users, had been “awkward.”

"I just hope this goes some way to helping highlight the abuse of our benefits system. There is a lot of ignorance about disability and ignorance creates discrimination," he said.