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Cambridge first for People’s Assembly standoff with Great British Strikers




There was tension in Cambridge’s market square as demonstrators supporting the far-right ‘Great British National Strike’ were countered by a gathering of People’s Assembly supporters.

Union Jacks and the flag of St George were waved by the far-right demonstrators, who carried placards protesting about immigration.

Protests in Cambridge on 24 May, 2025
Protests in Cambridge on 24 May, 2025

Facing them at the Saturday protests were the People’s Assembly groups from the other end of the political spectrum, carrying messages such as ‘Refugees welcome here’ and ‘Defend Winter Fuel payments’.

Cambridge chronicler Antony Carpen described the situation as “the first time I’ve seen political extremes of the right and left in Cambridge market square at the same time”.

Contrasting protesters in Cambridge market meet for the first time, 24 May 2025. Picture: People’s Assembly
Contrasting protesters in Cambridge market meet for the first time, 24 May 2025. Picture: People’s Assembly

The Great British National Strike contingent was one of many gathering in cities up and down the country in a movement led by ex-British Army soldier Richard Donaldson. They occupied a space one side of Guildhall while the pro-Palestine group and other groups gathered on the other.

Andrew Osborne, of Unite, described the situation on social media.

Protests in Cambridge on 24 May, 2025
Protests in Cambridge on 24 May, 2025

“I think there were at least 50 of them,” he said of the ‘strikers’. “But we had Cambridge Green Party, Cambridge Stand up to Racism, Unite Cambridge Community branch, several local Unite union activists from two of the biggest branches with flags and banners, the Cambridge Palestine Solidarity campaign and activists from the revolutionary communists and Trans Liberation Cambridge and we held the line for four hours, chanting slogans and making noise.”

Protests in Cambridge on 24 May, 2025
Protests in Cambridge on 24 May, 2025

A police spokesperson said: “This was a situation where two different groups started to get a bit agitated with each other. We had officers in the area anyway who went down to speak with the groups.

“There were no issues, complaints, or crimes.”

Winter fuel cut protest at Guildhall, 21 May 2025. Picture: Andrew Osborne
Winter fuel cut protest at Guildhall, 21 May 2025. Picture: Andrew Osborne

One protester said: “The Palestinian lead protester took the heat out of the confrontation by saying the two groups were united in opposition to Labour.”

The stand-off ended at 2.25pm.



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