Sunday was a funny old day as I went into Manchester to have a walk round and photograph some street art/grraffiti in the Northern Quarter of Manchester and Beyond.
It turned out to be a funny old day however.
As most of you will know I live in a small village which has a beauty spot right in the middle and after the traffic and number of people here last weekend and on saturday, despite the rain, and also the number of folk down on the canal I thought, Sod it lets goto Manchester, it will be quieter and at least there is something interesting to look at.
Off I drive to Manchester and first thing I notice on the way up the M6 is the number of signs declairing “Essential travel only”, nah! Fuck off! Essential Travel, what’s thats then? Is it essential to drive to work? Is it essential to drive to a place of exercise? Define essential?
Anyway, I was half expecting to get pulled by the Police as during last lockdown this happened several times and the motorways are very quiet indeed today.
I arrive safely in Manchester and deposit my car in one of the car parks which are quite full despite, “LOCKDOWN” and don my rucksack with my photography gear and head over to the Northern Quarter. First stop is Eastern Bloc cafe for a cup of coffee, as Mikki not function properly without coffee in the morning.
Off we go, Chante and I, on a walk round the city centre in search of interesting things to photograph.
First is the Serenity mural which is located just off Stevenson Square on the back of the Police Museum. Sometimes called the Red Lady mural it marks the Suffragettes movement who used to gather in Stevenson Square over 100 years ago.
Quick walk around the corner onto Faraday Street and we have the Birds by Mateus Bailon, a brazilian born artist. I love the colours of this mural. Its very vibrant greens, purples and blues on a black background.
Just up the road is the Ian Curtis Mural which is on what is commonly known as the Zig Zag house because its got yellow and black Zig Zags painted on it but on the other side of the house is Curtis portrait.
I took a slight detour up to Ancoats to see the Faith47 mural which is fooking massive and is over 6 stories high. Well worth a look as driving past doesnt do it justice. The bridge infront of this mural goes over the Rochdale canal and theres a very cheeky painting underneath the bridge 😉
Red Lady Mural
Birds Mural
Ian Curtis Mural
Faith47 Mural
The next few hours were spent aimlessly walking round the Northern Quarter and photgraphing the street art, graffiti and numerous stickers around the area,
Protests in Manchester Piccadilly Gardens
It was fairly quiet in Manchester City Centre until mid afternoon when a protest started in Piccadilly gardens.
At first there was a few hundred people but as the protest walked round the city this turned into a few thousand and thats despite what the news and media channels say.
I was there and I firmly doubt the BBC sent a reporter out and were more than likely relying on what the protesters posted on Social Media. I also note the BBC says that Police officers were injured! I also doubt this, from what I saw this was a peaceful protest and what I saw in Piccadilly Gardens, on the march and at the end down on Deansgate was all very pleasant. Whether something happened thereafter is unknown to me.
I understand why these people where protesting< I do and those who say “Its not right” need to give their heads a wobble as if we ban the right to protest then surely were on a rocky road to a police state, or worse.
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”
Evelyn Beatrice Hall
