Margaret Thatcher's death greeted with street parties in Brixton and Glasgow
Crowds shout 'Maggie Maggie Maggie, dead dead dead' during impromptu events
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- guardian.co.uk, Monday 8 April 2013
People in Brixton, south London celebrate the death of Margaret Thatcher.
Several hundred people gathered in south London on Monday evening to celebrate Margaret Thatcher's death with cans of beer, pints of milk and an impromptu street disco playing the soundtrack to her years in power.
Young and old descended on Brixton, a suburb which weathered two outbreaks of rioting during the Thatcher years.
Many expressed jubilation that the leader they loved to hate was no more; others spoke of frustration that her legacy lived on.
To cheers of "Maggie Maggie Maggie, dead dead dead," posters of Thatcher were held aloft as reggae basslines pounded.
Clive Barger, a 62-year-old adult education tutor, said he had turned out to mark the passing of "one of the vilest abominations of social and economic history".
He said: "It is a moment to remember. She embodied everything that was so elitist in terms of repressing people who had nothing. She presided over a class war."
Builder Phil Lewis, 47, a veteran of the 1990 poll tax riots, said he had turned out to recall the political struggles the Thatcher years had embroiled him in. "She ripped the arsehole out of this country and we are still suffering the consequences."
Not all those attending were old enough to remember Thatcher's time in power. Jed Miller, 21, clutching a bottle of cider, said: "She was a bit before my time, but family never had anything good to say about her."
Not all were there to celebrate. Student Ray Thornton, 28, said he was there to commemorate "victims" of Thatcherism. "It is a solemn day.
It is important to remember that Thatcherism isn't dead and it is important that people get out on the street and not allow the government to whitewash what she did," he said.
Unemployed Kiki Madden scrawled "you snatched my milk and our hope" on a fence and said she felt slightly guilty taking delight in Thatcher's death, "but in the end I can't deny the fact that Thatcher made me so unhappy when I was a kid.
I grew up in Liverpool and all my friends' dads lost their jobs on the docks under Thatcher. It was an awful time."
Alex Bigham, a local Labour councillor, condemned the event, taking to Twitter to brand it disgraceful.
In Glasgow, more than 300 people gathered in the city centre for an impromptu party, organised on Twitter.
Members of organisations including the Anti-Bedroom Tax Federation, the Communist party, the Socialist party, the Socialist Workers party and the International Socialist Group, were joined by members of the public in George Square.
A chorus of "so long, the witch is dead" erupted, along with chants of "Maggie Maggie Maggie, dead dead dead," from the gathering as champagne bottles were popped.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/apr/08/margaret-thatcher-death-party-brixton-glasgow
Left's chorus of hatred: Champagne in the streets, students union cheers and vile internet taunts
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2305760/Lefts-chorus-hatred-Champagne-streets-students-union-cheers-vile-internet-taunts.html
Margaret Thatcher dead: Cheering crowds gather at street parties to celebrate passing of divisive former PM
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/margaret-thatcher-dead-video-cheering-1818888
Margaret Thatcher Death Celebrated By Critics
By Richard Williams, Sky News Online
The death of Baroness Thatcher has been welcomed by critics of the former prime minister - who labelled her "heartless" and claimed she destroyed parts of the country.
Street parties broke out in several locations as those who resented her policies and their consequences celebrated the leader who was more divisive than almost any other in recent history.
As tributes to the 87-year-old flooded in from across the globe, widespread condemnation of her legacy - particularly on social media - showed her ability to polarise opinion remained.
Grievances against the former Conservative leader take in her treatment of miners in the 1980s, withdrawal of free milk for school children, her role in the response to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster and the controversial Poll Tax.
Critics also pointed to her description of Nelson Mandela as a "terrorist", her government's support for Pol Pot, her actions in the Falklands War and her subsequent backing of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.
Long-running website isthatcherdeadyet.co.uk was amended to simply state the word 'YES', while asking: "How are you celebrating?"
And a Facebook campaign has been launched to take Judy Garland's song 'Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead' to number one in the music charts.
In Glasgow, more than 300 people gathered in the city centre after organising the event on Twitter.
Members of organisations including the Anti-Bedroom Tax Federation, the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, the Socialist Working Party, the International Socialist Group, were joined by members of the public in Glasgow's George Square.
The isthatcherdeadyet.co.uk website
Anti-capitalist campaigners shouted from loudspeakers, "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie" as the crowd replied "dead, dead, dead".
Crowds gathered from 5pm, despite a statement from Glasgow City Council discouraging anyone from attending the event.
Meanwhile, More than 100 people gathered in Brixton, south London - the scene of fierce riots in 1981 - two years into her first time in office.
Some were carrying banners, with one saying: "Rejoice, Thatcher is dead."
They also opened champagne and cheered, shouting: "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, dead, dead, dead."
A Facebook group set after Baroness Thatcher's death
Earlier, David Hopper, general secretary of Durham Miners' Association, had told Sky News he was celebrating turning 70 today after working all of his life at the Wearmouth Colliery in Sunderland.
"It's the best birthday I've ever had, I'm celebrating," he said.
"She was a heartless woman who tore the heart out of the mining communities of the North. She was a disaster for the workers of this country, although millionaires like those in David Cameron's Cabinet certainly did alright."
MP George Galloway provoked angry responses on Twitter today after apparently expressing his satisfaction at Baroness Thatcher's demise.
The Respect MP for Bradford West wrote "Tramp the dirt down" on his feed - the name of a song by Elvis Costello in which he attacks the former prime minister.
He followed that with another tweet, saying: "Thatcher described Nelson Mandela as a 'terrorist'. I was there. I saw her lips move. May she burn in the hellfires."
And Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams issued a statement, which said: "Margaret Thatcher did great hurt to the Irish and British people during her time as British Prime Minister.
Lady Thatcher in 1990 with Nelson Mandela - who she once called a terrorist
"Working class communities were devastated in Britain because of her policies.
"Her role in international affairs was equally belligerent whether in support of the Chilean dictator Pinochet, her opposition to sanctions against apartheid South Africa; and her support for the Khmer Rouge."
http://news.sky.com/story/1075474/margaret-thatcher-death-celebrated-by-critics
No respect from George Galloway as he tweets on Thatcher death
Published on 08/04/2013 14:09
BRADFORD MP George Galloway provoked angry reactions on Twitter today after apparently expressing his satisfaction at the death of Baroness Thatcher.
The Respect MP for Bradford West wrote “Tramp the dirt down” on his feed - the name of a song by Elvis Costello in which he attacks the former Conservative prime minister.
Mr Galloway’s tweet provoked anger on Twitter.
The Sun’s political editor, Tom Newton Dunn, wrote: “I suppose this was inevitable from him.”
And the Daily Mail’s deputy political editor, Tim Shipman, replied: “What a stunningly unpleasant tweet.”
Mr Galloway’s reference comes from a song by Costello, in which he sings: “When England was the whore of the world / Margaret was her madam.
It continues: “’Cos when they finally put you in the ground / They’ll stand there laughing and tramp the dirt down.”
Unions and campaign groups were also critical of the policies Mrs Thatcher followed while Prime Minister.
Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB union, said: “Mrs Thatcher was a powerful politician who will be remembered by many for the destructive and divisive policies she reigned over which in the end, even in the Tory party, proved to be her downfall.
“Her legacy involves the destruction of communities, the elevation of personal greed over social values and legitimising the exploitation of the weak by the strong.”
Lindsey German, convenor of the Stop The War Coalition, said: “Margaret Thatcher laid the basis for policies which wrecked the lives of millions in Britain. But she should also be remembered as a warmonger.
“She led alongside Ronald Reagan the escalation of the Cold War. She introduced cruise missiles to Britain and fought the Falklands war. Her arms deals with Saudi Arabia were notorious. Her legacy was Tony Blair who built enthusiastically on her record.”
Bradford Respect MP George Galloway tweeted: “Tramp the dirt down.”
Most of the country’s leading unions preferred not to make any comment about her death.
Colleagues of Arthur Scargill, the former leader of the National Union of Mineworkers, who clashed bitterly with Mrs Thatcher during the 1984/85 miners’ strike, said he was unlikely to make any comment.
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/at-a-glance/general-news/no-respect-from-george-galloway-as-he-tweets-on-thatcher-death-1-5564254
A right-wing leader of the anglo-american clique who presided over the destruction of the working class in Britain finally dead! 
All the right-wing forces of the world will be singing her praises, while the left-wing forces will be celebrating!
People celebrate in Brixton. Photograph: George Henton/Barcroft Media
Revellers spray a bottle of champagne at George Square in Glasgow. Photograph: David Moir/Reuters
Anti-Thatcher protesters gathered at Trafalgar Square in London. Photograph: Sang Tan/AP
