More than a hundred people gathered in Manchester city centre today to protest government plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. As boisterous festival-goers queued at St Peter's Square Metrolink stop en route to Parklife, a protester pounded on a drum just yards away.
Amid the clash of cultures, there was something resembling a carnival spirit in the air outside Manchester Central Library. But the music soon gave way to impassioned speeches from activists slamming the government's deportation policy, which will see those who arrive in Britain illegally face deportation 4,000 miles away to Rwanda in east Africa.
Protesters carried placards and broke out into chants criticising the plan - put forward by Home Secretary Priti Patel in April - which is aimed at discourage people trying to cross the channel in small boats from northern France.
