Police arrest anti-Atos protesters at Queen’s Baton Relay

Police accompanying the Queen’s Baton near Barrhead, East Renfrewshire arrest protesting disability activists, pinning one to the ground. The group, Glasgow Against Atos, has staged a series of increasingly high-profile direct actions demanding the removal of IT giant Atos as a sponsor.

The firm has sought to boost its public profile by sponsoring database software for international sporting events, but campaigners have fought to expose its role in deadly cuts to disability benefits.

The firm has seen a string of scandals and wrongful sanctions arising from its contracts quizzing sickness benefit claimants with “work capability assessments” for the Department of Work and Pensions.

The affair has even seen silent protest from Paralympic athletes who hid their branded lanyards from cameras at London’s 2012 opening ceremony, while Sport Disability Scotland told MSPs in April of athletes who could no longer afford to continue their sporting careers after losing out to a work capability assessment.

Games organisers insist they are “very proud” of Atos’ involvement, while press officers have refused to comment on whether they are contractually obliged to offer public shows of support.

This is the latest in a series of protests and occupations from the Glasgow Against ATOS group including two occupations of the Commonwealth Games Gift shop in Central Station and an occupation of the main CG store in George Square.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTdh35iLtQs

 

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