73:
915:
337:
series of BBC disability programming. It focused on national actions by DAN members in London, (targeting
Westminster Bridge and Parliament) and Cardiff (targeting the main bus and train termini). The BBC2 programme was also broadcast in Europe and worldwide on the British Forces Broadcasting Service
1019:
They made the BBC news. According to
Barbara Lisicki, a national organiser of the Direct Action Network, it was a two-birds-with-one-stone protest. "First, it's his government that is denying disabled people a comprehensive Civil Rights Bill. Second, his surgery is inaccessible to wheelchair users.
154:
at
Ashwellthorpe Hall near Norwich. The debate was essentially between creating a general civil rights campaign or creating a campaign based on specific target issues, starting with inaccessible public transport. The eventual vote was in favour of specific targets, the argument being that it would
931:
Wheelchair users from DAN (Disabled Action
Network) handcuff themselves to a London bus on Westminster Bridge, London in February 1995 as part of a series of protests about lack of disabled persons access to public transport, in the lead up to the Disability Discrimination Act being debated in
180:
and other locations across London by handcuffing or chaining themselves to buses, as well as placing themselves in the path of buses and refusing to move. On several occasions in 1994 and 1995, during the consideration of the
Disability Discrimination Act, protesters handcuffed themselves to a
274:
government ministers on what was called by some, welfare reform, and called cuts by others. On 22 December 1997 DAN and other organisations had organised a one-day protest against these forthcoming cuts, held in
Trafalgar Square. A group of "Danners" broke away from this rally and headed down
162:
after a
Parliamentary by-election was called, and the Conservative candidate, tipped to win, had previously in the House of Commons prevented new disability rights legislation from becoming law. DAN organised protests during his campaign, and he lost the election. The Campaign for Accessible
817:
Access to buses (and trains) was a key campaigning objective of DAN through the 1980s and 1990s, and it was quite commonplace for roads in UK cities to be gridlocked by immobilised buses due to disabled people handcuffing themselves to the outer rails or even underneath these inaccessible
217:
website news article saying, "We did not support the
Disability Discrimination Act from the word go because it is not addressing the real concerns of what disabled people need. We need legislation to ensure that all disabled people have the right to live as full participants in society."
875:
Traffic from one end of Oxford Street to the other was brought to a complete standstill for half an hour. Disabled people in wheelchairs sat in front of double decker buses to make ensure they didn't go anywhere ... they are calling for all public transport to be accessible to the
279:. They had red paint hidden inside paper coffee cups, and throwing the paint on themselves they protested on the floor in front of the gates for the TV news crews that were stationed there for any sudden political news reasons. The protest was named after one of the banners, "
168:
Between 1993 and 1998, DAN held more than 100 actions, and held 16 national actions between its founding and 2002. Typically a local action took place on a single day, whereas national actions developed into three-day long events, usually from Friday to Sunday.
357:, regarded by many disabled people as a compromised and inadequate law for their civil rights. The programme marks the 25th anniversary of the creation of that law (which was later absorbed into the Equality Act 2010). The film was made as
791:
Events began when .. disabled protestors from direct action group DAN targeted Eltham to highlight national disability issues. Up to 50 members and supporters assembled in the high street at around 1pm to start chaining themselves to
213:, or DDA. The official position of DAN was that the DDA had too many loopholes - it was too weak. For example, despite the DDA being strengthened in 2003 to include public transport for the first time, Andy Gill was quoted in a
1345:
134:
A national committee of disabled people existed for most of DAN's active years, including many of the regional organisers. A newsletter was produced, especially in the build-up and winding-down from a major action.
57:
On 8 September 1991 in south
Manchester there was a weekend workshop to learn from similar street protests in the USA. The workshop was led by visiting activists Mike Auberger and Babs Johnson from
23:(DAN) is a disability rights activist organisation in England and Wales that campaigned for civil rights with high-profile street demonstrations involving civil disobedience, rallies and protests.
571:
1084:
39:. These protests resulted in police arrests and court hearings, where disabled people refused to plead guilty, all reading out the same defence to the court. One of the DDANN protesters was
1308:
981:
1237:
353:
TV channel in the UK. The basis of the programme centres on two DAN members and on the political debates within the disabled people's movement leading up to the passing of the
62:
1350:
72:
209:
After many attempts in
Parliament to pass a civil rights law for disabled people (also called, anti-discrimination legislation) a law was finally passed in 1995 - the
607:
687:
61:, and it finished with the practical learning of going out and blocking three buses on the main road nearby. This was during the 10th annual general meeting of
306:
campaign, all new buses to be used anywhere in the EU had to be fully accessible by EU law, with a timetable to phase out the old, inaccessible buses.
916:"Stock Photo - Wheelchair users from DAN (Disabled Action Network) handcuff themselves to a London bus on Westminster Bridge, London in February 1995"
1180:
1076:
150:, and in spring 1993 a weekend residential conference was held by about 16 interested disabled people using the guest rooms in the grounds of the
131:
DAN was a network of individual disabled people and allies. The network maintained coverage across the UK through a team of regional organisers.
1214:
485:
43:, employed by the Derbyshire Coalition of Disabled People (DCDP) as a community link worker, along with many DCDP members including Ken Davis.
663:
1106:
372:
287:. Although there were cuts in welfare benefits for disabled people, and especially after 2010 and the austerity programme started by the
1229:
143:
In early 1993, Barbara Lisicki, Alan Holdsworth, and Sue Elsegood became founders of the Disabled People's Direct Action Network (DAN).
1017:
Last month, a group of disability rights activists picketed the Nottinghamshire constituency office of the Chancellor, Kenneth Clarke.
805:
708:
354:
222:
210:
283:". As well as being shown on UK national news, the protest details and images went around the world, including the front page of the
1150:
519:
468:
69:, on Wilmslow Road in Manchester. A photograph of this protest was used on the front cover of a book on images of disabled people.
543:
445:
221:
Many of the street protests in 1994 and 1995 leading up to the new law being passed were organised by the disability campaign,
313:
The number of DAN actions recorded following 2002 significantly decreases, though there are recorded actions up until 2022.
831:
1062:
599:
768:
1252:
738:
317:
288:
268:
MP as the new Prime Minister. However, many disabled people had misgivings about the unclear proposals coming from the
163:
Transport – led by disability rights groups – was set up to protest and lobby for increased access to public transport.
1280:
716:
1257:
233:
36:
54:, Kate Brown, Tracey Proudlock, Sue Elsegood, Victoria Waddington and Allan Sutherland as the press officer.
806:"A case study of a Campaign for access by law to buses by Disabled People in the European Union, 1995 – 2001"
146:
The idea was to build on and sustain the campaigning energy from the Block Telethon protest organised by the
1340:
1124:
359:
186:
310:
were the last bus type to become fully accessible. This was done using the EU's single market powers.
1230:"Tackling Disability Discrimination in the United Kingdom: The British Disability Discrimination Act"
1206:
159:
1020:
Disabled people are constantly being told to lobby their MPs. Yet when they try, they can't get in."
249:
1098:
681:
294:
On 20 November 2001, supported by DAN in the UK and disabled people's campaigns across all the
1146:
938:
669:
659:
515:
464:
307:
264:
In the UK in May 1997 there was a change of government with the Labour party winning and with
572:"Piss on pity: How a new archive captures the radical spirit of the Disability Arts Movement"
709:"Fixing the Gap: an investigation into wheelchair users' shaping of London public transport"
229:
177:
86:
950:
576:
182:
116:
40:
189:. Other protest locations included the Nottinghamshire constituency office of Chancellor
123:
broadcast in 1990 and had done further development work preparing for the 1992 protest.
35:(DDANN) was formed by local disabled people to protest against the pedestrianisation of
295:
276:
190:
225:, although many DAN members also took part in these protests as well as DAN protests.
97:
On 18 July 1992 in London, over a thousand disabled people held a protest outside the
1334:
173:
98:
785:
Beatty, Helen (15 August 1996). "It's a hold-up - Town twice bought to standstill".
437:
291:, it can be argued that the 1997 protest at least paused these cuts for some years.
1313:
1285:
103:
51:
1181:"Queen's speech: Activists' message to Patel over new protest bill: 'We fight on'"
50:(CAT) held street demonstrations including Oxford Street. Its organisers included
1309:"Let's storm Parliament! The punks who risked their lives to fix ableist Britain"
1054:
982:"Let's storm Parliament! The punks who risked their lives to fix ableist Britain"
622:
84:
a protest by 150 disabled people and allies outside the BBC studios picketed the
862:
739:"Disabled People's Movement – History Timeline – Disability Equality North West"
253:
155:
visibly engage more disabled people. At this weekend DAN was formally created.
888:
395:
856:
673:
321:
was founded in 2010, using similar tactics and campaigning on similar issues.
270:
265:
241:
119:
and Alan Holdsworth, who had organised a smaller, similar protest against the
66:
742:
486:"Ruth Bashall: Tributes and affection for 'mighty' and 'formidable' activist"
1033:
966:
653:
349:
to make a dramatised account of aspects of DAN for future broadcasting on
1253:"Ruth Madeley to star in new drama on the disabled civil rights movement"
627:
548:
400:
214:
76:
Disabled people campaigning against inaccessible buses, Manchester, 1991.
655:
No limits : the disabled people's movement : a radical history
1279:
Richardson, Hollie; Harrison, Phil; Duggins, Alexi (29 December 2021).
245:
237:
194:
832:"The wheelchair warriors Their rebellious protests to change the law"
623:"Choices and rights: The story of the Disability Discrimination Act"
228:
The Christchurch protest was the first national action, followed by
81:
71:
58:
333:, produced by Rave Productions Ltd, was broadcast as part of the
1346:
Health and disability rights organisations in the United Kingdom
350:
198:
512:
The Creatures Time Forgot: Photography and Disability Imagery
889:"When disabled people took to the streets to change the law"
396:"When disabled people took to the streets to change the law"
1120:
94:. Eight people were arrested, four were disabled people.
1007:
Milne, Kirsty (10 February 1995). "Able to protest".
341:
On 19 May 2020 the BBC announced it had commissioned
158:The first public action by DAN was in July 1993 in
205:Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and Rights Now!
600:"Block Telethon 1992 - the day we pissed on pity"
442:National Disability Arts Collection & Archive
16:British disability rights activist organisation
8:
1167:EU Buses and Coaches Directive (2001/85/EC)
389:
387:
1099:""Old school" Danners on action with DPAC"
1055:"When Disabled People took to the streets"
686:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
101:studios (London Weekend TV) picketing the
1351:Disability organisations based in England
1228:Pearson C. and Watson N. (January 2007).
964:"Disabled protesters block Whitehall".
383:
46:Between 1990 and 1993 the London-based
21:Disabled People's Direct Action Network
1240:from the original on 22 February 2015.
1217:from the original on 8 September 2020.
946:
936:
679:
610:from the original on 13 November 2020.
537:
535:
533:
531:
107:live broadcasting under the banner of
90:live broadcasting under the banner of
1143:Buses for All (Europe) - a case study
1136:
1134:
1065:from the original on 7 November 2015.
1034:"Mixed reception for disability Bill"
762:
760:
647:
645:
355:Disability Discrimination Act in 1995
7:
373:Accessibility of transport in London
363:and was broadcast on 21 March 2022.
33:Derbyshire Direct Action Now Network
1109:from the original on 28 March 2014.
115:approach. The main organisers were
1281:"The 25 must-see TV shows of 2022"
1207:"Independence Day (working title)"
1127:from the original on 19 June 2000.
1087:from the original on 13 June 2020.
448:from the original on 13 July 2020.
318:Disabled People Against Cuts, DPAC
298:countries, and coordinated by the
14:
1015:(339): 25 – via EBSCOhost.
621:The Ouch Team (6 November 2015).
343:Dragonfly Film and TV Productions
256:, London (1999, 2001 and 2002).
48:Campaign for Accessible Transport
172:DAN protesters blocked buses on
1307:Webster, Lucy (11 March 2022).
463:. TBR Imprint. pp. 26–27.
422:Davis K. and Mullender (1993).
394:Rose, Damon (7 November 2015).
275:Whitehall towards the gates of
1251:Bennett, Harry (1 July 2021).
741:. 6 March 2021. Archived from
484:John Pring (7 December 2023).
1:
570:Welsh, Sarah (29 June 2018).
211:Disability Discrimination Act
1103:Disabled People Against Cuts
459:Davis K and Davis M (2019).
260:Post 1995 actions and legacy
152:Disabled Drivers Association
1234:Journal of Law & Policy
1121:"European Disability Forum"
1009:New Statesman & Society
329:In 1995 the TV documentary
1367:
858:Transport for the Disabled
148:Campaign to Stop Patronage
111:. ITV later abandoned the
1141:Baldwinson, Tony (2012).
861:(Television production).
804:Baldwinson, Tony (2012).
717:University College London
598:Lisicki, Barbara (2018).
544:"The wheelchair warriors"
490:disabilitynewsservice.com
300:European Disability Forum
1258:Royal Television Society
244:, Derby (1996), London,
234:Westminster Central Hall
92:Rights Not Charity Group
1185:Disability News Service
1169:. European Union. 2001.
1077:"Blair's Blood and DAN"
1032:BBC (3 December 2003).
914:Limited, Alamy (1995).
80:On 22 November 1991 in
707:Velho, Raquel (2017).
461:To and From Grove Road
77:
510:Hevey, David (1992).
360:Then Barbara Met Alan
240:, Birmingham (1995),
187:Palace of Westminster
127:Structure and Methods
75:
347:One Shoe Productions
289:Coalition government
236:, Leeds (all 1994),
1061:. 7 November 2015.
865:. 10 September 1991
652:Hunt, Judy (2019).
424:Ten Turbulent Years
949:has generic name (
767:Baldwinson, Tony.
78:
895:. 7 November 2015
665:978-1-913148-02-7
438:"Alan Holdsworth"
1358:
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1105:. 20 June 2012.
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248:(1997), London,
230:Trafalgar Square
178:Trafalgar Square
87:Children in Need
1366:
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1361:
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1213:. 19 May 2020.
1205:
1204:
1200:
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1188:
1179:
1178:
1174:
1165:
1164:
1160:
1153:
1145:. TBR Imprint.
1140:
1139:
1132:
1123:. 22 May 2020.
1119:
1118:
1114:
1097:
1096:
1092:
1083:. 22 May 2020.
1081:Tony Baldwinson
1075:
1074:
1070:
1053:
1052:
1048:
1038:
1036:
1031:
1030:
1026:
1018:
1006:
1005:
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991:
989:
988:. 11 March 2022
980:
979:
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745:on 6 March 2021
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577:The Independent
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444:. 22 May 2020.
436:
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393:
392:
385:
381:
369:
327:
262:
252:, Hull (1998),
207:
141:
129:
117:Barbara Lisicki
41:Alan Holdsworth
29:
27:Prior campaigns
17:
12:
11:
5:
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999:
973:
970:. 19 May 1994.
956:
906:
880:
848:
822:
813:TBR Consulting
796:
777:
769:"DAN Timeline"
756:
730:
699:
693:
664:
658:. Manchester.
641:
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476:
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382:
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326:
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308:Double deckers
296:European Union
285:New York Times
277:Downing Street
261:
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206:
203:
191:Kenneth Clarke
140:
137:
128:
125:
109:Block Telethon
28:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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1341:Direct action
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1199:
1187:. 12 May 2022
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1152:9780957260603
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830:Rose, Damon.
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545:
542:Rose, Damon.
538:
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521:9780415070195
517:
514:. Routledge.
513:
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470:9781913148089
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335:Over the Edge
332:
331:Desperate DAN
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304:Buses for All
301:
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281:Blair's Blood
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44:
42:
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34:
26:
24:
22:
1318:. Retrieved
1314:The Guardian
1312:
1302:
1290:. Retrieved
1286:The Guardian
1284:
1274:
1262:. Retrieved
1256:
1246:
1233:
1223:
1210:
1201:
1189:. Retrieved
1184:
1175:
1166:
1161:
1142:
1115:
1102:
1093:
1080:
1071:
1058:
1049:
1037:. Retrieved
1027:
1016:
1012:
1008:
1002:
990:. Retrieved
986:the Guardian
985:
976:
965:
959:
930:
923:. Retrieved
919:
909:
897:. Retrieved
892:
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867:. Retrieved
857:
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839:. Retrieved
835:
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799:
790:
786:
780:
747:. Retrieved
743:the original
733:
721:. Retrieved
715:
702:
696:
654:
632:. Retrieved
626:
616:
603:
593:
581:. Retrieved
575:
565:
553:. Retrieved
547:
511:
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493:. Retrieved
489:
479:
460:
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441:
432:
423:
417:
405:. Retrieved
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