ACORN members rallied in St. Peter’s Square to demand that Mayor Andy Burnham do everything in his power to fight the controversial Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill.
The members of ACORN - an organisation supporting low-income communities across Greater Manchester - marched from St Peter's Square to All Saints Gardens stopping to tear up the Bill, printed in its entirety and fashioned into a long chain.
Once at All Saints Gardens the protesters let off red coloured flares and chanted: "This is what democracy looks like."
The bill, which aims to take away the right to peaceful protest, has sparked a series of protests across the city.
A spokesperson for the organisation said: "To date, Andy Burnham has not spoken out against the bill.
"ACORN are demanding that he use his position as Mayor of Greater Manchester and Police and Crime Commissioner for GM to officially call on the government for the complete scrapping of the bill and to use any power at his disposal to fight the bill."
Acorn member Alex Ross said: "A big point of today is that people view protests as being thousands of people speaking about big issues but this bill affects things on a much smaller scale too.
"Not everyone who gets involved with ACORN considers themselves a political activist but often they have exhausted all other avenues and this bill threatens that last line of defence."
Xav Cohen, Acorn spokesperson said: "We have come together in over twenty towns and cities across the country to make a national statement that this bill is incredibly damaging to democracy."
Iris Breward, 25, Acorn member from Longsight said: "I am here because I am worried about basic human rights and this bill feels like the start of a slippery slope."
The protest is part of ACORN’s national day of action against the PCSC bill.
ACORN members across the country will be urging local representatives to fight the bill and members will be sharing stories online about how protest has improved their lives.
