What happened at the #FreedomToDance March

Emotions ran high at the music industry protest on Sunday. It was a moment to go down in the history books as thousands of music lovers partied from the top of Regent Street to Parliament Square.

The #FreedomToDance march aimed to pressure the government to open up the music and event sectors, which have been shut for 15 months, costing 40 night-time businesses every week, according to the Financial Times. The delay in opening nightclubs came as a blow to an industry in financial desperation.

The line-up, set across four different stages, included DJs Alan Fitzpatrick, Eats Everything, Hannah Wants, Max Chapman, Low Steppa and wAFF, who played music out the side of moving trucks surrounded by professional dancers. Protestors held up banners and danced in the street as music blasted from the speakers.

Hannah Wants said on her Instagram: “Today reminded me exactly what I and we are missing. No feeling will ever come close. Music is everything.”

Kai Cant, founder of party brand Abode and march co-organiser, said:

“Some might ask, why protest now, it’s only 4 weeks away? To which I answer, if we stay silent, this will present a greater potential for the Government to delay again and again.”

The new roadmap plans to re-open nightclubs on July 19th. Boris Johnson has said that the new plans are “looking good”. But after the original date was pushed back due to the Delta variant, some people still have doubts.

The organising campaign, Save Our Scene UK has raised £5,756 over the past year for music charities like Help Musicians. Last year, they hosted a series of bike rides to support the music industry as well as fundraising gigs across London.

SOS founder, George Fleming said: “Our message to the Government is if they delay any further, we will be on the streets protesting daily. We cannot afford to wait any longer.”

It’s clear to see that music lovers aren’t giving up on their industry. When the time comes for nightlife to re-open, it will be back bigger than ever before.