Tens of thousands of women across the UK have come together to commemorate 100 years of female suffrage.
#PROCESSIONS marches took place this afternoon in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London, creating a mass artwork celebrating 100 years of some women being granted the right to vote.
Marchers wore scarves of green, white or purple – the colours of the suffragette movement – to produce a poignant and visually striking moving image. Organisers said they wanted to create a "living portrait of women in the 21st century."
The marches were held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1918 Representation of the People Act, which gave women over 30 the right to vote provided they owned property.
A decade later, the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act granted all women over 21 the right to vote, giving male and female citizens equal voting rights for the first time.
Looks amazing ✊🏻 @processions2018 #PROCESSIONS2018 pic.twitter.com/5yFchTqwPG
— Sarah James (@gmbsarahjames) June 10, 2018
Helen Marriage, director of Artichoke, the group that organised the #PROCESSIONS marches, said ahead of today's well-attended events: "I salute the thousands of women who have embraced the idea of Processions and, following in the footsteps of their Suffragette and Suffragist ancestors, will create an unforgettable image that will commemorate 100 years of women voting in a joyful inclusive occupation of our city streets."
Women who took part in the marches praised the celebratory atmosphere on the streets in all four cities. Check out a selection of their tweets below.
Proud to be a part @PROCESSIONS2018 of today. Wonderful atmosphere celebrating 100 years of the first women gaining the right to vote. #PROCESSIONS2018 pic.twitter.com/rOxH4EVtDN
— Ms Cunnane (@MsCNAatSA) June 10, 2018
Absolutely fantastic atmosphere at Edinburgh #PROCESSIONS2018 #equalityforall #equalityeverywhere pic.twitter.com/mxFfEt1fH7
— Gabrielle Flinn 🇪🇺 (@thecuriousant) June 10, 2018
Great atmosphere at #processionsldn @Girlguiding #PROCESSIONS2018 pic.twitter.com/6zV5eLMExq
— Caroline Brown (@BrassnLass) June 10, 2018
#processions in Cardiff pic.twitter.com/JWQVCyaSLd
— Pamela Ireland (@PamelaIreland) June 10, 2018
Edinburgh you were fabulous. #sisterhood #PROCESSIONS2018 pic.twitter.com/BMymz2GlPn
— Susan Rae (@susan4leithwalk) June 10, 2018
More amazing #ProcessionsBelfast #Processions2018 banners at the end of the day. #DeedsNotWords #CourageCallsToCourageEverywhere #GirlsCanSpeakOut pic.twitter.com/Cl2AyA5KO4
— Roxy Thompson (@RoxydePoche) June 10, 2018
Labour MP Dawn Butler pointed out that the marches were about looking forwards as well as backwards. She tweeted: "Solidarity & love #PROCESSIONS2018 We should never stop marching until we achieve full equality. Equality recognising the intersectionality of women, black, gay, disabled, trans, deaf, et al. The inequality of class in the struggle and fighting for the many not the few. #proud"
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