The Atos Games have shone a spotlight on the Government and their pet contractors’ disgraceful treatment of disabled people. There has been extensive coverage of the protests and the anger at the Government and Atos across all sections of the media.
Yesterday, activists flooded Atos with phone calls, emails and tweets to demand that they end their flawed ‘fit-for-work’ tests and stop harrassing disabled people and people that are seriously ill.
Team GB Paralympians have shown their disdain for Atos and their status as Paralympic Games sponsor by hiding the Atos branding on their lanyards.
Disability activist Kaliya Franklin told Channel 4 News:
“Our Paralympic heroes are sending a clear message to the wider disability community that they’re not entirely comfortable with Atos sponsoring the games.
“They’re saying that this is not an acceptable way to treat disabled people,”
Former Paralympic gold medallist and still the world record-holder for the 50 metres breaststroke, Tara Flood said:
“It is a shocking irony that Atos is a main sponsor of London 2012 whilst destroying disabled people’s lives on behalf of the government,”
The Atos Games finale will leave no doubt as to the determination of DPAC activists and their growing number of supporters that the campaign to shut down Atos and inflict a major blow to the Coalition’s attacks on the welfare state will continue.
The Closing Atos Ceremony
Friday 31st August
12.45pm
Atos HQ,
London
nearest tube Warren St
