ANTI-CUTS protesters tried to invoke the spirit of Cairo on Saturday as they marched through Oxford to demonstrate against the Government and county council.

Hundreds of trade unionists, library user groups, pensioners, young people campaigning against threats to youth centres, and Green and Labour activists joined the march along Cowley Road and High Street into the city centre.

The group temporarily halted traffic by staging a brief sit-down protest at Carfax.

Police said about 300 people had marched from Manzil Way to Bonn Square; protest leaders estimated the total at more than 600.

Trade union activists called on demonstrators to “march like an Egyptian”, with some calling for a General Strike to oppose Government spending cuts.

At the front of the march, Kieran Butler, 14, from Witney, was among youngsters calling on Oxfordshire County Council to scrap plans to axe funding for 21 youth centres.

The Wood Green School pupil said: “If youth centres close, there will be more crime and violence on our streets.

“The politicians are not listening to us, but they will be responsible for everything that happens as a result.”

Lorraine McNally, from Blackbird Leys, Oxford, brought her six-year-old daughter Sarah to protest against the proposed funding cuts to the estate’s library, one of 20 under threat across Oxfordshire.

She said: “It is our only resource. We are not going to improve education by taking it away.”

And Alison McKay, 51, and Jos Joslin, 55, cycled from Duns Tew, near Deddington, to protest against the threat to their library branch.

Ms Mckay said: “Closing libraries hits the poorest people who cannot afford to buy books and do not have a computer at home.”

Protesters from Oxford and Cherwell Valley College warned cuts were already hitting adult education and evening classes, while health workers spoke out against the Government’s NHS shake-up.

Oxford and District Trades Council president Gawain Little told protesters that if the Government did not listen to demands to scale back the cuts, co-ordinated industrial action must follow.

He said: “We need to take on the Government and defeat these cuts.”

County council leader Keith Mitchell did not return the Oxford Mail’s calls, but on his blog he described the marchers as “deficit denying lefties”.

A Rose Hill dad has described how county council cuts will force his disabled daughter out of her home of 10 years.

Jacques Lauruol, from Jersey Road, joined Saturday’s march to protest cuts which will mean 29-year-old Marie, who has physical and learning difficulties, will have to leave her specialist Bristol care home, which is paid for by Oxfordshire County Council.

Now the family has been told her personal care budget will be cut by 26 per cent over two years. Mr Lauruol, 56, said: “They have already started to cut the one-to-one day care hours she has by a third.”

But Marie faces more upheaval. He said: “It will be cruel. She knows everyone and is used to the carers and the community. She will be removed from everything she knows.”