RAILWAY workers have called for people to turn out in defence of their pickets on January 12 after far-right activists attacked striking train guards in Manchester.

RMT assistant general secretary Steve Hedley said today it is “urgent” that members of the public stand by strikers after a group of thugs dressed up like French “yellow jacket” protesters marched on a picket line at Victoria station, central Manchester, yesterday.

The RMT strike, in defence of safety-critical train guard jobs, was scheduled on the same day that far-right organisers tried to launch a series of “yellow jacket” protests across the country, with a similar protest being held in London.