NationStates Jolt Archive


Panic on the streets of London...

Londim
01-04-2009, 13:51
Thousands protest over G20 summit

Thousands of anti-capitalist and climate change protesters are taking part in a series of demonstrations in London to coincide with the G20 summit.

There were minor skirmishes between police and demonstrators outside the Bank of England amid a huge security operation in the City of London.

Anti-war groups are due to gather near the US Embassy and in Trafalgar Square.

Protests have been lawful but 11 people have been arrested after being stopped in an armoured personnel carrier.

Hundreds from protest groups under the G20 Meltdown banner marched from Tube stations to the Bank urging those who had lost their homes, jobs, savings or pensions to join them in following four "horsemen of the apocalypse" to "lay siege" to financial institutions.

Crowds were chanting "one solution revolution" and "climate, justice, peace". Among them were groups of masked protesters from other European countries.

The BBC's Ben Brown said demonstrators in the City were chanting "storm the banks" and handing out leaflets saying "hang the bankers".
G20 PLANNED PROTESTS
# 1100 BST: Financial Fools' Day protesters leave Cannon Street, Moorgate, Liverpool Street and London Bridge stations to march to the Bank of England.
# 1230 BST: Climate Camp converging on European Climate Exchange.
# 1400 BST: Stop the War Coalition march from US Embassy to Trafalgar Square.
# 1700 BST: Protest on Mall outside Buckingham Palace

Police estimate there are currently between 3,000 and 4,000 demonstrators in the City .

They describe plans for the protests as "unprecedented" and 5,000 officers are on the capital's streets.

Correspondent Dominic Casciani said there were some minor skirmishes with police after about two dozen men - clad in black with their faces covered - charged a cordon opposite the Bank.

Police were later pelted with empty beer cans, fruit and flour as protesters attempted to reach a climate change demonstration in nearby Bishopsgate.

Hundreds of Climate Camp demonstrators - behind direct action protests at Heathrow Airport and power stations in North Yorkshire and Kent - have pitched tents in protest against carbon markets.

'Greed'

Many City workers have dressed in casual clothes after banks and other institutions warned they may be targeted by protesters.

Protester Daniel Blinkhorn, from Brighton, was among those marching from London Bridge station to the Bank. He said the G20 leaders had a "real opportunity to green the global economy".

Housing association worker Tony Streeter told the BBC: "I'm here because I think people are angry about what's going on in the world there's too much greed."

Four people have been charged after officers were alerted to a group trying to break into a building in the Holborn area of central London on Tuesday, police said.

Earlier in the City, police stopped and questioned demonstrators travelling in an armoured vehicle dressed in helmets and overalls.

Police say 11 people have been arrested on suspicion of possessing police uniforms and for road traffic offences.

Six police forces are part of the £7.5m security plan, led by London's Met.

But Scotland Yard, which has been monitoring the internet, is concerned the demonstrations may be "hijacked" by people intent on using violence.

A number of coalitions - mainstream and more militant - have formed to co-ordinate action. They are campaigning on subjects, from poverty, inequality and jobs to war, climate change and capitalism.

The Stop the War coalition will later march from the US Embassy to Trafalgar Square.



Source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7975597.stm)

Well not really panic, more like protests. I just wanted a catchy title...

Anyway, will these protests acheive anything or meaningless act that will be ignored by government officials? Things have been relatively peaceful so far but there's always idiots in the crowd looking to start trouble. I was watching BBC news who have a reporter in the midst of the crowd and all you could hear were the likes of:

"Revolution! Revolution! Revolution!"
"Burn the bankers!"

etc...

In my opinion, these won't really affect proceedings at the G20 summit but they will cause a lot of disruption. All of Central London is pretty much cut off for travel.
Lunatic Goofballs
01-04-2009, 13:54
Protests have been lawful but 11 people have been arrested after being stopped in an armoured personnel carrier.

In a what?!? Where the hell did they get one of those?

And why don't I have one? :(
greed and death
01-04-2009, 13:56
In a what?!? Where the hell did they get one of those?

And why don't I have one? :(

the non tracked versions are street legal and can be bought from the manufacturer. If you get an old army surplus one it will cost you only slightly more then a normal car. Given the MPG will make an SUV seem green.
Hurdegaryp
01-04-2009, 14:02
And here I was thinking somebody started a thread about The Smiths! Talk about an unintentional April's Fools prank! But... was it unintentional?
Londim
01-04-2009, 14:05
And here I was thinking somebody started a thread about The Smiths! Talk about an unintentional April's Fools prank! But... was it unintentional?

Maybe it was.

Then again, maybe it wasn't. :tongue:
greed and death
01-04-2009, 14:09
Just stupid hippies. Just ignore them or spray them with a fire hose.
Wanderjar
01-04-2009, 14:14
Source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7975597.stm)

Well not really panic, more like protests. I just wanted a catchy title...

Anyway, will these protests acheive anything or meaningless act that will be ignored by government officials? Things have been relatively peaceful so far but there's always idiots in the crowd looking to start trouble. I was watching BBC news who have a reporter in the midst of the crowd and all you could hear were the likes of:

"Revolution! Revolution! Revolution!"
"Burn the bankers!"

etc...

In my opinion, these won't really affect proceedings at the G20 summit but they will cause a lot of disruption. All of Central London is pretty much cut off for travel.

Oh well. I guess we can forgive the ignorant Reds eh?
Lunatic Goofballs
01-04-2009, 14:18
the non tracked versions are street legal and can be bought from the manufacturer. If you get an old army surplus one it will cost you only slightly more then a normal car. Given the MPG will make an SUV seem green.

Somebody needs to make a solar-powered APC.

That would pretty much be the only green vehicle cooler than this:

http://c2.api.ning.com/files/b2OtFqB1IZoLdSUBNlG8oKBxIxyLbXIjzPpKGdxd6NjkWc3ipumX0VM0kTwkhxIIIyeknK1-qx9CEmxFakycTJJOui5NF0XD/vwbushybrid01.jpg
greed and death
01-04-2009, 14:22
Somebody needs to make a solar-powered APC.

That would pretty much be the only green vehicle cooler than this:

http://c2.api.ning.com/files/b2OtFqB1IZoLdSUBNlG8oKBxIxyLbXIjzPpKGdxd6NjkWc3ipumX0VM0kTwkhxIIIyeknK1-qx9CEmxFakycTJJOui5NF0XD/vwbushybrid01.jpg

i think an APC needs 10 sq feet to provide enough solar power jsut to move the thing.
Wanderjar
01-04-2009, 14:23
Somebody needs to make a solar-powered APC.

That would pretty much be the only green vehicle cooler than this:

http://c2.api.ning.com/files/b2OtFqB1IZoLdSUBNlG8oKBxIxyLbXIjzPpKGdxd6NjkWc3ipumX0VM0kTwkhxIIIyeknK1-qx9CEmxFakycTJJOui5NF0XD/vwbushybrid01.jpg


That design could definitely not make it through a drive-through.
Loria Aesir
01-04-2009, 14:25
I support the guys attacking the RBS and BOE the bankers need to cut their bonuses and put the money back into the banks! More power to them!
Loria Aesir
01-04-2009, 14:27
Also the longer the police keep people blocked in the more chance of violence there is.
Truly Blessed
01-04-2009, 14:30
In a what?!? Where the hell did they get one of those?

And why don't I have one? :(

Terrible gas mileage. Really fun to park though. Parallel parking is a breeze with one of these.
Lunatic Goofballs
01-04-2009, 14:31
That design could definitely not make it through a drive-through.

You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs. :)
Sapient Cephalopods
01-04-2009, 14:43
In a what?!? Where the hell did they get one of those?

And why don't I have one? :(

There're several online sources to buy 'em.

the non tracked versions are street legal and can be bought from the manufacturer. If you get an old army surplus one it will cost you only slightly more then a normal car. Given the MPG will make an SUV seem green.

Indeed.

On this hijack, I remember something being posted a while back re a totally pimped out Russian BMP owned by some Russian businessman.
Quintessence of Dust
01-04-2009, 18:34
I just back from it, and for the most part it was fairly tame. While the demands of the protestors - protectionism, anti-capitalism (or, sorry, "A, Anti, Anticapitalisma", as the song seems to go), isolationism, etc. - physically nauseate me, I thought they were in general reasonably non-violent. I note, though, that while they nominally object to their taxes going to clean up the financial mess, they seemed surprisingly free to sit around drinking beer on a Wednesday afternoon for people who work jobs and pay taxes; they also seemed curiously indifferent to the cost to the taxpayer of their little day in the sun. Oh well.
Chumblywumbly
01-04-2009, 19:12
I note, though, that while they nominally object to their taxes going to clean up the financial mess, they seemed surprisingly free to sit around drinking beer on a Wednesday afternoon for people who work jobs and pay taxes; they also seemed curiously indifferent to the cost to the taxpayer of their little day in the sun.
Surely any protest has a cost to the taxpayer?

If the only valid protest is one which places no burden or inconvenience on anybody else, folks would be limited to sitting in their bedrooms, placard in hand, in their own free time.
Truly Blessed
01-04-2009, 19:39
I don't know makes me want to join the cops with riot gear.

Get out of my way Che, I have to get to work and you spelled Capitalism wrong on your sign.
Truly Blessed
01-04-2009, 20:00
http://www.wowowow.com/politics/violence-breaks-out-g20-protest-london-256041

Abolish Money - Now there is a good sign.
Flammable Ice
01-04-2009, 20:51
Anarchists vs. politicians. So basically freeloaders vs. freeloaders.
New Mitanni
02-04-2009, 20:08
Punks, losers, criminals and pretentious assholes with no jobs, no future, no lives and no value whatever to the human race.

Except maybe as feedstock for Soylent Green. :tongue:
Bokkiwokki
02-04-2009, 20:28
Panic on the streets of London
...
"Burn the bankers!"
...


Oh well, as long as it doesn't spread to Birmingham, at least the DJs are safe.
Lackadaisical2
02-04-2009, 20:45
I think they should be arresting the people inciting violence, although I suppose theres a balance to crowd control, but clearly some of these people are breaking the law.