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.
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.