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Anarchists planning to storm City banks
Peter Dominiczak and Jack Lefley01.04.09
HUNDREDS of anarchists plan to storm City banks in a series of co-ordinated attacks after avoiding police detection by masquerading as peaceful protesters in legitimate G20 marches, the Evening Standard has learned.
The plans were revealed to anarchist leaders representing 200 members from across Europe at a meeting - attended by the Standard - at an east London squat last night.
At the meeting, held in a three-storey squat called the rampArt in Whitechapel, anarchists discussed plans to "swoop" on the area in "swarms of two or three" and break through police lines by any means necessary.
Groups who attended the meeting include the Whitechapel Anarchist Group, Class War and the Wombles.
Gallery: London prepares for the G20 summit
The Met has warned that anarchists from the 1990 Poll Tax riots have been lured out of retirement by the prospect of violent clashes.
Tomorrow, four protest marches - known as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse - will converge on the Bank of England, under the banner of G20 Meltdown.
The anarchists intend to use two of these marches, the Black Horse and the Green Horse, as cover so they can get into the City. At last night's meeting, the group discussed whether to go in one block or in smaller swarms.
One ringleader, who did not reveal his name, said: "If we go there in a block, that will mean serious fisticuffs with the police."
A member of the Whitechapel Anarchist Group, who gave his name as Martin, said his group has been circulating leaflets urging violence. He said: "Are we going to storm the banks or just stand and wait until the police provoke us into a fight?"
One protester, from Greece, replied: "If we said we will storm the banks, then we should storm the banks."
The group, who said they want to "occupy the City for as long as possible", have organised a team who will "scout out the area" today to plan entrance and escape routes.
Protesters were also given a "legal briefing" on how to "get arrested properly" and how to secure police bail. Organisers recounted an earlier protest where one of their number hit a policeman on the head with a spade, crushing his vertebrae.
The Prime Minister today warned that police would take a zero-tolerance stance against threats to people and property. Mr Brown said: "No violence can be tolerated. No intimidation of people will be allowed. The police will act very quickly if there is any threat to people or property."
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Reader views (75)
They're remarkably organised for anarchists. I think these sort of stories only serve to attract trouble makers to an otherwise peaceful protest. All the media news sites are reporting or today's events in a similar vane. You guy's can't wait for it to kick off, you never know, you might hit the jackpot and some poor soul may even get trampeled to death. You can gorge yourself on that for weeks.
- Beggarman Joe, London
In any other country, Gordon Brown would have been ousted
This man championed Banking de-regulation and harped on about it to other European Countries during his time as finance minister. Typical Brits, more worried about a few broken windows and a bit of disruption to their daily routine than ousting the culpable by mass action.
The 'Bulldog spirit' eh...take it on the chin chaps
- Anton, South America
Everybody has the right to protest, but why do the rest of us have to pay for it? I wonder how many of these assorted tax dodgers and green zealots would 'demonstrate' if they had to pick up the bill for policing their pathetic show of selective indignation?
- John North, London, UK
ARE YOU REALLY SUPRISED ?
THIS IS TAXATION WITHOUT PROPER CONSIDERATION.
Almost enough to start a revolution.
Again the police will have to sort out the mess.
If it is not the police they can fall back on the other maligned section. Our overstretched ARMY
- Bernard Parke, GUILDFORD
Swampy & Tarquin Trustafarian must face up to the fact that its the 40% taxpayers funding their dole cheques, or daddy's invested trust fund that allows them to spend wednesday raising merry hell in the City, whilst the rest of us work. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE riot as it debases any legitimate grievances you may have ...i hope the moderates are taking note...the have's are waiting to further distance themselves from the have-nots from any anti-society nonesense tomorrow
- Gordon Gekko, penthouse, london
What do people think they are going to accomplish other than getting arrested? When protesters are arrested in the U.S. they are photographed, finger printed and entered into Homeland Security's data base. Better to stay home and mind your own business, we have already lost the war (our freedom).
- John, arizona, usa
woohoo no work tommorow!
- Jon, london
With groups like the Wombles promoting the use of catapults - we are going to see a lot of injuries. Injuries that can ruin a life of an innocent perpetrated by those that claim to seek fairness and justice. Now that's what i call hypocrisy.
One look at their website and we see benefit scroungers and squatters moaning about bankers leeching us. pot/kettle? Yes the top bankers have stitched us up but don't lecture us about greed and take take take.
The hard working taxpayer will now have to pay for the anarchists, as well and bankers damage.
- A Different Hypocracy, lambeth
I hope there is a lot of trouble in London. because the British need to wake up out their sleep and do something about the fraud, the greed, the apathy, selfishness, ignorance, lack of compassion.
Decent people are very, very angry about all the 'takers' in this world and for the fact that the takers seem to have created a world where to be selfish and greedy (bonus culture) is considered normal and where decency and morality is a concept completely unrecognisable to them.
Maybe the 'meek' can one day inherit the earth?
- Gordon, mexico, mexico
Simple answer - Round these protesting anarchist animals up and hang the ringleaders from Tower Bridge.
Job done, and cheaper on the poor British Tax Payer too.
- Eoin Mcgreeghan, Derry, NI
RE scots lass' comment, I'm in the media and looking fwd to the chaos. It'll make great copy.
- James, london
Anarchists! why the threat of a police warning will have them quaking in their boots
- Frank, Dorchester Dorset
I'd love to be in the City tomorrow just to have one of the dealers explain to me why I'm working longer and harder than ever before yet over the last ten years, all I've had is pay freezes, redundancy and a pay cut. I'm facing another pay cut which will take my earning back to mid 1990s levels, despite putting in a 45 hour week. Just why should I have to tolerate the excess, greed and incompetence of the financial sector whose actions are ruining the lives of ordinary hard working people such as myself?
- Dave, Thurrock
i trust all parties involved in tomorrows scrum appreciate the date and significance.
I've no doubt that on Thursday a lot of people will be feeling rather foolish after contemplating their rash actions from the day before and the ongoing consequences.
this applies to all involved; 'world leaders','captains of industry', 'plod', bankers and politicos, media scrum and'demonstraters'. a grand craic will be had by all in the heat of fierce exchanges.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk
Is it me, or are sections of the media almost looking forward to possible trouble tomorrow?????
- Scots Lass, Scotland
Why don't they have these meetings on Ascension Island or somewhere where there is no disruption ????
- Rc, London UK
Wonder if the protesters will be going to their favourite capitalist restaurant afterwards, like last time...McDonalds!
- Simonk, Highgate
I wonder how much this G20 will cost to our pockets! I already lost my job, who was the idiot who proposed London as the right place for the G20??? don't you think that all the money spent to organize against the protesters should have been spent in a better way??? those money come from my taxes as well!!! I do not think those money come from the Queen!!! those money could have been spent for helping paople who lost their jobs and are now trying to survive, instead of protecting every single building in London! Why here, why in the City! there are millions of places that could have been set up for security in a cheaper and easier way.
- Elena, London
HaHa love the football hooligan analogy. It seems the Inter City Firm have been 'protesting' against West Ham for years and they've achieved nothing !
- Pablo, Kent
Thankfully, after a recent large bonus, I am on holiday in the Maldives at present, and will be missing all this nonsense.
- Arthur Pantry, London, UK
Exactly.
Not sure how true it is but someone told me that their presence means a cost of 7 million quid (to fund the extra police required). If we did not have these 'protesters' on their day out/jolly (where surely someone innocent will get injured for no reason) then surely that money could be used elsewhere?
- Leigh, London
Sammie from Birmingham asks how the demonstrators represent anyone but themselves. That is a superficial view which overlooks the fact that in our extremely limited UK democracy (we actually vote for less than half of our Parliament and not at all for our Head of State) Governments are elected with just 27 per cent of the vote. Does that represent the majority the politicians in Parliament claim? Only a very few marginal constituencies decide elections, so the demonstrators probably have more support and sympathy that Sammie thinks. History has shown that only direct action forces politicians to change their cosy little systems which suit them nicely - as we have seen recently over expenses.
- Neil45, Gloucestershire, England.
It's 19 years today since the poll tax march.I know this because I met my best friend that day. If anything was achived that day, it was because it was for the most part, peaceful. It was only a small number of people who spoiled it that day, these people sound like children.It won't help in the long run.Not with how the media will cover it.
- Pepe The Prawn, London
What really undermines it for me is that they only protest for one day because some cameras will be there, which is just a tad Narcissistic. It's hardly in the spirit (nor hardship) of Greenham Common, is it? The UK allows for intelligent, peaceful protest all year round. Anarchy is just anarchy - the excuse to behave outrageously for a few hours and go home giddy with your own cleverness because you were RUDE TO A POLICEMAN, WOO-HOO!! It's seeking attention for themselves, not a cause, and diverting it from reasoned debate on an important subject.
- Roz, Chamonix, France
They will never get into the excel centre, it was designed with protection in mind. These people are the very people who leech our system.
- Nick Bacon, dc, usa
How can a small number of professional demonstrators claim to represent anyone but themselves. Its just another left/liberal day out jolly. If the 200 self-styled anarchists kick off it will be claimed that the the police violently over-reacted. Seen it all before.
- Sammie, Birmingham UK
Bet most of these so called anarchists are not working class but come from privileged middle class backgrounds.
- Jj, London
'Mr Brown said: "No violence can be tolerated. No intimidation of people will be allowed. The police will act very quickly if there is any threat to people or property."'
What if this threat to people or property comes from the police like happened at the Climate Camp at Kingsnorth and recently presented to Parliament? I hope PM Brown has warned the police against such actions. Unlikely though...
- Chris James, Worthing, England
those bunch of losers have just justified a salary for thousands of cops -- and will likely generate a lot of business for london area painters and glass workers in the next few days. They help the economy!
- Matteo, London
Simon, London......maybe you should try and understand the facts as to why this happened and not belief everything you read in the tabloids. Government, regulatory bodies, bankers (1-2% of them), Insurance companies and the general public loading themselves up with as much debt as possible so they can drink lager in the costa del yobo and kit their 150% mortgaged terrace houses out with world of leather sofas and 52" tv's, are all to blame!!
- P.A.D., London
Too late to storm the banks lads - the bankers and the government have beaten you to it...
- Brianonthecam, Cambridge UK
Dont you just love that one of the leading anarchists groups is the wombles. Please dont tell me how we can recognise them!
- Gazza, england
I hope it's a bloodbath, nothing i would like to see more, than the old bill and the middle class "anarchist" students beating hell out of each other.
The Met is useless beyond belief and the Anarchists wouldn't know a anarcho syndacalist movement from bakunins backside
- Kerry, Purley
The only plans for the G20 protests in the City of London are a mass climate camp and a mass street party. There are no plans at all for any storming of any buildings.
- Danny, London United Kingdom
'Protesters' should play it nice - for once they've got the silent majority on their side. Don't waste the opportunity in bad headlines.
- Steve, London, England
Perfect conditions for terrorists tomorrow.Overwhelmed police force and thousands of people gathered in one place.Lets hope Al Qaeda are otherwise engaged.
- Andy, London
'These loony lefties are parasites.' said Joe, Swanley of Kent. Umm...now it wasn't us who brought down the system, took what we could from it and ran with bonuses. Parasitical indeed.
What a bunch of pathetic, cowardly losers. spoke K of London. Who no doubt has never been on a protest and wouldn't have the guts of of her convictions to do so.
- Andrew, London
I really don't know why these protesters are going to waste their time and risk arrest, protesting against a bunch of puppets purporting to be 'world leaders'. The 'string-pullers' together with a handful of the aforementioned puppets, will most likely be having their annual meeting in May, in a highly protected location far from the madding crowd, amidst a cloak of secrecy. Helicopters and limousines will ferry the chosen ones to and from the location where the next steps for the New World Order, will be discussed. Yes, its the annual jolly of the Bilderberg Group!
- David Moon, Seaford, East Sussex, UK
It seems that despite the complete failure of the bankers to make the system work through sheer greed and the desperation this has caused to people's lives here and abroad the only thing Michelle and her ilk can do is mock. It is this attitude that brings people to the protest.
- Simon, London
I just don't understand what these crusty hippies are trying to achieve? Global recession, companies going down the pan every day and so they decide to disrupt decent people from getting to work and earning a living. What a bunch of losers!
- Anna, London
Hello Michelle, London.......sounds like it's going to be fairly boring around hedge fund alley. You may be better of shooting at the country estate for the day!!
- P.A.D., London
If these protestors want redistribution of wealth, they should get out and start working, instead of complaining and causing trouble. If they put half as much effort into getting an education, and working hard, they might actually be earning the salaries they want.
The majority of the hardcore protestors will be the university dropouts who had the same chances as everyone else, but chose to give up. Now they blame everyone else for their own mess.
Oh, Jimbob, I believe The Queen banks with Coutts & Co., the protestors might not want to target it for fear of being accused of treason!
- Jock, London
I heard that the word has gone out to all the protesters to dress exactly like the police force so that utter confusion will reign . Everyone will be hitting on everyone else with no knowledge as to who is who.
What a pantomime. Bring on the clowns.
- Jon Vickers, SC USA
I am sure the 3,000 riot police will have great difficulty in stopping the pikey "swarms of two or three people" not exactly a swarm, not even really a buzz...
- Ag, London Village
Okay chaps - setting up a little betting action - odds for and against - posh boy bankers versus trustafarian anarchists - oh it will be just like those jolly old days at school. Why don't the police just put a massive cordon around the city, lock them in and lets see who comes out!
I feel a damp squib coming on.
- Jc, se1
There are only plans for a mass climate camp and a mass street party. This report is just scare mongering. There are no plans by anyone to storm any banks. Where did that story come from?
- Martin, London
Bring it on ..... We kicked there ass back in 98 when they tried to storm the LIFFE building , the great unwashed ---GO GET A JOB ...there still out there ...DONT BELIEVE THE HYPE !!
- Nin, London
In the scrum please mind my hair and nails as they have cost me a fortune to have done all at the tax payers cost. See you in Barbados.
- Kally, Ealing
Ian Bone does not lead the Whitechapel Anarchists. His radio show is 'Anarchism In The UK', not 'Anarchy In The UK'.
Your story repeats the wrong full name of the WOMBLES as well as other inaccuracies from the clippings file.
London Class War existed before 1997.
- Bristlekrs, Bristol
It's not fair! While the City bankers seem to get all media attention, only things left for those of us in the hedge fund industry in Mayfair is war protest near the US embassy. We weren't even advised to dress down (mind you most of the chaps are in chinos 7days week).Don't they know how much more money we made--oops, we lost--than the commercial banks? Oh, anyway, doesn't matter as my colleagues and I will be flying business class to make more money.
- Michelle, London
I storm my bank every month trying to get back the bank charges thay have taken from me over the years,makes my blood boil to think some of those charges have gone to the likes of Fred Goodwin to make up his pension and to pay bonuses to city failures.Its not the so called soap dodging scum you wont to worry about.
- Kev, London-UK
Trash is as trash does. And so it stays trash. Your true enemy is in your own heads, but don't try to fight it by banging it against the wall. Good luck 'on the barricades'.
- Cinic, London
Trustafarians are so sweet!
- John Entwistle, Hertford
This all sound very exciting. If anyone has a vantage point overlooking one of the banks to be stormed, for hire, please let me know. This could be the corporate hospitality event of the year!!
p.s. Im also interested if anyone is making a market as to the number of swampys that get a smack.
- P.A.D., London
I note with interest that Coutts and Co. are not on the list of banks to 'storm'. One can only assume that Coutts and Co. is where most of these anarchists have their trust funds stashed.
- Jimbob, Kensington
The cost of "friendly" demonstrations should make us wonder whether we should make people petition instead of demonstrating. Freedom of Speach can be expressed in less threatening ways.
- Yh,, London
Agree with Bertie in wondering whether or not the journalist attended a real meeting. I think this was a decoy meeting. The real protest is probably happening somewhere else entirely.
Harrods maybe? Or how about Westfield?
What annoys me about these protesters is how they go on about multinational corporations while sucking on their Marlborough Lights. The tobacco industry should be the last thing anti-globalisation protesters are supporting.
- Kate, London
So, the planned protests are tomorrow and they’ve only started scoping out their targets today? Honestly these anarchists need to be better organised! What they need is to plan well in advance and know what their objectives are and how to achieve them; I’d recommend the SMART model as often used by businesses with great success. They also arrange themselves into official higherachy of rank and authority, possibly with official titles. Finally it also strikes me that they need to be better funded so I would suggest they investigate the possibility of depositing their funds in a high yield investment vehicle with good returns over a fixed period. A little planning ahead would mean that they were much better placed to overthrow the existing order.
- Nj, London
'Anarchist leaders???' Surely anarchists don't have leaders, man, because that like suggests someone is in authority and anarchists don't do authority because they're like anarchists yeah?
- Paul, London
"masquerading as peaceful protesters in legitimate G20 marches"
Rather biased reporting there? How do you "masquerade" as a "peaceful protestor" when there's no violence. Even the foulest criminals aren't criminals until they actually commit a crime.
- Roy, England
OK were have the full gen now; the bankers will not dress down to look like scruffs; as suggested by the police; so now the police know the bankers will be in their suits.
What if the scruffs and protesters wear suits as well; will the bankers get clobbered in mistake for the protesters; and will the banks open their doors for the scruffs and protesters etc?
Sounds good to me; everyone dressed the same; just like the police are; with a little imagination; everyone could even dress as riot police; that would really leave everyone stumped as to what to do next…………LOL.
- Mickyinlondon, london
there were quite a few of the soap-dodging scum at Bank around 7.30am this morning scoping the area out. didn't look like they could bust a cordon of daisies mind you. The idea of 1980 Poll Tax anarchists coming out of retirement is interesting however. Kind of infers they at one time had gainful employment.
- Squiz, Islington
I'm going to storm my bank and demand that they cash my cheque which will put me into O/D by £5. Live dangerously I say.
See you all at the barrcades.
- Bj, London
Oh please, the suggestion that veterans of the 1990 poll tax riots have been drawn out of retirement is silly. Come on, if these veterans were students in 1990, they're probably all now respectable bankers and accountants.
Are we sure someone isn't writing up a story in advance of a damp squib tomorrow?
- George, London
or perhaps as effective as the Popular Front of Judea in the Life of Brian.
- Jc, se1
Can someone please explain to me how known football hooligans are prevented from attending football matches at home and abroad but these 'protesters' are allowed to do what ever they please.......something don't seem right to me??????????
- Jonny, London
It's inevitable that trouble makers will hijack what should be a peaceful and lawful protest in the fine tradition of peaceful and lawful protest in this country. But if there is trouble it would be inaccurate to label all of the protestors as troublemakers, in the same way as it is inaccurate to label all bankers as 'fat cats' or inept. On both sides of the fence it is a very small minority whose actions will affect the innocent ones going about their day-to-day business and trying to get on with an honest day's work.
- Dc, London
These loony lefties are parasites.
- Joe, Swanley Kent
What a bunch of pathetic, cowardly losers.
- K, London
The protest at the museum is not happening because BP cancelled their dinner due to the threat of protests.
- Anon, London
The irony is that this bunch of muppets didn't start the poll tax riots, someone took the muzzles off the riot squad and they ran riot causing everyone to retaliate. I had a nice chat with a couple of police sergeants at the time and they warned me in advance what the riot squad would do, telling me to get out while I could and avoid the "animals". Does anyone remember the Channel 4 footage that was taken as "evidence"?
- Bob, Cheam
Fantastic! Storm a bank everyone! Then when you get in there you can....oh.
Seriously, what exactly are these idiots hoping to achieve? We don't come round yours and stop you sitting in trees do we?
- Stu, Beckton
This will be interesting, The last march I witnessed, in the 90s, was very much an 'external' event, with banks daily business carrying on regardless behind closed doors while protestors mingled - in fair numbers, I'll grant you! - outside.
- Marianne, SW France
This lot are about as effective as the Judean Popular Front in Life Of Brian
- Steve, London
Did they really use the word 'fisticuffs'?
Are you sure your reporter didn't attend a Jeeves and Wooster convention by mistake?
- Bertie W, London
