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Ring of steel keeps demos away from world leaders
Justin Davenport and Danny Brierley02.04.09
HUNDREDS of police officers formed a ring of steel around the Excel Centre today as protesters swarmed around the site.
Around 400 demonstrators holding placards and banners staged a mass protest several hundred yards away from the G20 summit.
Helicopters circled the area as world leaders arrived. Marine police units were on standby on the Royal Victoria Dock and snipers were placed on top of a 20-storey apartment building.
Riot police were also on standby as the force feared a repeat of yesterday's violence when anarchists hijacked peaceful demonstration marches in the City.
Climate Camp activists, Stop the War campaigners and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament demonstrators were among the crowds on day two of the protests. Dan Morgan, 28, a student from Leytonstone, said: "We won't pay for their crisis. Enough is enough. We are determined that they hear our message loud and clear."
Some protesters complained that police were not allowing them near the centre. Long-time peace campaigner Lindsey German, the convenor of the Stop the War Coalition, said: "I think it's rubbish. I can understand issues with security when you've got all these people here, but I don't understand why we are not allowed to protest outside the Excel Centre.
"We are absolutely miles away and I believe that really is not acceptable."
Around 1,500 police officers were involved in a military-style operation to protect the Excel as delegations were escorted in police convoys.
In the City trouble flared at the London Stock Exchange this morning as protesters, equipped with paint and climbing gear, tried to scale a monument in Paternoster Square. Two were arrested and the Stock Exchange opened without a hitch as about 100 officers circled the entrance to the building.
This morning an army of cleaners set to work in the Square Mile to clean up graffiti and slogans left by yesterday's protests while shops re-opened for business.
Today it emerged that police had come under a barrage of missiles as they tried to save the life of a man who collapsed during a protest near the Bank of England last night.
The officers were hit by bottles thrown from the crowd and were forced to carry the man to a safe location to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. An ambulance crew then took the man to hospital, where he died.
An independent investigation has been ordered into the death of the man, who was in his forties. He had been found slumped in an alley off Cornhill after suffering a suspected heart attack.Police are investigating reports that he was an innocent by-stander who got caught up in the trouble.
The man, shaven headed and in a Millwall football club shirt and tracksuit trousers, lived in the City. The incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
A witness claimed that protesters came to the aid of the man, and that just a few plastic bottles were thrown by people further back in the crowd who did not realise what was happening.
Fran Legg, a politics student at Queen Mary, University of London, said her friend went to help the man and put him in the recovery position. About eight riot police arrived with police medics and stood around him. She said by the time police medics took over from her friend, the man had fallen unconscious. Elias Stoakes, 25, also a student at Queen Mary, said: "There were a lot of people around him trying to help an d asking for medics. One or maybe two plastic bottles were thrown, but it was by people further back in the crowd who did not know what was going on. There definitely wasn't a rain of bottles."
Police said they had made more than 90 arrests during the protests, which have seen anarchists smashing the windows of an RBS bank branch in Threadneedle Street, and 5,000 people laying siege to the Bank of England.
Sixteen protesters were held for violent disorder and one man for suspected arson after he allegedly attempted to set light to the RBS branch.
Thirty people were injured during the protests yesterday, three of them police officers. Today police were braced for a series of separate demonstrations, mostly based around the summit meeting at the Excel centre. The Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative, Campaign For Nuclear Disarmament and others said they were planning protests near the Docklands centre. The Free Tibet group, which was planning to lobby the Chinese delegation, while another group, Youth Fight for Jobs, marched to the Excel centre from the City.
A group of masked anarchists was believed to be at the centre of yesterday's violence. One reporter described how he had attended meetings of the Whitechapel Anarchist Group, which claimed to be taking orders from University of East London professor Chris Knight. Early today police moved on the last of the Climate Camp demonstrators attempting to block Bishopsgate. The group had set up tents in the street and was staging a mainly peaceful protest.
City bosses today praised the Met's handling of the G20 protests yesterday, describing it as "a tricky job very well done". Stuart Fraser, of the City of London Corporation, said: "The police are managing a very difficult balancing act: they need to make sure the demonstrators can protest peacefully and safely, while protecting property and keeping the City open for business. "
Met Commander Simon O'Brien said: "The majority wanted to protest lawfully but there was a small element who were hell-bent on hijacking that."
Reader views (51)
To Steve - you obviously didn't see the film of police using the side of their shields as weapons to hit people in the face? Or see the photos and hear the first-hand accounts of police punching peaceful protesters in the face, kicking them when they were on the ground?
The met are basically trying to prevent these protests from happening by making them as frightening and uncomfortable as possible.
That is an assault on democracy.
- Watcher, London
So much lies, there were no bricks thrown!
- Bullshit, London
If our "leaders" need that much protection, perhaps they're not the right people to be our "leaders" at all? Why are they so reviled? Ask yourself that before condemning peaceful protest.
- Neil M., london uk,
I have nothing but respect for the Police in their handling of the events this week in the City. I do not know how they put up with the up in the face shouting and spitting done by morons that are so brave they have to cover their faces. I watched this closely for a while and the Police just stood and took it. On that note, well done to the minority that were just in the City intent on causing damage and personal injury. That's all we have focused on, no coverage has been given to what the peacful majority set out to achive. I bet they are pleased you came along.
- Steve, London
Are these protesters demonstrating against the exorbitant amount of money that is being spent on this jamboree.If so then, it has to be welcomed. It should have been held on the Isle of Wight or somewhere else like that.
T H Leeds
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK
I am not condoning the violence or even the ideals of the protesters BUT I am not convinced that what Brown and Obama have come up with today will work for more than a few years. Revolutions do happen you know. Are these people going to be turned into icons in the future? I wouldn't describe myself as on the left or anything like that but I can't say that I feel any connection to the democratic system anymore. It does seem to me that capitalism has basically failed. And there is worse to come ... in 50 years' time the global population will stop expanding - thank God - and that will change the market dynamic further. Capitalism will have to develop ever more unlikely national markets. Having said all that, IO feel really sorry for the police who are being asked to police an impossible situation.
- Simoninkent, kent
I am sick of the constant criticism of the police, who do a fantastic job and are in the unenviable position of meeting with criticism from almost everyone no matter what course of action they choose to take.
My partner is a police officer, I am expecting our first child in August. He has had 4 hours sleep over the last 2 days. He, like the majority of his colleagues, is just a young man with good principles who works hard in a thankless job to keep us all safe and support his family at the end of the day. He certain does not go off to work with the intention of 'bashing soap-dodging protestors'.
I am personally very proud of him and all his colleagues in the British Transport and Metropolitan Police for handling the protests in such a professional manner.
The protestors who were peaceful had nothing to fear from the police. I can't help but feel anger towards the irresposible non-peaceful protestors whose rage was frightening - when I saw the footage of the officer being hit with a pole I couldn't help but feel anxious not only for my partner, but for all the other police who were just doing their jobs, and doing it well, but being met by violence purely because of the uniforms they wear. Most officers' work ethic is to help and protect us, not the opposite.
I still have no idea at what time my partner, who has been working since 5am, will be home tonight... one thing is for sure, I will most certainly be telling him how proud I am of him when he gets home!
- Elli, London
Its the democratic way,protest (but not near the chosen ones).Come common people,you should know your place by now.If this happened in China,our government would be up in arms,but here its just fine.Not all the one trillion is going to salaries and pensions of our elected leaders,a good 1% is being divided amongst common man.
- David, london
Lee, London - never heard of mature students?? A friend of mine just finished his doctorate studies, aged 41. And guess what, he worked as he did his studies!
A lot of the protestors might claim to be students, but subjects at their "University" mainly include cooking lentils, blowing smoke rings, and studying the inside of the eyelids.
- Jock, London
- Peaceful Pete, London born and bred
How the hell do you know what happened mate? "Reports say..." Do they? Your mate down the pub tell you did he?
I dare these 'peace loving' protesters to try and march on the streets of some other countries. Countries whose Police are not as renowned for being as professional as the British Police force. China even.
Get your hair cut and have a wash Pete!
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Lee. You are very ignorant. This individual may be trying to better himself for want of the opportunity to study when he was younger. Don't make assumptions.
- James, london
Not the greatest mobilisation of mass protest, was it ? As far as I could see, the majority of 'demonstrators' at Bank were press photographers, egging on the small minority of leptons who wanted to cause trouble. You get more people turning out to support a Conference League game each Saturday. I think it's the classic stoners problem of the best laid plans going to waste, because on the day it all becomes a bit too much of an effort.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sensitive to the majority of the causes but the irony of it all is that no single message comes through, just a jumbled mess of half-baked reactionary mumbo-jumbo like 'Ban money'. Where's the one big compelling argument? I doubt that the G20 mob have even noticed it was going on. I haven't heard a single demonstrator give a coherent argument about why they were there, apart from enjoying the sunshine, being rude to the coppers and doing their silly dances.
And shame on all those city folk who were too scared to wear a suit for the day. As a colleague of mine commented "I went to a rough comprehensive and worked hard to earn the right to wear a suit and I'm not going to change that because some idiot believes I'm a toff banker".
Protests aren't what they used to be.. (and policeman are getting shorter).
- Mark, London
The police have done an admirable job in containing the demonstrations with a largely even-handed touch, but the practice of trapping demonstrators in a coral is a step too far. It is false imprisonment. This is a serious offence, which attracts substantial damages in the courts.
- Blackstone Coke, London
Did they really think they could pitch up at the front doors and mill about? What planet are they on?
- Lone Gunman, Anywhere but Here
Very funny the guy asking the police for 10/15 minutes to hit him and then covering himself in fake blood when they didn't (you can see the pellet in some photos).... well done to the police they showed great restraint towards these idiots. I felt very reassured with their presence when I had to walk across Bank to get to my train station yesterday evening.
- Sc, London
Peter, re whingeing about our pussy riot police, no tear gas, no water cannon, no baseball bats, no rubber bullets, no real bullets, no tanks, and loads of wet white liberals moaning they get a little tap.
Hats (woolly or otherwise) off to the police for dealing with such a bunch of useless humans with retstraint.
- Nelly, E17
A student from leytonstone - aged 28?!!!
He needs to either stop sponging off the state and get a job or realise he's too thick to get a job, students generally compelte education around age 22
- Lee, london
Where are all these plods when crime is being committed on the streets?
- Alan Preen, McLean, Texas, USA.
I must totally agree with the words of an MP this morning, saying how undignified the rabble was yesterday. We are a country of great dignity and grace, and behaviour like yesterday belittles our international reputation. It would have been a totally different thing if many national organisations had paraded peacefully through London, but apathy seems to have ruled the day. Only a hotchpotch mob of bedraggled soap-dodgers, obviously looking for a fight rather than political action, was stirred into action.
30 years ago Johnny Rotten sang of "Anarchy in the UK".
Yesterday's poor showing, in terms of numbers, suggests that if he were singing today it would be "Apathy in the UK".
- Martin, Teddington
I'm not your typical anarchist of Daily Mail lore - I'm a Labour member who has worked for MPs, I read the Times and I subscribe to the Economist. I don't have my hair in dreads either.
But yesterday the police showed a side I'd never seen before. The vast majority of policemen were acting reasonably and were friendly. I chatted to many policemen, most of whom said that they supported our aims. And I agree that the police were right to stop what was going on at RBS.
The problem was caused by the commanders and the special riot police who donned balaclavas. I was standing chatting to a policeman and his sergeant (the policeman was cracking a joke about his sergeant being a bit podgy) when suddenly 300 people run towards us in panic, followed soon by a massive line of riot police who began shoving and attacking everyone. At one point in the chaos I ended up at the front and the girl next to me was hit across the head by a policeman. She was knocked unconscious and there was blood pouring from her head. The police kicked her until people dragged her away, blood pouring from her head.
This line of police were going through a crowd who had deliberately moved away from the RBS to avoid trouble. The ordinary policemen were admirable yesterday, they had been on duty for 10+ hours and their commanders didn't even bring them water or food. But the orders they received played a massive part in causing the post-RBS violence, as did the unwarranted brutality of the riot police.
- Peter, London
Lets face it we all knew that the Police would be accused of brutality.
I have nothing against peaceful protests, but Peaceful Pete, smashing windows, taunting police is not peaceful.
These big brave soapshirkers, haven't even got the guts to show their faces.
- E Sullivan, London
Does anyone else find it hypocritical and ironic that a large proportion of the protesters shown on the news, claiming to be anti-capitalist and anti-consumerism, all had mobile phones and the latest digital camera...pobably made in a 3rd world country by the very people whose livelyhoods depend on that 'below minimum wage'.... (and no, we are not talking about journalists)
- Gaynor, Southfields, London, UK
Most of these people are middle class, mum's little monters who have too much money to be able to do nothing all day long. People who have to work for a living are now faced with taking the day off and maybe not getting paid for it or working from home.
Maybe they should just grow up and stop being little crying babies...
- Regina Mcevoy, London, UK
Having looked at the pics there seems to be an awful lot of what used to be known in the theatre as Kensington Gore (artifical blood). had someone been hit so hard to draw blood you would expect a bruise near the cut. but no sign of bruising but good for the cameras don't you think?
- Ron Oliver, Edinburgh Scotland
I had to laugh at hearing some of the tales that came out of yesterday's shenanigans - such as the reporter complaining of police brutality .. well if you decide to get in the thick of it then you pay the price! Don't turn around when it gets a little heated and expect to wave your camera and press pass and it will all be ok.
Also whilst I respect the right to protest (have done so myself), I don't understand the covering up of faces, not giving names, etc .. it makes me and no doubt others think you are there for nefarious means and not legitimate protest. Ater all if it legitimate protest, what have you got to hide?
Finally, hats off to our police, they had a difficult day yesterday. They faced abuse, confrontation, aggression in the most, though it appeared that the climate camp was more peaceful though the people there can't honestly have expected to stayed all night - do they have any intelligence - it's a main arterial road, and hasn't there been enough disruption for londoners .....
- Flo, London
As always the Police get blamed, if they did nothing then they would be critised, if they let the protesters just attack any building they want they would be critised.
They are in a job where they will always get critised no matter what they do, if the protesters maintined a peaceful march the Police wouldnt have had to use force.
The protesters attack on various buildings was organised and premedatated, if you read their websites it gave details on what time and where they were going to attack.
- Steven Jones, London
To Peaceful Pete, please explain how smashing a Bank window is not a violent criminal act?
- Jeremiah, London
There are various reasons and groups to blame for the present situation credit crunch situation, mostly but not entirely Gordon Brown and the Bankers feeding our over enthusiatic borrowing habits, but one thing this is certain. The people who have least right to lecture us are the protesters declaring the end of capitalism, the destruction of our establishment and who insist that me must follow their Trotsky extreme left wing over regulated proposals. They have achieved nothing, they know nothing and despise everything bar their own arrogance.
- Peter, London Camden
My commendation goes to the protester - a gentleman with grey hair, who tried to stop the yobs vandalising and looting the RBS bank - and telling his co-protesters - that doing so would do no good for the protest- Did anyone help him - no - not even the 40 media photographers behind him!!!
Looting/vandalism isn't anarchy it is criminal violence and robbery - and all it goes to do is to deter normal people from protesting and causing police planning to go one step further towards a police state.
Interesting to see how many of the hardcore "anarchists" seem to be wearing quite posh outfits - trustafarians ahoy!
- Jc, se1
The police medics were NOT attacked.
There are plenty of reports that this man was hit on the head by police, who were being very heavy-handed at the time.
I am not surprised that there is a IPCC investigation underway. I hope that they also investigate the disgracefully violent behaviour of the police in general yesterday. How many of your readers have seen the film of riot police attacking sit-down protests or peaceful demonstrators with their hands up? You make out there was a riot when there was not.
- Peaceful Pete, London born and bred
The relationship between police and the public has never been the same since Margaret Thatcher used them against the miners! Since then every peaceful protest seems to attract an element from rent-a-mob (or should it be yob!) and this combined with a minority of police officers who appeared psyched up for a battle leads to trouble!
- Michael, London
So much for anarchy - 14 year old boys climbing traffic lights and middle-class 30somethings with bandanas and nice hair. I was barged by a tiny little indian riot policeman clutching his truncheon for all he was worth as i came out the barbers on Cannon Street. He looked terrified and bounced back off me - he was at least a foot shorter than me. What is the point of having such weedy coppers ? The pubs did a roaring trade.
- Squiz, Islington
My girlfriend works in the square mile. From the reactions she saw from some bemused commuters who weren't able to find an alternative route home, there were some people there who couldn't find a policeman to ask. They did an excellent job.
- Martin H. Watson, Teddington
This is a standard police tactic when someone dies at a protest or any large-scale event. They always blame the public; Hillsborough springs to mind and most football matches in general.
I do not believe the police, especially the Met.
- Darren, london
I watched the live streaming of yesterday's protests all day as I worked from home.
Several things struck me: 1. the professionalism of the police and how well organised they appeared to be 2. how obvious it was who the troublemakers were going to be and how the police managed to separate them from each other thus limiting them considerably 3. how little overall damage was actually done to the City - considerably less than in 1999 4. how peaceful everything was overall 5. how it really did seem that the single RBS branch that was attacked was 'deliberately' left unprotected as some kind of bait. No doubt many individuals were arrested and if not, filmed and followed.
I would conclude that the police did an outstanding job of controlling the crowds and ensuring that those intent on making trouble were monitored - it appeared that they had some outstanding intelligence and were aware of exactly who to monitor. They also did a fabulous job of ensuring that the vast majority of peaceful demonstrators were safe.
Personally, as a City worker (who certainly doesn't earn anything like 6 figures), I don't agree with a single one of the demonstrators, but I greatly appreciate their freedom and right to demonstrate about issues they feel strongly about. There are so few countries in this world who would allow them to voice their concerns, and all should be extremely grateful for that privilege. GB may have gone to the dogs under Nu Labour, but at least people still have freedom!
- Jane, London
"At Climate Camp this morning police used dogs and baton charges on protestors who were committing no crime, people who were sitting down or dancing."
Billhooks! Blocking a main arterial road for 24 hours IS a crime.
Why is it that the Police don't have to baton charge eg Gay Pride parades?
- Simon, London.
The police got the balance about right. People trying to go about their daily business were protected, and for the most part so was property. They excerised restraint when faced with life-endangering violence from elements in the mob.
If anyone out there, even peaceful protestors, felt scared of the police in those circumstances, then that is not a bad thing. Compare with New York, where there is generally a greater feeling of safety than in London. That is partly due to the zero tolerance approach adopted in the 90s by the NYPD. People know they cannot mess with them.
Yesterday the Met went up in my estimation.
- Andrew, London
Wooooooah, there's something ridiculous happening here ... you're blaming the POLICE because someone got killed in a danger zone? Pot, kettle, black is what I say.
- Marianne, SW France
Whilst the police may not have been directly responsible for this tragic death, I can't help but wonder if the police's 'kettling' of people into a tiny, overcrowded pen, without water or toilets, and refusal to let people leave, proved to be a contributing factor.
- Mark Lee, Vauxhall
All the grotty protesters are a bunch of predictable stinking guardian reading champagne socialists. Well done all those police dogs that bit them.
- Champagne Socialist Stink, Bury St Edmunds
Nick & Stu, I cannot understand the bleating that goes on after such protests, always made by people who were 'just minding their own business' when some mindless riot cop intent on murder assaults them for no reason whatsoever. People who get whacked by a baton or are otherwise dealt with forcibly are so treated because they aren't complying with instructions, have made attempts to assault police officers, other people or damage or threaten to damage property. If you don't want to get treated in this way, behave reasonably, don't commit criminal offences, if you see trouble brewing - get away sharpish. Contrary to popular belief amongst the swampy/student crowd, police officers are really quite normal people who'd quite enjoy a stroll through central London assisting people to demonstrate lawfully. It makes a change from dealing with the great unwashed's personal problems and the other mindless criminality that they have to every other day. Have a look at the photos, the police officers were all (mainly) young people in their 20's, early 30's. None looked like they got out of bed that morning determined to seriously injure or even kill anyone that day. It doesn't matter what kind of violent protest the whinging complaints are always the same. Behave yourselves and you can protest away properly. You might even encourage more people, of all ages to come and support the protests, not just the usual dole funded scruffy, smelly socialist worker swampy characters.
- Ranter, Maidstone, UK
Personally i feel that whilst i agree with the right to demonstrate,when they erupt into violence and wanton vandalism it undermines exactly what it is all about. Many decent law abiding subjects of all ages would like to vent their spleen in a peaceful manner, but i feel are deterred from doing so because there could be a real chance that various nefarious activist group will turn up with their own agenda's.i have been on two marches, the countryside alliance march and the legalize the weed march back in the nineties, both passed off peacefully although i dont think either actually achieved anything positive, just like yesterday's twentysomething riot.
- David, London
There was nothing thrown at the police when people realized there was a person hurt/on the floor. The police are trying to cover up for their slow response time.
- Sarah, RBS
Can someone from the "Climate camp" please explain to me why peaceful protester's not only smash widows, (accidents can happen I know) but its not an accident for so called peace/climate protester's to jump through the broken window and STEAL computers.That is a criminal offence and I hope the courts throw the book at them.If my and other LAW abiding hard working Tax payers have to fund this due to YOU protesters then I want some Justice.I want the criminals punished cleaning our streets up for many many many hours.
World leaders Must listen,but do you think anyone is going to listen to a bunch of yobs?
P.S. If Russel Brand is on the BBC again then in my TIME OFF WORK I will PEACEFULLY protest outside the BBC,and promise not to steal a computer!
- Mick, London
Hmmm. So capitalism doesn't work, but throwing objects at police when they are trying to save a someones life does work?
- Colin, london
Whether he was taking part in the protest or was an innocent by-stander.....!
I think there are better places to be a by-stander !
- Terry. B, Toulouse, France
So anti-capitalists smash up the RBC. Do they think that it's bankers who clear up the mess, because it isn't?!! It's working class window fitters, and street cleaners who will have to carry the can.
If these people are that bothered about the economy, they should get jobs, the soap dodging low-life!
As for a student calling the police "cowards", then not giving his name...says it all really!
- Danny, Middlesbrough
Headline says bricks, copy says bottles, which was it?
"Police were today trying to establish whether he was taking part in the protest or was an innocent by-stander caught up in the trouble."
Or he was an innocent protester?
- Dan, London
There appeared to be more media than protesters. 20 photographers for every self inflicted blood wound.
- Bj, London
"Student from Brighton" - cowards throw bricks at police officers trying to save someone's life.
Sorry, why didn't you give your name again??
Pathetic.
- Stu, Beckton
The police now act with impunity..they create situations were people who are exercising their right to protest are trapped in confined spaces for hours, without any notice of when they can leave. They are then surprised when a peacebale atmosphere turns to fear and anger. At Climate Camp this morning police used dogs and baton charges on protestors who were committing no crime, people who were sitting down or dancing. They attacked people who put their hands up and refused to respond violently. For the protestors side of the story check out: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/426026.html
OR
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/426027.html
- Nick, London
