Indymedia UK: Stop Bu$h - National Demonstration

Indymedia UK is a network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues.

Massive demonstrations are currently taking place in Trafalgar Square in London. Indymedia reporters on the scene estimate 250,000 - 300,000 people were in attendance for the toppling of a George Bush statue at 5:22 PM GMT.
Protests are also expected at the US Ambassador's home near the Regent's Park Mosque this evening where Bush has a dinner engagement - see london listing for more info. Messages of support have also been coming in - see [1] [2]

London Timeline

[21:55]: All Sheffield Sambistas are now out of cordon and all safe and well. They were all photographed on way out. During the previous crush in Marble Arch a sambista described being grabbed by her [long] hair by copper then kneed in back of legs. Another band member was shoved onto floor by police.
[21:46]: Reports of one samba band player breaking police cordon.
[21:40]: Police are now letting individuals out slowly and individually, photographing each person as they leave.
[21:32]: Police have moved back towards Marble Arch a bit; the situation there is described as "static", although the police cordon is still in place
[21:26]: A group of about twenty reporters have been told to move by police, which refuse to say the legal reason for it.
[21:19]: Report of police been pushing people violently away who were on the roads surrounding Trafalgar Square. Seems calm now but police lines are forming.
[21:14]: The police are clearing people from the sides of Trafalgar Square andf moving people into one controllable group. This involves pushing them into the road towards The Strand some people getting a little rowdy, pushing back, but nothing major.
[21:08]: Marble Arch: Sheffield Sambas still surrounded. A Sambista described the police pushing, shoving and generally being rough, she felt crushed. All are safe at the moment, the only casualties: one drum strap. She estimates 70-80 within cordon, they are being released slowly in ones and twos.
[21:05]: The Samba Band is in Marble Arch, they are still surrounded. The police are clearing previously mentioned supporters.
[21:05]: In Trafalgar Square, about 500 people are dancing and drumming around a bonfire and burning some American flags that they happened to have with them. There are now about 1000 people left there.
[20:53]: The cordon is still moving towards hyde park corner.
[20:44]: The samba cordon is still moving down Oxford Street; the size of cordon is 1 lane of traffic wide and 3 police vans long. And the samba is still playing!! Supporters outside the cordon are clapping, cheering and dancing, even passers by and shoppers are joining in. A couple of times, police have grabbed ppl from outside cordon and put them *into* cordon.
[20:30]: There is a street party now on Hyde Park Corner, but police have moved people onto the pavement and have cordoned them under "section 52".
[19:59]: The samba band that was previously split has reunited, and it is now completely kettled. [20:03] back as 1 group
[19:55]: About a hundred people, including some samba, kettled in Oxford Circus.
[19:54]: Police have totally broken up the demonstrators in Picadilly Circus and some people are heading off to Hyde Park Corner in small groups.
[19:49]: Tafalgar Square: things seem relatively relaxed there and there are still lots of people there.
[19:44]: A group have broken away at Regent Street, a samba band within it. The police are being very rough with people marching towards Picadilly Circus.
[19:38]: Trafalgar Square: The crow are moving along regent street coming out of Trafalgar Square. Two confirmed arrests there.
[19:32]: Picadilly Circus: Demonstrators are now in picadilly circus, police are cordoning at the bottom of Regent Street near Pall Mall.
[19:26]: There are scuffles between Piccadilly Circus & St James' church. As people try to enter and leave Piccadilly Circus, there is scuffling between protesters & police. Folks are being thrown to the ground, police are grabbing people and de-arresting is taking place.
[19:25]: A big fight has started in Trafalgar Square: there have been arrests, number not yet known. About 1000 people have broken through the police cordon, and moved to Piccadilly Circus: police can't establish a line there. Police are currently cordoning the bottom of Regent Street near Pall Mall.
[19:15]: A large group, possibly about 500, are leaving Trafalgar Square via Pall Mall. Others wanted to follow, but police enforced the cordon.
[19:10]: The samba band and clowns have now linked up and have attracted a goodly crowd. The police are starting to cordon Trafalgar Square, and there are lines of cops moving into position at the top northwest corner of Trafalgar Square between the National Gallery and the Canadian High Commission. The cordon has not yet closed, and people are still being allowed to leave. To view a time lapse video of Trafalgar Square from a webcam 16:00-19:00, click here [3.4 MB].
[18:48]: The mood of the protesters at the entrance to The Mall is still energetic.
[18:47]:The fire crew has been withdrawn from Trafalgar Square. A large cardboard tank is being burnt on the back of a float, and an effigy of bush is being burnt as well, along with a couple of usa flags, all at the south end of the Square by Whitehall. Click here to listen.
[18:35]: Just outside Trafalgar Square, speeches are still going on. People are still in Trafalgar Square in large numbers, and the mood is pleasant.
[18:30]: The tail end of the demo has just entered Trafalgar Square via Charing Cross Rd. Firefighters are standing by in case the placard fires get out of hand. The general mood is good, with chanting, whistles and celebration. The end of the demo was greeted with huge roars from the crowd.
[18:01]: For the last 45-60 mins, police have not been letting people into the Square via Whitehall, but diverting so people enter via Charing Cross Road. The samba band spent quite a time outside the entrance to Downing St. People are still coming into the Square.
[18:00]: The 3 people arrested this morning for trying to hang a banner across Admiralty Arch are still being held at Charing Cross police station over 9 hours after they were arrested. As far as we know they were only arrested for causing a public nuisance. It seems that the police are deliberately holding them for ages to prevent them having any more fun today.
[17:52]: In Trafalgar Square, fires are being lit to keep people warm. Plenty of drumming going on too.There's a police line across the Whitehall/Trafalgar Square junction, then another police line further down Whitehall. There are no protesters in between. Behind the second police line, there are more protesters including a samba band. Trafalgar Square is still full, as are the surrounding streets. There's also a police line at Pall Mall/Trafalgar Square junction. Police are not letting people out (in any numbers) of Trafalgar Square via Pall Mall or Whitehall.
[17:26]: Speakers at Trafalgar Square have just announced that the end of the march is at Aldwych.
[17:25]: Trafalgar Square is completely full. One marcher can see around 250,000 people, so we estimate around 300,000 total marching in London so far. The crowd is "very lively", he says.
[17:22]: A statue of bush has just been toppled in Trafalgar Square. The crowd is going wild: click here to listen.
[17:00]: The end of the march is now on Waterloo Bridge, going south. The head of the march got here at about 15.30, which gives a rough idea of the numbers of marchers.
[16:37]: Speakers at Trafalgar Square announce that more than two hours after the start of the march, people are still leaving the Malet St assembly point.
[16:20]: Riot police have turned up in full riot gear at Kingsway, so people calmed down and started walking. But the barriers that divided the streets to keep people occupying only one direction of traffic have gone, and people are marching down the whole street.
[16:16]: The crowd are reported to have knocked over the barriers at Kingsway. Thousands of people and a samba band have taken over the street and the police have lost control.
[16:15]: Stop the War Coalition estimate that 150,000 people are marching.
[16:12]: one marcher outside Downing St reports: " the noise here is deafening, and it's packed. There's a sound system doing anti-bush music and impromptu anti-bush propaganda over the PA. There's also street theatre, and a good-vibes feel. A few 'I love george' placard holders are being heckled." Click here to listen.
[16:03]: As blocks of protestors arrive at Downing St they are stopping to chant loudly "Bush go home!". People on the street report a festive atmosphere.
[15:52]: Huge crowds gathering in Trafalgar Square awaiting the arrival of the march. See webcam
[15:36]: Front of the march currently at Westminster Bridge. BBC say police estimate 50,000 people. Sky TV says 60,000 and still people arriving en mass at Malet St.
[15:25]: Huge march going over Waterloo bridge now, having started from Malet Street around 2pm. Our reporter is near Lancaster Place. The march is cheerful, colourful, noisy and chilled. There are riot horses at all side streets to enforce the agreed route.
[14:54]: Reports of sixth form students walking out to join demo. 200 students from Shoreditch have ignored warnings of disciplinary action, including arbitrary expulsion if arrested.
[14:48]: Police have started to close off side-roads around Malet Street as large numbers of protestors join the demonstration.
[13:42]: No medal of honour for Powell thanks to demonstrators...
[08:30]: 3 arrested for attempting to hang 'City of London Closed to George Bush' banner from Admiralty Arch.

ENDS

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