yeah lovely read thanks very much - funny too

look forward to reading more - wish i'd stayed longer nnow

Towards the end of the rally I noticed a helicopter hovering over the oxford st area. When I arrived at the junction (Orchard St/Oxford St - by Selfridges, and on the orad leading to the US embassy, there was a small group sitting in the road, then a line of police. Beyond them a gap of fifty yards, then another line of police. After a while I went round the back streets to the far side - there a group with a yellow banner - the International Peoples something or other, were being pushed forward by police. Reinforcement police came in and were directed by the short blonde senior woman cop who had been directing ops at the Upper Street reclaim the streets.

Up to the time I left, the crowd atmosphere was great, particularly after the drums arrived. The police tactics seemed quite clear - no access to US emabassy!, contain the crowd with lines across the road but allow plp to filter through. (It was also possible to bypass the crowd by going through Selfridges from Oxford st to Orchard St).
It did look as though they were waiting for non existent reinforcements, but these did not arrive in force until approx 7:30. (Although at about 7pm three vans of arrived, and the riot police jumped out, tooled up, sttod there looking silly, then got back in the van and took the riot gear off).

There was quite a bit of support from passers by and shoppers - no hostility or opposition at all. There seemed to be a party in a flat and balcony overlooking the corner, they sorted a sound system for the street - nice one.

The guy got on top of the bus by climbing through the emergencey exit, top of the stairs.

The guy on top of the poice vans - I think they were there because of the first sit down (the yellow banner lot). He was arrested and moved into one of the buses. Some of us watched to make sure he was ok. Later I saw him in a police van in the side streets.

After leaving Hyde Park about 3pm feeling faint I had a bite to eat in Soho and then got back to the park via Parliament Sq (quiet), Victoria (dead), and then Hyde Park where people were starting to leave. But drawn to the sound of a sound system at the band stand, which was subsequently confiscated, I've been told, the moment I arrived, I then followed the crowd back out the park to Piccadilly talking to an Aussie.

I wandered around aimlessly looking for some action and was just about to give up and go home, when I found about half a dozen people who couldn't make up minds whether to go home or head for Oxford St, where they said, there was supposed to be a sit down protest. About five of us started heading in that direction but they soon lost interest. I continued up Regent St, encouraged by the helicopter overhead, and flashing lights getting nearer. I then met head on a crowd of about 150 walking towards me chanting Peace Now. Great. We tricked the motorcycle cops by slipping down Glasshouse Street, while they drove on to Piccadilly Circus. We then fed back into Piccadilly Circus and down to Leics Sq, down Charing Cross Road, where things got a little bit nervy with some thugs coming out of the Bear and Staff pub, chanting 'Bomb Iraq' and riot cops lining up in front of us. The crowd turned round and I managed to sneak down Cecil Court by surprisingly just pushing past the arm of a policeman.

I got chatting to a lad, who had also broke through and we made our back round the block to follow the crowd. I rejoined the crowd after the riot police left and a policeman invited me to rejoin my colleagues. This I did and he asked me if I had had a good day. I said I had but that my voice had gone. He gave me a lozenge. At Parliament Sq it was cold and with my voice knackered I really wanted to get away. Got out after half hour wait or so and made my way back up Whitehall where police were donning riot gear suits. What do they know? I asked a lot of protestors what they thought might be happening but no one seemed too interested. I wondered if it might be something more serious.

On Charing Cross Rd I also met a couple who had travelled to Fairford only for their bus to be stopped, searched, turned around and the driver threatened with arrest if he stopped.

Gary Jarvis

It says on BBC teletext tonight that riot cops
charged antiwar protesters blocking Oxford St.

I was there, and I'm 95% sure this is bollocks (I
think I would have noticed!). There may well have
been tiny scuffles around the edges but no big charge.

We weren't boxed in from all sides, and after having
blocked the road for several hours, danced and chanted,
the crowd set off through some streets (I don't know
London that well :) and ended up on Park Lane.

Suddenly riot cops ran to get to the Embassy turnoff
before most of us did. Instead of trying for this, we
turned into the road and took it over. Outfoxed! ;)

We eventually settled blocking the Hyde Park side of
Park Lane. I had thought the police wouldn't be able
to box us in, that in such a wide space we would have
enough time to react... but I was wrong. Before I knew
it cops were rushing along the sides and we were stuck.

Eventually they announced that conditions were being put
on the protest that we had to disperse within one hour,
or risk arrest.

People were let out in small groups, and most people
seemed to be leaving. I stayed for about 25min, then
left cos the crowd was decidedly thinner and it had
been a long day.

Also, there was a rumour of action in Parliament Sq,
so it didn't feel like it had to be the end. After
we got out, we got news that the Parliament Sq bunch
had been s60d, and called it a day.

Many thanks to: The people who took the initiative and
blocked Ox St. The samba band. Everyone who kept the good
vibe going in the boxed-in areas.

No thanks to: Stop The War "Coalition". When will they
learn that marching isn't enough? LESS TALK MORE ACTION :P

See also thread on Urban 75 - 'Do the SWP have a problem with Direct Action'

Gary Jarvis

Good to read all the reports of Oxford Street, having wandered around it for a while and had to leave without knowing what happened. But is the first reporter serious about thinking that this level of disruption is really going to have an effect? It is going to take a fuck of a lot more than that to shake them one inch.

Does anyone have any photos of the Oxford Street Protest? I was there from the beginning, and saw quite a lot of people taking stills and video. Feel free to email me any pics at  alasdair@tombstone.org.uk

Now that I'm a little more awake, and in the mood to write something, here's my 'report' on the action at oxford street/US embassy:

We arrived at the US embassy at about 4 o'clock, having somehow taken an hour to get there from Hyde Park, as we went completely the wrong direction, ie up edgeware road.
The six of us arrived at Gower Square, and were greeted by about 6 other protesters, and about 300 policemen in dayglo - personal service or what? After a bit of chanting, we thought it was a bit dead, and started heading back to Hyde park. We turned down Grosvenor Street, I think, leading to Oxford Street, where we ran into some protesters from the Critical Mass bikeride earlier on in the day, who were cycling around slowly. We milled around, slowly blocking the street up. The police drew up lines, and with shouts of 'six-eleven FORWAARD!', they began to come at us. Those of us that stood firm were gently pushed back. Much chanting of 'we all live in a terrorist regime', etc. By the time we were pushed back to Oxford Street, there were about 50 people. At the intersection of Oxford Street and Grosvenor Street (I think), we suggested a sit down, and began to draw some large crowds. After a while, by which point the crowd had grown considerably, the Police moved in.
These boys were the heavies. No dayglow anymore, and they were all big bastards. No Riot police yet, but these guys were quite violent.
After that sit down, we basically kept getting pushed back down oxford street. Lots of cameras, both still and video, and more people standing up to police lines, being forced back very aggressively. About every 20 yards, someone would sit down again, and the cops would wade in, twisting arms, pressurepointing on the neck, etc. I personally had my neck pressure pointed (this is where they grab your ears, and push their thumbs into the soft bit behind your jaw - luckily, for some strange reason, this doesn't hurt me), and my arm twisted rather badly - to the extent that I still can't really lift anything with my left hand. Protesters were also dragged along the floor (woe on me for wearing shorts), and quite heavily man-handled on to the pavement, chucked wherever was nearest, with disregard for what may have been in the way, be it bins, people, lamposts, whatever.
Every now and then someone would get angry at the police, and try and push back when pushed, and would get arrested, pushed to the floor, and handcuffed behind their back, and dragged off to one of the waiting policevans.
Being from a sleepy town in the midlands, we had to leave to catch our coach back at 6 o'clock, but we heard that riot police came in after we'd left, although most reports claim the protesters were still being mostly non-aggressive.
I also hear that there was a baton charge.
Anyway, I think that us four provincials, and a couple of London Girls can be quite proud of that days work.
Anyone else who was there, who has photos, or who just wants to get in touch and swap stories about it, feel free to email me.

That's what we've got to do my friends. I was in Oxford Street too, by pure accident because after the rally in Hyde Park I was looking for something to eat. When I found the crowd at the crossroad between Oxford and the street leading to US embassy I thought "finally". I also hoped that an effort would be made to reach the US embassy, but then I saw the riot cops comin' nearer and nearer and I gave up the hope (two days before I was there with other ten people - we expected something, but the only thing we found was twenty cops closing us in a "red zone"). Anyway, it was a real good "situation" because it was spontaneus and not-led. So big marches are good too because they give the occasion to smaller but more active groups of people to build situations like this. Next time it could be done while the march is still going on, tryin' to capture people's attention with actions in symbolic places or just in the streets. It will be always better for them than gettin' bored listening to MPs and other puppets' speeches. I think that these kinds of protestsw will have a positive influence on the future actions, becuse they give people the pleasure to re-take the streets and express themselves: no one shall be happy in staying at home watching the "war show" anymore, no more passivity. Let's turn traditional form of protests in moments of re-appropriations of our own lifes, cities, time! Let's turn the spectators into actors, the destroy the spectacle they give us and start living!

That's what we've got to do my friends. I was in Oxford Street too, by pure accident because after the rally in Hyde Park I was looking for something to eat. When I found the crowd at the crossroad between Oxford and the street leading to US embassy I thought "finally". I also hoped that an effort would be made to reach the US embassy, but then I saw the riot cops comin' nearer and nearer and I gave up the hope (two days before I was there with other ten people - we expected something, but the only thing we found was twenty cops closing us in a "red zone"). Anyway, it was a real good "situation" because it was spontaneus and not-led. So big marches are good too because they give the occasion to smaller but more active groups of people to build situations like this. Next time it could be done while the march is still going on, tryin' to capture people's attention with actions in symbolic places or just in the streets. It will be always better for them than gettin' bored listening to MPs and other puppets' speeches. I think that these kinds of protestsw will have a positive influence on the future actions, becuse they give people the pleasure to re-take the streets and express themselves: no one shall be happy in staying at home watching the "war show" anymore, no more passivity. Let's turn traditional form of protests in moments of re-appropriations of our own lifes, cities, time! Let's turn the spectators into actors, the destroy the spectacle they give us and start living!

The SWP were pushing for mass direct action on the
Day. I am my self a member and argued for the demo
to not go to hide park but to take a diferent route
and bloke the roads. Unfortunatly this did not come
off, to my knowledge no other group pulled off diverting
the march either.
In sheffield the demos have been lead by members of the
SWP including my self, on routes not of the police's
choosing.
When you have thousends of people, and thats real mass
direct action, the police are powerless I would incorage
every one to arguee with people they march with that
they must all leave the police route and take over main
roads.

The SWP were pushing for mass direct action on the
Day. I am my self a member and argued for the demo
to not go to hide park but to take a diferent route
and bloke the roads. Unfortunatly this did not come
off, to my knowledge no other group pulled off diverting
the march either.
In sheffield the demos have been lead by members of the
SWP including my self, on routes not of the police's
choosing.
When you have thousends of people, and thats real mass
direct action, the police are powerless I would incorage
every one to arguee with people they march with that
they must all leave the police route and take over main
roads.

Re: sit - down on Oxford Street. We came across it on our way home fro Hyde Park. When we got there there were 1-300 people blocking the road in both directions, with about 2 police officers standing around waiting for reinforcements. After a couple of mins they were joined by another 10 police and then about 7-12 vans came from a side street.

The police then tried to move people away, dragging us around and pushing us onto other protestors. My sister's Peace flag was taken and thrown under a van, and she was told she couldnt go and get it. When she shouted out the policeman's number, he punched her in her back.

We stood for a bit shouting at the police, who had started filming from a balcony overlooking the protest before walking down to Tottenham Ct Road. Friends who stayed longer told me that after a while riot police arrived and baton charged people.They said they saw a man who was clinging to the back of a bus get repeatedly punched it the ribs by one policeman who had to be pulled away by some others.

for pictures of the protest, go to antiwar.co.uk and go to the gallery.
there are some pictures of the Parliament Sq Protest at www.geocities.com/latymerprotest/1.jpg .it hasnt been made into a proper site yet so to see the other photos you have to change the end to 2.jpg, 3.jpg, etc.

I find the anti-Stop the War Coalition comments in some responses slightly distasteful and disingenuous.
More than any other group in recent times, STW has managed to galvanise support from all shades of the political - and previously apolitical - spectrum and organise the biggest anti-war movement this country has ever seen.
Were it not for STW in conjunction with CND and the Muslim Association of Britain, we would not have had, last month, the biggest demonstration on ANY single issue in the UK ever and, on Saturday, the biggest British anti-war demo while a war is going on.
Direct action and violent struggle are legitimate means of protest and we should never rule them out - the thousands of demonstrators who took part in sit-ins, die-ins and blockades throughout the week and after Saturday's rally are exercising an invaluable right to focus attention on a sickening, illegal and immoral war waged by oil-men in Washington and power-hungry Labour politicians in Westminster. But you're never going to get Joe/Joanne Public to put down their copies of the Daily Mail or the Times and sit down in Oxford Street to chant slogans at the police. What you are going to get them to do, is march from Embankment to Hyde Park and listen to union leaders (whoever called them puppets clearly knows nothing about the trade union movement in this country at the moment), Jeremy Corbyn and George Galloway, whom they would never normally have access to. For the record, we also heard from a 16-year-old Iraqi girl who longed to go to her homeland and meet family members she has never seen but who was also vehemently opposed to this war. No puppet she.
All political movements have their divisions but the Left has always, more than most, suffered from infighting and name-calling.
Tony Blair wants nothing more than for the anti-war and anti-capitalist movement to tear itself apart, just as he wants nothing more than for Left-wingers to leave the party he thinks belongs to him. Let's not give him the satisfaction, eh.

In solidarity,
Rich.

True we didn't get the American Embassy, but over 500 people blocking the city centre is not bad at all. Cheers to everyone who took part. Boo to the lazy bastards who could'nt get outa bed the day after the war started - I got up at 6 to get to Edgware rd and I'm very disappointed at the low turnout. Boo at the Old Street blockade - what's the point in preventing people to go home from work, someone explain to me, it just pisses people off, doesn't damage the systam.
DO BETTER NEXT TIME: With so many people out in the streets and ready to take action, surely there is plenty of opportunity to do more interesting actions . Not that the people need to be lead or inspired by old time activists, I think they are very capable to think and act for themselves and they have proved it. But with so many people in the streets it would certainly possible to do even more: think, plan and act. (do not forget to think before you plan.)