London Indymedia

Stop the war march goes ahead

Medyan Dairieh | 09.10.2007 08:09 | Iraq | Terror War | London

Thousands march on parliament to demand troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan

Stop the war march
Stop the war march

Stop the war march
Stop the war march

Stop the war march
Stop the war march

Stop the war march
Stop the war march

Stop the war march
Stop the war march


Thousands gathered in Trafalgar Square to march on Parliament to demand troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan despite a threatened ban under a Victorian law last used against the Chartists. Fired up by the rhetoric of speakers like George Galloway, Tony Benn, Brian Haw and even an ex-SAS soldier, this crowd was unlike any other seen on a Stop the War Coalition march.

By the time the protest reached Parliament Square police were already throwing their weight around, arresting one demonstrator for swearing and attempting to make the march use a pelican crossing to enter the square in dribs and drabs. Despite the best efforts of Stop the War Coalition stewards to do the job of the Met for them demonstrators staged a sit in on the road and refused to move until the rest of the march was able to join them.

Later, as half the march was diverted to College green by the same stewards, the remaining protestors tore down the fences surrounding Parliament Square and stacked them in a neat pile. It would be fair to say the police had lost control and looked totally incompetent. One arrest was made.

A third arrest was made of a bystander in Brian Haws enclosure, an angry crowd surrounded the police making the arrest and reinforcements were called in en masse. A fourth demonstrator was subsequently arrested for assault police. For a short while it looked as if the two may have been de-arrested but, sadly, we did not have the numbers.

Medyan Dairieh
- e-mail: medyan@imageslive.net
- Homepage: http://www.imageslive.net

Comments

Hide the following 7 comments

a Victorian law last used against the Chartists - RUBBISH

09.10.2007 09:58

The claim that the nonexistent ban would have involved "a Victorian law last used against the Chartists" is nonsense. The law in question is Section 52 of the Metropolitan Police Act 1839 which creates the concept of "Commissioner's Directions", brought in to deal with the Chartists, but in regular use ever since, a notable recent example being the "Commissioner's Directions" in place for Sipson Lane during Heathrow Climate Camp. Contrary to the Stop The War Coalition's lies these "Commissioner's Directions" do not give the police powers to ban anything - only Section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 provides that - they are simply instructions/orders for constables.

ACAB


Yes! A victory - the Brownperv must be denaturing....

09.10.2007 10:01

...and the feardriven war criminal creep backs off.

whatever


Probably 1000 people

09.10.2007 10:40

I was there. There were about 1000 people maximum.

fitch


4000 people

09.10.2007 12:29

4000 people

Jim


4000+Was there, had2 leave early,stewards sucked,welldone4 fencing removal

09.10.2007 13:43

4000+Was there, had2 leave early,
stewards sucked,they repeatedly enforced what police wanted & more so+said police where clearing us a space on the square whilst we were being deliberately held up for traffic & boring tony benn was interviewed again whilst Ian Bone walked walked on without uneducated press asking him dime.
Welldone4 fencing removal I was hoping that would happen!
I had just been robbed by police & given false charges again, could

robin


false charges for having tools from work in car to arms fair!,fitted up by tsg

09.10.2007 14:12

territorial support group fitted me up outside rampart social centre after work on site with tools for solar power rig. Unfortunately I had been fitted up before & my solicitors were rubbish, we need better legal advice on this& protestors need better aftercare, I had none. Do not take any tools on demos in car near etc was police advice, only doing our job bullshit. Well people have a limit, we try to be nice, but now I sometimes think Ian bone & class war may have had a point & after seeing numerous peaceful protestors battered & ran over invehicles by jobsworths only doing their job.
The government robs everyone including you, this may be last time Iam nice to police & warn them about scientific harm effects of tetra etc, you are robbing everyone for the centralised government & making laws to benefit the rockefellers!

robin


strong march

09.10.2007 14:21

Ann


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