TUC National Demonstration Against Cuts

bloody trouble makers - once again taking the emphasis away from the hundreds of thousands of people who protested peacefully. Hope those of you who went today had a good and peaceful day.

"Conservative-led" is a quite deliberate Labour party rhetorical ploy (a rather irritating one IMHO), whilst they man not the ball during this time when they are completely without an alternative set of policies.

The coalition is a unique blend, under a mutually accepted agreement.

This march is a TUC event with anarchist (and SWP?) parasite.

Ha ha, LFN has lost the plot! LFN dear, have a cup of tea. Now, can you remember who the prime minister is?

A police officer seems to be extremely seriously injured (perhaps due to one of the TUC-led protestors' Molotov cocktails in Piccadilly circus).

Now other TUC-led protestors are continuing to throw fireworks at the rescue workers trying to help the injured policeman.

pictures taken inside Fortnum & Masons, the occupation

go figure

If somewhere between 200,000 and 500,000 went to London today to voice their unrest in some way, whether as part of the TUC march, or not, I think 9 people doing so in such a way as to get arrested is a pretty peaceful outcome. In any slice of society, there will always be a minority who want to cause trouble of some kind, for whatever reason; I'm sure there were a few even at the Countryside Alliance march, even if not widely reported.

The coalition, sadly for the country, is Lib-Dem led - despite them being a pathetic, tiny party.

Cameron has sold the country out to the EU and ECHR, in particular, just to appease the Lib Dems.

But the Coalition is Tory led. It's a simple fact - even the Lib Dems mostly admit that.

• as 8rubberduckies reported, the police are saying "Today's TUC March for the Alternative has been peaceful and well-stewarded" - do you disagree with them then LGF. Are they anarchist trouble makers too??

If it is OK to call the coalition government Tory-led, it is equally valid, semantically, to call the rioters and criminals TUC-led (and at a stretch, perhaps, Miliband-led).

Whether it's "not bad" will depend on your comparison: the Countryside Alliance was 400,000+, and no damage or trouble whatsoever.

LFN, yes the demo is TUC led, and it was PEACEFUL..

• since when was the government not Tory-led. Did I miss something?!

The police website only says "over quarter of a million", but I dare say there will be firmer news from them idc (quite a bit not there yet, like the burning of that model thingy that's been all over the news).

SKY says an Ann Summers shop has also been damaged.

Quote from the police off t'internet:

The Met press office has said that today's march has been largely peaceful and well ordered, with a small number of violent disruptions and just nine arrests.

"Today's TUC March for the Alternative has been peaceful and well-stewarded.

However, there have been a number of separate incidents including the throwing of missiles in the Oxford Street area and criminal damage inShaftesbury Avenue. Police are on the scene and dealing with this.

There have been a small number of arrests made for various public order offences, criminal damage and violent disorder.

We can confirm police have not advised businesses in central London to close.

There have been 9 arrests."

Not bad for a march of 500,000 people, as is now being reported.

TondelayoSchwarzkopy It was on the BBC news channel - maybe 15 minutes ago?

Tondelayo: I heard it on the BBC news - but I'm sure LFN has attributed it to the wrong group.

Sorry - the demo is clearly TUC-led.

In the same way as Labour portrays the government as Tory-led.

No doubt we will have the BBC soon saying that Molotov cocktails are OK, because it's just a "small minority".

Oh - and the anarchists have invaded Fortnums - perhaps they're having nice afternoon tea.

Can't find the BBC report on the petrol bomb. Link?

LFN: I think that's a garble - the Molotov cocktail was from the "anarchist types" separate from the TUC demo.

yes, socio-path LFN? You have become a parody of yourself.

The TUC-led marchers have just thrown a petrol bomb, according to BBC news.

I marched for 3 hours along Embankment with my 2 year old DS, DH, friends and their 18mo DD. No masked anarchists, burning, shouting, violence where I was - just thousands of people from tiny babies to octogenarians, students to civil servants, all races, both sexes marching peacefully, singing, chanting. If you had seen most of the marchers you would think they were attending a Spring Fete or queuing at Waitrose.

There are still running scuffles in central London - with incendiary devices being thrown (1 report of a Molotov cocktail, several of fireworks), SWP and anarchist groups being blamed for this.

HH - of course deficit and debt are related. One feeds the other.

But we can live with a reasonable level of debt, and even a deficit during recession and low growth. The problem is our deficit is so high that even at full growth levels it remains. So, even Labour agree the cuts need to happen. With them it's about timing, although I don't think they are suggesting we can wait until the economy is back to full growth (by then our debt would be a massive problem).

Most of it was peaceful and everyone I saw when I was in London much earlier today looked pretty happy, police and people on their way to the march.

It does not change the fact that most of the UK knows we need cust, Labour wanted at least 20% cuts, the coaltion 25% and virtually no one thinksd we don't have to make them but the right of peaceful protest is very important. (Just read the interview with Bob Crow in today's FT.. phew, often dines at Rules.. b rother a stock broker, has his own 6 figure salary, would abolish private health and private schools but doesn't think surgeons should be paid the same as street sweepers; works out 6 days a week)