TUC National Demonstration Against Cuts

[OrangeBernard]

Who's going? I've just booked my train tickets. Its my first protest, any advice or tips? Bit worried about kettling.

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

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".

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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??

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.

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.

pictures taken inside Fortnum & Masons, the occupation

go figure

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.

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

"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.

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.

Beaker it certainly looks like a seething mass of anarchy and evil in F&M right now

The valiant police are having to take off their jackets because they might catch fire from the TUC-led protestors' firebombs.

Jeez if all Tory supporters employ the same logic as longfingernails this country is fucked.

Could you provide a link to this reporting you're telling us about longfingernails? I am struggling to find it anywhere on the internet.

I'm a Tory supporter, but definitely not a "Dave" supporter. He is being spineless, even though Osborne is doing his best to make this country great again.

The government should be cutting the public sector far faster, far deeper. It should be immediately repealing the 50p tax rate, to increase the total tax take. It should not be allowing people to claim £400 a week housing benefit. Above all, it should be telling van Rompuy and the ECHR to piss off.

However, at least we don't have a Labour government any more. Thank heaven for small mercies.

I did actually see one young protester throwing an absolute paddy by the Horseguards Hotel. Lying in the road screaming and giving it to the man.

Oh wait - that was DS

Are you not watching it on the news channels? Look at Sky News right now.

Ton!