Up to 500,000 attend anti-cuts demo in London

Organisers of a huge protest against the UK government’s public spending cuts tonight hailed the demonstration a “fantastic success” after hundreds of thousands of people joined the biggest event of its kind for over 20 years.

Organisers of a huge protest against the UK government’s public spending cuts tonight hailed the demonstration a “fantastic success” after hundreds of thousands of people joined the biggest event of its kind for over 20 years.

Between 400,000 and 500,000 teachers, nurses, firefighters, council and NHS workers, other public sector employees, students, pensioners and campaign groups from across the UK marched through central London to a rally where union officials and Labour leader Ed Miliband condemned the “brutal” cuts in jobs and services.

Violence flared away from the rally when a group of hundreds of activists, not connected with the union protest, clashed with police. They set off fireworks, threw paint and attacked shops in Oxford Street, Regent Street and Piccadilly.

Topshop and HSBC had their windows smashed, while paint and glass bottles were thrown at a Royal Bank of Scotland branch.

Covering their faces with scarves, they fought with police and disrupted traffic, throwing lightbulbs filled with ammonia at officers and lighting a fire.

Nine arrests were made and some police officers were injured.

UK Uncut, an anti-cuts direct action group, later occupied the Fortnum & Mason store in Piccadilly, claiming the firm had “dodged” paying taxes.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said he “bitterly regretted” the violence, adding that he hoped it would not detract from the massive anti-cuts protest.

He said: “I don’t think the activities of a few hundred people should take the focus away from the hundreds of thousands of people who have sent a powerful message to the Government today.

“Ministers should now seriously reconsider their whole strategy after today’s demonstration. This has been Middle Britain speaking.”

Mr Barber said unions would now step up pressure on the Government, especially MPs in their constituencies, and launch a series of protests next week in defence of the NHS.“

London Ambulance Service said 30 people were treated for injuries throughout the day, 11 of whom were taken to hospital, ranging from assault to collapsing with illness.

Commander Bob Broadhurst said: “The main march has gone very well. Their estimates are 250,000 – maybe more – have come to central London and protested peacefully. That has gone as we expected.

“Unfortunately, we have had over 500 criminals effectively attacking premises in the Oxford Circus area, causing damage.

“We anticipated there would be some problems. We have minimised the damage caused. We’ll never have enough officers to protect every building in central London. it cannot be done.

“The actual march has gone according to plan. Those damaging buildings have had nothing to do with the TUC.”

Mr Miliband, who did not take part in the march, told protesters at the mass rally in Hyde Park that he was proud to stand with them, adding that the Government was wrong to make such deep cuts in public services.

He was heckled by a small number of protesters when he said that “some cuts” were needed, but most people applauded his speech.

“The Tories said I shouldn’t come to speak here today but I am proud to stand with you. People are here from all walks of life and different backgrounds, speaking for mainstream Britain.

“Our struggle is to fight to preserve, protect and defend the best of the services we cherish because they represent the best of the country we love.

“We know what the Government will say: that this is a march of the minority. They are so wrong. David Cameron: you wanted to create the Big Society – this is the Big Society.

“The Big Society united against what your government is doing to our country. We stand today not as the minority, but as the voice of the mainstream majority in this country.

“There is a need for difficult choices, and some cuts. But this government is going too far and too fast and destroying the fabric of our communities.”

Demonstrators started arriving in London hours before the march was due to begin, turning the Embankment into a sea of colour with banners, balloons and entertainers filling the banks of the Thames.

Steel bands, choirs, performers and dancers practised at the head of the march as tens of thousands of people, many with their children in tow, blew horns and whistles waiting patiently to march through central London to Hyde Park.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls was heckled by some protesters when he turned up to speak to union leaders at the head of the march this morning.

He said Labour was determined to continue campaigning against the spending cuts and would create jobs and build houses if they got back into power, but several people shouted out at him “what are you going to do for us Ed?”

Education Secretary Michael Gove acknowledged the public concerns about the planned cuts but insisted that the Government would not be deflected from its strategy.

“Of course people will feel a sense of disquiet, in some cases anger, at what they see happening, but the difficulty we have as the Government inheriting a terrible economic mess, is that we have to take steps to bring the public finances back into balance,” he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

He said that there were “really big dangers” for Mr Miliband in addressing the rally at the end of the march.

“One is that people will say ’You are calling for a plan B from the Government, you don’t even have a plan A.’ More than that, you are associating yourself with a march which could, I’m afraid, move from being a family event into being something darker,” he said.

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

Nine detained in Tajikistan in relation to Moscow concert hall attack Nine detained in Tajikistan in relation to Moscow concert hall attack
Highbury Corner Magistrates Court - London Teenager charged with attempted murder after London train stabbing
Russia launches barrage of drones and missiles on Ukraine’s energy system Russia launches barrage of drones and missiles on Ukraine’s energy system
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited