Home | Friday 20th June 2008 | Issue 636

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BUSH WHACKING

The planned STW/SWP demo against Dubya’s last UK visit on Monday was more exiting than yer standard march’n’chant affair.

Despite the best efforts of the Stop the War coalition to serve up a generic McMarch against the ‘World’s No.1 Terrorist’, an up-fer-it crowd of some 2,000 people defied the wishes of the police and STW stewards and tried their damnedest to deliver their message in person to Whitehall.

The rally started around 5pm. George Gallotwat, Tony ‘Against The War But For The Warmakers’ Benn and Lindsey ‘Vanguard’ German all made their appearance, alongside People’s (or is it Hello’s) favourite Bianca Jagger, all on hand to provide a soporific voice-over to the demo.

The march had initially been banned by police, who threatened to use powers originally brought in to quell the Chartists in 1839.

The demo proper started around 6.30. Led by a samba band, the crowd went from Parliament Square towards Whitehall. Once the crowd met the lines of police, the demo broke out of its traditional conformity and a bit of genuine argy-bargy ensued. Either hoping for a bit of street cred or caught out by the turn of events, onlookers spotted Gallotwat and Bianca in the fray.

Once up against the pig pens the crowd started pushing, busting down the fences in one place, gee'd on by Parliament Square's badge-headed resident MC Brian Haw. Afraid of losing control of the situation, the police hit back, pushing and shoving while hitting people with their batons. For good measure they also broke some hippy drums.

The protesters used the Stop the War/ SWP banners for the only thing they’re any good for - bashing the cops. Meanwhile, the Socialist Worker stalwarts bravely hung around the back and sold papers.

As it all kicked off the STW stewards showed their true allegiances as they started ordering the crowd to obey the police and leave quietly. At one point they had their backs to the police and were physically blocking the demonstrators from getting any closer to Bush and his minions. This went on for about 1 ½ hours as people tried to get closer to Whitehall. They didn’t succeed, but a valiant effort by all concerned.
There were further clashes when people tried to get around the back of St James Park, only to be met by police in riot gear, who soon put a stop to their fun.

There was nobody masked up at the demo, even those in the front lines weren’t disguised in any way. Compounding this naivety, after the demo people hung around Parliament Square, only to be picked off by police snatch squads. Next time perhaps bring a scarf..?

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