London braces for G20 protests
By William L. Watts
The Associated Press said an estimated 35,000 persons marched to London's Hyde Park Saturday as part of the "Put People First" event organized by around 150 groups. The peaceful march was one of several demonstrations in European capitals over the weekend that organizers said was designed to demand G20 leaders focus on poverty, inequality and the threat posed by climate change.
And London will be the center of protests this week as anti-war, environmental, anti-globalization and other groups converge on the U.K. capital ahead of the G20 summit.
All police leave has been canceled. London's police forces have allocated 84,000 man hours to security for the G20 summit, according to the BBC.
The biggest events are expected on Wednesday, when thousands of demonstrators plan to block traffic and buildings in the City of London's, the capital's financial district, as part of an event dubbed "Financial Fools Day."
On Web postings, protest groups say they plan to lead processions from four Underground stations in the City, converging on the Bank of England at noon, local time.
Environmental protesters also plan a "Climate Camp" in the City on April 1. They plan to "swoop" in to create a camp in front of the European Climate Exchange at 12:30 p.m. London time to protest carbon trading.
"First the city traders speculated with our homes, jobs and money - with disastrous results," the Climate Camp group says on its Web site. "Now they are speculating with our climate and the very future of life on earth - and once again our governments are cheering them on."
An anti-war march and other protests are also slated for Wednesday, while various groups have also said they plan to march at the ExCel conference center in East London on Thursday during the G20 meeting.
A number of firms have urged staff to dress down during the week or to work from home, news reports said.
Meanwhile, City of London Police have urged banks and other businesses in the financial district to take a range of steps including canceling unnecessary meetings, canceling deliveries, keeping movement in and out of business premises to a minimum. Firms were also urged to "advise staff not to antagonize protestors and risk escalation in incidents," the police advisory said.
source :MarketWatch
