1:00pm this afternoon saw the start of a picket outside the "flagship" Gap store on Oxford Street. This was part of the solidarity actions happening in London and globally as part of International Women's Day. Revealing the exploitation of women and girls in sweatshop factories, this protest was highlighting just one aspect of the effects of globalisation on women around the world.

At 5.30 more people began assembling outside GAP, carrying banners and distributing leaflets describing GAP's dirty
dealings.. As the crowd grew in numbers it became more vocal prompting an increase in the numbers of police guarding the store entrance.

While a police photographer methodically catalogued people people handing out leaflets and just chanting slogans, staff inside GAP scurried around the entrance forming their own special welcome committee - greeting those shoppers who did enter the store and handing them GAP's own photocopied propaganda (though they could do with a lesson in marketing strategy - like the importance of putting your phone number in front of your extension! - see the photo collection).

Many passers by seemed genuinely concerned about GAP's policies and stopped to talk, though some were just annoyed by the temporary interruption to their brand driven shopping trip. Meanwhile women workers in a building next door to GAP pasted up a written message of support on their 3rd floor office window - much to the delight of those protesting below.

Later after the arrival of a small samba band, the police began to reposition their vans and stepped up their surveillance. With final speeches condemning exploitation and chants from the crowd (now numbering near to 200), people prepared to move off towards 'Niketown'.

As people took to the street the police moved swiftly, firmly pushing everyone back, although soon after people were able to navigate around them and began marching down Oxford Street.

In high spirits the crowd stopped further down the street outside the Disney store, where police took the opportunity to bring in more officers. Driving one police van off the road and onto and along the pavement scattering shoppers in their haste to get in front of the march, attempting to close off the head of the crowd.

With one police van in front, three behind and police down either side, people continued heading towards 'Niketown'. While there seemed to be no female police present several male undercover plain clothes police were spotted dipping in and out of the crowd, and talking into concealed radios.

With security guards outside of most department stores, tourists jostled for positions taking photos of the march, posing by protestors and police alike.

Soon the crowd arrived at the junction by 'Niketown'. As people moved towards the shop front police moved in to block access - this combined with the road barriers and tube railings hemmed protestors into a small area - half on the pavement and the rest on the road.

To the sound of the drums people continued to dance whilst the police awaited further instructions. After about 15 minutes police allowed two banners to leave the crowd and set up opposite the entrance of 'Niketown' - shortly after the crowd was allowed to disperse when the band had finished playing.

The large number of women and men who turned up to this event, demonstrated the level of disgust in the hearts and minds of the participants, to the plight of the women, girls, and young children, suffering at the hands of a culture dominated by branding and consumerism and driven by greed and profit.