Soon after the demonstration began, there was some small-scale property distruction and some scuffles broke out as the "peace police" (march stewards) fought off other demonstrators.

Despite the enjoyment they got protecting inanimate objects, they seemed more reluctant, however, to defend human beings after the police began brutally attacking people about half an hour ago.

When the demo reached the port at the end of Colon, police were fought back as they ammassed in side streets. However the crowd was moved by teargas and rubber bullets. We headed up Paral.lel and attempted to slow the police advance by constructing barricades. The street was just too wide to block, and the cops fired rubber bullets constantly, hitting many people in the back, legs and head.

At 2045 the riot police began to outflank us, and some people escaped down side streets. They surrounded a group of about 70 of us outside a deserted bar and started savagely beating people about the head and face.

We managed to break into the bar and into relative safety, but some people were injured in the crush to get in; desperately try to shield themselves from the batons raining down. When large numbers of press arrived, the police retreated and we were able to leave at 2110.

I have no information as to where the main body of the demonstration went.

See you at Manu Chao!