Timeline London:
[20.30] Areas of Picadilly and Shaftsbury Ave. were almost fully cleared by 8:30pm.
[20.00] A spontaneous sitdown in Shaftesbury Avenue was closed, and two demonstrators were arrested. Area is covered with police. In Picadilly, police is letting people out of the containtment, but groups of people are starting to sit down again.
[19.45] Police contain protestors in a confined area using what is known as a section 60 at the demo in Picadilly. About 300 people, including the Samba band, are surrounded by the police. A second wave of police are dragging people on the sides into the area. Report of police brutality. Report of a day out with Rythms of Resistance.
[19.45] 15 people left in the sit-in and the crowd support is tremendous. Those involved in the sit-in are being dragged off there is cheering for each one. Atmosphere is fairly chilled out despite stong police presence. One person was arrested and an indy-camerawoman attacked by police [audioreport]
[19.15] The sit down protest by ARROW is slowly being dispersed by police as protestors are forcibly carried away one by one leaving only 25 people. 15 vans of riot police are now arriving. Hundreds of people are there outside the police lines, dancing and supporting the sit-in. The mass global protests now continue with thousands in New York City.
[19.00] Around 100 people now at the sit-in, and the Samba band has arrived changing the atmosphere. 1000 people now in supporting them.
[18.45] Grovsnor Square cleared, and 50 people on sit down in Piccadilly, with 200 people supporting, surrounded by police, blocking the whole area.
[18.30] Reports of around 2,000 people in Grovsenor Sqaure, and a sit-in taking place in Piccadilly Circus. Pic and report
[17.30] Samba band takes a wander with hundreds of dancers towards the US embassy, but gets blocked by police vans, now wandering the backstreets. Global reports coming in of massive marches around europe - see below for details.
[17.00] March still passing Piccadilly Circus (pics), as the daylight fades. Speeches have finished and people are leaving the park, some to their busses and others to the Arrow meetup in Green Park.
[16.30] Police helicopters are hovering 100 metres above the crowd, drowning out anti-war speeches [shame!] and causing many to go home early. US embassy is totally surounded by police anticipating protesters gathering, but a small breakaway group gets within inches of Grosvenor Square. An Indymedia 'Public access point' has set up on Hyde Park corner.
[16.00] A speaker from the main stage in Hyde Park has just announced that an estimated 2 million people have attended (unconfirmed). The march is still leaving Embankment! More soundsystems are on the way and a samba band is dancing towards the Park.
[15.30] An autonomous space complete with soundsystem and info emerged in Hyde Park. Photo
[15.00] Crowds continue to converge at Piccadilly Circus joining the hundreds of thousands that have been marching down Picadilly from the Embankment and from Gower St. A great atmosphere is building. The protesters are in good spirit considering the sub-zero temperature [video]. A group of 100 attempt to go to the US embassy, but are dispersed by aggressive policing.
[13.00] There are already more people at the London anti-war demo than the 400,000 who officially came to the last one. It's huge!The route of the march ahead was virtually empty as all streeets were closed to traffic. The protesters started gathering early this morning at both Embankment and Gower Street armed with banners and placards. Due to the unprecedented number of protesters, the demonstration had to start off early at 11am instead of the 12 noon. Before long the streets of central London were packed with people from all over the UK. At midday a critical mass left Waterloo bringing cycle power to the London streets. A truly diverse range of people came together to protest. This is just one of hundreds of protests round the globe.