Resist Bush! Day of Civil Disobedience: Wednesday 19th
features | 19.11.2003 10:00 | Bush 2003 | Anti-militarism | Globalisation | London
Wednesday was billed as a day of civil disobedience and direct action throughout the country. In London, amidst the massive security operation, people took to the streets with events and actions. The protests started early in the morning with the delivery of a Tarte au Citron to the Queen, courtesy of the Biotic Baking Brigade. Then actions kicked off throughout the day with a Critical Mass, an Alternative State Procession, Street Parties, a Women's Peace Picnic and other actions Across The UK - culminating in 2000 protesters dancing in front of Buckingham Palace on a Resist Bush Tea Party. Police proved to be still overreacting when policing during a head of state visit: When Jiang Zemin was around they turned placards of protesters away - with Bush they confiscated a small sound system singing anti-Bush songs.
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London: reports including the full London timeline with it's sections on the resist Bush teaparty, Critical Mass, alternative state procession, school students, street parties and the O.I.L women's peace picnic.
Aberdeen: About 80-100 people demonstrated against the Bush visit to the UK in St Nicholas Square at lunch time.
Bradford: Bradford saw a notable amount of Anti-Bush protest including a rally and the handing of a petition calling for the arrest of Tony Blair on war crimes charges to the police.
Cardiff: The whole city centre brought to a standstill.
Cambridge: 100 people demonstrated toppling the statues of Bush and Blair in the Market Square. No arrests were reported. Indymedia reports from people in the US were read out to the crowd.
Canterbury: About 100-200 people gathered outside the library at 6pm, after several chants lead by Mac someone produced a guitar and an African drum and started a song "We're going to war. Pay your taxes".
Edinburgh: A very peaceful, determined demo took place in the day followed by an evening protest that broke through police lines near the US Consulate. Pictures
Glasgow: In Glasgow reports estimate over 1,000 demonstrators gathered in George Square then took to the surrounding streets. Shawlands Academy pupils were among the striking school students involved.
Kent: A small but enthusiastic group from Ashford peace group,East Kent Greens and supporters from Folkestone etc gathered near Ashford Intl Rail station to demo against Bush with several colourful banners (some made by 10 year olds!) and whistles.
Nottingham: 'No-Bush' demo in Nottingham in Market Square.
Oxford: Around 1500 people turned out, protestors left Brookes University at 5.00pm to march to the city centre on reaching The Plain they found a large, enthusiastic and noisy group of friends, some dancing to the sounds of Oxford's new Radical Samba Band. People then marched enthusiastically up to Carfax where another group was waiting to topple the papier-mache effigy of George 'I-stole-the-presidency' Bush. A die-in and a staged wedding between Bush and Blair also took place during the afternoon. Oxford IMC Feature
Liverpool: 200 stand up scousers stopped the traffic outside Liverpool Town Hall for an hour.
Molesworth: A short vigil was held at the Joint Analysis Centre Molesworth to protest at George Bush’ UK visit.
Swindon: Shoppers and workers in Swindon town centre this lunchtime were slightly bemused to find George W Bush explaining his plans for global domination via a megaphone.
York: 300 people marched through York in the rain to protest about the visit of killer Bush. A statue of Bush, cash in hand, with Blair aside, was toppled.
London Timeline
Resist Bush Tea Party
[18:10]: 200 people chanting are trying to break away from the cordon. In Buckingham Palace gardens there are still around under a thousand strong crowd. About 200 people have gone to Mall Gates, chanting. An african drumming band is with this crowd.
[17:30]: The Samba Band has stopped playing. Police have now separated the crowd from the press outside of the railing barriers. People have been lobbing plants at the police.
[17:15]: About 2000 people are opposite the gates of Buckinham Palace now, including a Samba Band. Pictures: 1 | 2.
[17:10]: There has been an attempt to break the police cordon and jump over the barriers in front of Buckingham Palace, the police simply pushed the crowd back. There has been an unconfirmed number of arrests in the area.
[16:50]: More than a thousand people in front of Buckingham Palace. Cops in riot gear and on horses.
[16:45]: A small soundsystem playing anti bush songs was attacked by police after playing for about 20 mins. People shouted at police to calm down after they pushed and punched people - they then forced the sound suystem to pack up and leave.
[16:35]: The area in front of Buckingham Palace is now cordoned; people need to stand behind barriers.
[16:31]: Samba Band now approaching Buckingham Palace.
[16:25]: The march that was going down Victoria Street is now arriving at Buckingham Palace, where the crowd is now over 1000 strong. People are holding peace plackards.
[16:15]: The atmosphere is chilled down now; about 200 people and 80 police are going down Victoria St., Palace St. and Wilfred St. towards Buckingham Palace.
[15:50]: Atmosphere is less tense now. Police are escorting the crowd from Victoria Station down Victoria Street towards Parliament Square, in a slow and tight march. No one is allowed out of the cordoned march.
[15:40]: As the police cordon the zone, groups of people go off to adjacent streets and block traffic with their banners.
[15:30]: Chaotic scene around Victoria: The few hundreds of people gathered around the station found that police are blocking all streets to prevent them from marching. Police even drove a van at people, removed people from the street violently and pushed anyone trying to march from the Station. At least one arrest has been made, and all streets radiating from the clock statue are presently blocked.
[14:30]: People are gathering around Victoria for this afternoon's Tea Party due to start at 3pm.
[13:50]: Up to 100 people are now gathering outside the fences of Buckingham Palace.
Critical Mass
[14:00] - The Critical Mass at Buckingham Palace got surrounded by lots of police on bikes; they split in different directions to get off the cordon.
[13:30] - 200 people on foot joined the Critical Mass and are now marching down The Mall. Passed Buckingham Palace and moving towards the Home Office at Victoria. One person arrested for "walking on the grass" at St. James' park.
[12:30] - Critical Mass is still riding around central London, last seen in Oxford St.
[11:00] - Around 100 cyclists arrive at Parliament Sq. Police has put a line blocking access to Whitehall. The crowd decided to turn back and now are riding down Waterloo Bridge. The whole area is full of police. Pictures.
Alternative State Procession
[12:45]: The police suddenly arrested a young man in the middle of the crowd for swearing! The police threw a cordon round the crowd to prevent them de-arresting him, and then proceeded to arrest a photographer also for swearing, and dragged him away violently!
[12:30]: The relaxed and upbeat procession has now ended in Trafalgar Square where there was the Big Red Bus back from Baghdad. A effigy of President Bush as a monkey was paraded around. and the mock Queen and Bush gave a speech from the carriage. Pictures
[12:15]: Now heading past Charing Cross Station towards Trafalgar Square.
[11:45]: The procession has just set off and is now marching over Waterloo Bridge. Video clip of alternative royal coach.
[11:30]: 500 people gathering in Jubilee Park and being surounded by a line of police, which in turn, are surounded by masses of corporate media. The protesters have brought in several props, which include a moc royal carriage, a pink tank and a massive missile. Many people dressed up in ceremonial gear. The atmosphere is jovial and fun.
School Students Rally Against Bush
[11:45]: Small turnout due to scare tatics?
Sambistas, Students and other Street Parties
[14:40]: Reports of a 'Clandestine and Insurgent Rebel Clown Army' parading around central London in formation and shouting slogans such as "All Empires Must Fall". Also reports of another street theatre crew dressed up as FBI officers performing around the West End.
[14:30]: Report of a good crowd with two samba bands arrive at Trafalgar Square.
[14:00]: ULU - A march with drummers is now moving towards Tottenham Court Road. Large numbers of police escourt march.
O.I.L Women's Peace Picnic
[16:20]: 200 people marching from Parliament Square towards Buckingham Palace with the Samba Band. Another 500 people are waiting there...
[15:45]: The Samba Band that was in Trafalgar Square is now on Whitehall, next to Downing Street, playing loudly and escorted by large numbers of police and vans.
[15:05]: 200 people are now gathered in Trafalgar Square, together with the Samba Band. Police are taking pictures and video of every one. Some of these people came from the Critical Mass.
[14:50]: A big banner drop in Trafalgar Square. The banner reads "Peace is the Byproduct of Love. We are O.I.L in Love".
[13:15]: The Women's Peace Picnic has started in the middle of Trafalgar Sq. People are making signs and banners reading "women for peace" and other slogans.
[13:10]: The fountains of Trafalgar Sq have been dyed with red paint to represent blood.
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