I point out that a SOCPA prosecution is likely to be problematic, especially as I am not actually engaged in any act of protest at this stage. By now more people have arrived, and we decide that as the pen helpfully restricts access from one side of the building, that we will aim for the other side, where we will be close to delegates coming in. The organiser of the state sanctioned protest has arrived, and when I speak to him, he makes it clear that he was specific in his application that this was a separate protest. We approach the entrance and set up a sound system and start heckling those entering with a megaphone.

After a rather unconvincing threat about SOCPA, we are left to get on with it, with 2 cops in front of us, 2 to the side and the rest standing well away from us. The sound system is turned up and at this point an Inspector turns up and says he has no problem with our being there, but that he will confiscate the sound system under SOCPA unless it returns to its previous level. "If you want the right to protest" he starts. He is shouted down with arguments that either we have that right, or we do not. We are not here to jump through stupid hoops. He uses the latest line about having to balance the right to protest with the rights of 'the community' to get on with normal life. Not much of a community in this part of London as it goes, and no-one seems to have been prevented from doing anything, other than the cops who seem to be having to restrain their urges to control us. He wanders off, and we are left to get on with it. We can wander around and follow delegates with the megaphone.

As the demo winds down and people begin to leave, we are thanked for our reasonable behaviour! and told not be alarmed but that they will be loosely monitoring us as we leave. This turns out to mean that the vehicle that brought the sound system is followed by a police van back to Whitechapel. For now, the policing seems a lot less 'in your face' than on previous DSEi events. There are still no FIT teams outside the convergence centre and it seems that the cops have been forced to draw a velvet glove over the iron fist. Tuesdays demo in the city is likely to be a test of how much has really changed.