London protests draw thousands demanding jobs and justice, 1st of many rallies before G20

[steven johnson]

Source: Chicago Tribune

DEAN CARSON | Associated Press Writer
9:01 AM CDT, March 28, 2009

LONDON (AP) — Tens of thousands of people marched across central London Saturday to demand jobs, economic justice and environmental accountability, kicking off six days of protest and action planned in the run-up to the G20 summit next week.

More than 150 groups threw their backing behind the "Put People First" march. Police said around 35,000 attended the demonstration, but there were large gaps in the line of protesters snaking its way across the city toward Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park.

The marchers are pushing for a more transparent and democratic economic recovery plan.
"The whole economic meltdown ... There's a really good opportunity for governments to get together and invest in a sustainable future," said unemployed Steve Burson, 49, marching with the protesters.

The biggest groups backing the demonstration include the Stop The War Coalition, whose supporters marched under the slogan "Jobs Not Bombs," Friends of the Earth, and the Trades Union Congress, an umbrella group of British trade unions, which is calling for Britain's crisis-hit manufacturing base to share in country's banking bailout.




Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-eu-g20-protests,0,3858977.story

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[antimatter98]

2. We need to see this here in the US too---economic justice.

It is very clear to me that what we're seeing is a war on
working people, not just the middle class.

Capitalism has metastasized into a virulent form and its
driving out working people and their families, bankrupting them,
while enriching the elite bankers, CEOs and investment houses---
and this is not just a US problem, its global.

We need to end the welfare state for business and banks to start with.

Trillions for bankers and bonuses and yet, people living in parks,
without health care? Is this insanity or what?

Let's also call this latest round of capitalism for what it is: financial terrorism.
Bin Laden could not have done a better job of destroying the West.

[Deja Q]

3. Agreed.

[biopowertoday]

4. more of the so called middle class are now

the working class as they take lower paying jobs and see their benefits gone--like paid sick days and health care and are literally 'punching the clock"

[KakistocracyHater]

9. technically the Banksters have significantly disrupted

the US economy & under the Patriot Act that is a serious crime. Use it, hold them accountable...

[DemReadingDU]

5. Creative Actions - A New Way Forward

To stop the banks, Americans are planning creative actions all over the country for April 11.
http://www.anewwayforward.org/demonstrations/


I just saw this site, I don't know anything about it.


edit: Apparently they are called 'creative actions', not demonstrations.

[christx30]

6. Speaking of capitalism...

the advertisement at the end of this thread is for nice looking megaphones... the kind you would use at a protest

[fascisthunter]

7. I Think People around the Globe are More than Sick of propping the Wealthy Up

while that same wealthy elite fucks us over at every turn. It's time for economic justice... strip the wealthy of all their wealth and give it to the poor.

[bemildred]

8. The 'revolution' starts here as 35,000 pack the G20 march

They hoped for 10,000, but in the end more than triple that number turned out on London's streets for the biggest demonstration since the beginning of the economic crisis.

The Put People First march yesterday was organised by a collaboration of more than 100 trade unions, church groups and charities including ActionAid, Save the Children and Friends of the Earth. The theme was "jobs, justice and climate" and the message was aimed at the world leaders who will be gathering for the G20 summit here this week.

The marchers, estimated at 35,000 by police, accompanied by brass bands and drummers and a colourful assortment of banners and flags, walked the four miles from Embankment to Hyde Park, where speeches from comedian Mark Thomas and environmental campaigner Tony Juniper, and music from the Kooks, made for a party-like atmosphere.

People came from all over the country and families with children in pushchairs were among those marching. Jyoti Fernandes, an organic farmer who travelled from Somerset with her four children, said: "We are here to remind people that we have to look after our land and look after our food."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/29/g20-protests-london

[depakid]

10. G20 protest: Thousands march for 'jobs, justice and climate'

Source: The Guardian

Police estimate crowd numbers in London at 35,000, which would exceed organisers' hopes

Demonstrators attend the Put People First march through central London,
beginning several days of protest surrounding the G20 summit.
----------------

They hoped for ten thousand but in the end more than three times that number turned out on London's streets today for the biggest mass demonstration since the beginning of the economic crisis. The Put People First march was organised by a "rainbow alliance" of 150 trade unions, church groups and charities including ActionAid, Save the Children and Friends of the Earth. The theme was "jobs, justice and climate" and the message was aimed at the world leaders who will be gathering for the G20 summit here next week.

One of the organisers, the TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber, claimed there had never before been such a wide coalition brought together with a direct message for world leaders. "The old ideas of unregulated free markets do not work, and have brought the world's economy to near-collapse, failed to fight poverty and have done far too little to move to a low-carbon economy," he said. "Of course, the G20 will not solve everything in a day's work, but leaders must sign up to boost the world economy and govern it better, and show us that they are trying to build a better world."

The marchers, estimated at 35,000 by police, accompanied by brass bands and drummers and a colourful assortment of banners and flags, walked the four miles from Embankment to Hyde Park, where speeches from comedian Mark Thomas and environment campaigner Tony Juniper and music from the Kooks marked a party-like atmosphere despite chilly temperatures.

People had come from all over the country to protest; organic farmer Jyoti Fernandes travelled from Somerset with her four children. "We are here to remind people that we have to look after our land and look after our food," she said.



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/28/g20-protest-police-rainbow-alliance