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| April 3, 2009 | (Use j/k keys to navigate)  Email to a friend  Permalink |
Protests at the G20 summit
Thousands of protesters gathered in London, England on April 1st and 2nd to demonstrate against an array of issues, largely anti-capitalist or pro-environmental in nature. A large underlying theme was anger with the effects of the economic downturn and a call for accountability and responsibility. While the majority of protesters were peaceful, a number of them took to smashing windows and throwing debris at police lines. London police responded with baton charges and arrests. Similar protests are now taking place in Strasbourg, France, which hosts a NATO summit today. (36 photos total)
Police patrol barriers around demonstrators near the ExCel Centre in central London, on April 2, 2009. World leaders gathered are looking to raise an extra 1 trillion dollars (745 billion euros) for the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, a Brazilian official said Thursday. (SHAUN CURRY/AFP/Getty Images)
A British police search team carry out checks in an anunoccupied building near the ExCeL centre, during security checks ahead of the G20 summit in London, on March 31, 2009. London is bracing for angry protests before and during Thursday's G20 summit, which will see fortress-like security for world leaders including US President Barack Obama. (MATT DUNHAM/AFP/Getty Images) #
A tailors shop is boarded up near the Bank of England in central London, on March 30, 2009, as London braces for protests before and during Thursday's G20 summit. Police arrested five people under anti-terror legislation in southwest England, but they insisted Monday there was no immediate link to the Group of 20 summit this week in London. (CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images) #
Demonstrators against the G20 summit prepare outfits they describe as "Horsemen of the Financial Apocalypse" in London, Tuesday, March 31, 2009, ahead of Wednesday's demonstration. Police have said they face an "unprecedented" security challenge from the presence of a score of world leaders alongside thousands of anti-capitalist, environmental and other demonstrators protesting the impact of the economic meltdown. (AP Photo/Akira Suemori) #
A protester with a painted face joins a demonstration at the Bank of England in the City of London, U.K., on Wednesday, April 1, 2009. Thousands of protesters converged on the Bank of England in demonstrations aimed at bankers and the world leaders participating in the Group of 20 summit meetings. (David Hartley/Bloomberg News) #
A mass group of anti capitalist and climate change activists converge on the Bank of England as they demonstrate in the City on April 1, 2009 in London. Protesters marched through London demanding action on poverty, climate change and jobs, as world leaders arrive in London ahead of the G20 summit. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) #
A demonstrator throws a computer screen at the windows of a branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland, near the Bank of England in London April 1, 2009. Thousands of demonstrators converged on London's financial district on Wednesday, chanting "abolish money" and "storm the banks" in a heavily policed protest to coincide with the G20 summit of world leaders. (REUTERS/Andrew Winning) #
A mannequin dressed as a city worker is tied to a traffic light and set alight by protestors during an anti G20 demonstration near the Bank of England in London on April 1, 2009. Violent clashes kicked off in London's financial district late Wednesday after protesters demonstrating against the G20 summit here were penned in by riot police for several hours. (BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images) #
Demonstrators protest near the Bank of England in London April 1, 2009. Demonstrators clashed with riot police and smashed bank windows in Britain's financial centre on Wednesday ahead of a G20 meeting in protest against a system they said had robbed the poor to benefit the rich. (REUTERS/Kieran Doherty) #
A demonstrator scuffles with police during protests outside the Bank of England in London April 1, 2009. Riot police staged baton charges to try to disperse several hundred protesters gathered around the Bank of England in the heart of London's financial centre on Wednesday after a day of protest around the G20 summit. (REUTERS/Andrew Winning) #
47-year-old Ian Tomlinson lies on the sidewalk after collapsing near police during a protest in the City of London on April 1, 2009. Tomlinson later died, of an apparent heart attack. It is unclear whether the man, who worked downtown, was taking part in the protest, or was merely passing through. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images) #
More links and information
Protesters Block London’s Financial District - NYTimes.com 04/01
Protesters Fail to Bring Down Global Capitalism With Costumes and Puppets - NYTimes.com, The Lede 04/02
Police name man who died at G20 protest - Guardian.co.uk 04/02
Group of 20 - NYTimes.com Topics page
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
If you do not like a capitalisic system why live in one. Get your benefit hand-outs, your trainers,your fashion clothes,your vehicles and more importantly your food from some other non capitalist sucker willing to provide for such parasites
You know what saddens me most? It's not the thugs smashing windows and it's not the other thugs breaking heads with batons. It's the media. And when I say "the media" I'm sad to say that I'm including this otherwise wonderful blog, because on this particular occasion it's just as bad as all the rest.
How can one in good conscience write, "While the majority of protesters were peaceful, a number of them took to smashing windows and throwing debris at police lines", and then follow that up with photos that almost exclusively depict violent protests? Given the blog title - "Protests at the G20 summit" - this presents a shamefully distorted picture of what actually happened there, implying that the whole protest was simply one violent clash after another.
I find it very depressing that such a quality blog as this one has fallen prey to the ratings-grabbing focus on violence that is the domain of the mainstream, profit-driven media. Whatever happened to real journalism? Whatever happened to the primacy of the search for truth?
Very sad.
I love how protesters try to pretend they're trying to rid the world of evil when they're really just having fun. They know damned well no protest has any effect at all, and never has, but it's worth getting drunk and damaging some property. How it was worth it kids, cause you have a lifetime of high taxes to pay for it.
It's disgusting and I'm not very happy with these protestors.
My parents paid a lot of money for me to get an excellent education and I've become extremely wealthy through my hard work, yet I’m the one shown inconvenience by these yobs.
Why should I have to remove my Ferrari from the street because some yob would want to damage it?
This is not anticapitalism revolt, that so simple-thinking. This is against greed and all those stupid big-fish-financial-guys who laughs about our lives.
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It sucks that only a few ones ruin everything and give a bad image for the rest of the protestor. The real problem here is ORGANISATION and ORDER in protest. I suggest that in the next one, people who organize the even pass the word out to all the participants to take out all trouble maker themselves instead of the law enforcement people. Lets those drunk, idiot and "Professionnal" troublemakers know that they are not welcome and they obviously have no clue of what the rest of us are trying to acheive here. Lets think about it, wouldnt it be so much better if those violent idiots were not there? Wouldnt our message be pass to world in a clearer and more positif way? Without all the violence, I beleive there will be more and more supporters on the street because not everyone like chaos and get bitten.
PLEASE, to all of you out there who actually put time and effort to go on the street to participate to a PEACEFULL protest. I think it's your duty, you and all around you, to let those violent people know that they better stay calm or will be taken out.
Dont blame the police, they are just doing what they are suppose too. 90% of them dont even want to be there and maybe some of them even support what we are protesting against but a dude gotta do what he have to do to support a family.
I say for 1 violent protestor, there should be 10 volumteer peacefull protstor let him know that if he want to be part of this, he better go along and shut up. For Christ seek, isnt this how democratie should work?
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RENT A CROWD!
For Tom Post #309
Me too i find it disgusting and I'm not very happy with wealthy and high society people like you.
My parents did not have much money to spend for my education and even though I worked real hard all my life, my kids will never be as connected and weathy as yours.
So why should I not smash your Ferrari when I see you park it on the street?
Which BTW worth like 3 time my house and which BTW i have to paid my mortgage and interest so people like you can but a Ferrari.
You have all the rights to feel the way you feel and so do I. This is the beauty about democratie. Only problem here is there is only 1% of you and 99% of people like me. You will see my friend, one day we as the people of the world will balance this out.
Es la ora de luchar sin descanso, sin compadecerse, sin miedo, sin rencor; solo con los cocimientos k nos mueven desde siempre a los mas desfavorecidos, a los intelectuales, a los normales k siguen la simple naturaleza del hombre y no se dejan engañar por la incultura yankee(lo k promueven los medios d comunicacion). Porke este es el fin d nuestro preciado y maltratado planeta, si dejamos k nos engañen los mismos d siempre porke se hayan cambiado d careta o nos cuenten otra trola mayor, cada vez estaremos mas machacados, destruidos y miserables; mientras ellos tendran mas dinero y poder de destruccion.
SALUZ Y ANARKÍA
I write from Genoa*... I've already seen that all. Policemen like robots, against people's freedom to demonstrate...
in Genoa a boy was killed (by a bullet which unfortunately crushing on a stone throwed on air... such a JFK's magic bullet parent, isn'?)
*sorry for my english
photojournalism and candid shots in the best form!
in ancient china, they said a picture was worth a 1000 words. in today's info world, an imagine is worth more than 1 TB.
who begins with the violence?
but belive, mossos, (Catalonia's nacional police) are worse than this...
http://videosdeldiagratis.com//0/tag/carga%20mossos/2.html
Pointless "demonstration" ... this is what those who turn to drugs and violence are all about. Exhibitionism, taking up pointless causes, and making fools of themselves with their childish antics and garb.
If these people really cared, they would get an education or educate themselves (start with a library) in areas of life that interest them and then get to work to bring about improvements they seek.
Nothing was ever gained by violence or confrontation. A supremely obvious fact lost on far too many ... including those whose minds have been warped by smoking mind-altering substances.
Here's video of the man that died, and was attacked by police:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/07/video-g20-police-assault
Fact is, all this is making the police lose their stomach for what they are doing. You can only attack you neighbors for so long (without figuring out how to demonize them in some way) until the resolve dies. This is what has happened in past revolutions. The police switch sides and then the illusion of law backed up by force dissapates.
Very interesting, I found that really happen in London only from their photos..
I want to disagree with some commenters.
If you really think that socialism and other anti-capitalism is same as communism, you are really dont know anything about it. I think you are sitting in your comfortable chair now and know about other world from tv news and Hollywood films ..
Excellent, pertinent, enlightening comment at 273, then a total bozo at 274!
Wherever there are police in large numbers, violence is not too far behind. This has got to be stopped. We are no longer a free society with the police state we've detoriated into.
Damn! I lost that demonstration. I live in London, but I was at work, would have been so much fun. And 225 bob is right, I don't care at all about what is the protest about. More fun when there is more people involved!
REVOLUCION SOCIALISTA O BARBARIE CAPITALISTA
Oh, shut up while i'm changing the world..
(baton-kettle-kettle-baton)
policias y protestantes deberian ser uno, policias no son ricos! todos los de abajo somos explotados! policias igual, hagamos la union y el cambio de conciencia. NO A LA REPRESION CON VIOLENCIA. SI A LA LIBRE EXPRESION DE LOS PUEBLOS. Saludos desde Mexico lugar de la matanza de tlatelolco 68´, de las masacres en Chiapas, y en donde las calles son vigiladas por la mano derecha del diablo, el ejercito. Todos estos acontecimientos gracias al mal gobierno. p.s WE ARE ONLY ONE HUMANITY
Correction on the picture #34, there's actually a video on the web where you see clearly this guy getting hit by the police while he was walking without showing any resistance....
no entiendo nada soy uruguayo alguien me explica que sucede gracias mi correo
tardepiaste@hotmail.com
Note all the bottles and missiles as medics attend Ian Tomlinson @34
Have you all seen the video where Ian Tomlinson (#34) is punched by a policemen and he falled. Seconds after that he had the heart attack... And he was just passing through...
Any CSI in here?
Tough and thankless job for security men
The "we are defined by our posessions" argument is SOOO old. Get over it already. Dont want to buy into a materialistic society? THEN DONT! YOU ARE FREE TO DO AS YOU WISH. No one is forcing anyone to buy Starbucks brand muffins, or wear ipods. People buy things because they ENJOY them. The idiots who try to turn their own personal failures on the system that serves them will hopefully never fully succeed.
Seems like some people would rather take everyone down with them instead of having the courage to think through their own problems.
@290 Nick
Whos daring to better our world here? The result of this is broken business, broken dreams. These "protesters" are just kids looking for a good time.
Abolish money? Rediculous. What then? Who will want to work? How will people eat? How will people get clothes to wear? If you want to go back to the days of no money then try living on the plains of Mongolia, or in an Inuit village, because thats what a society with no money looks like. Hey lets try this kids, give me everything you own that has a brand name on it. Thats right, your headphones, your scarves, your shoes, hell i guess that would be what, everything you own? So give me that stuff, and Ill sell it and buy you a ticket to mongolia. Then you can live in the moneyless, communistic society you so desperately crave. Ill stay here.
As the same with any large scale protest, the ones who end up getting hurt are the ones who enjoy confrontation and probably don't even care for the reason the protests is occurring.
These are the thrill seekers who stand in the front of the crowd jeering the police. They are nothing more than attention seeking children who cause harm to those who are forced to patrol the demos and to those who genuinely care about the protest.
some funny things can be said about some of these photos
#9- hit me baby one more time
#11- gangsta jedi
#13- kinda reminds me of the movie "jumper"
#17- Who the hell took my skittles?!!!!
#25 May the force be with you
#26 is there something in my teeth?
#27- i think this guy has constipation
#29- one on the left "look a penny" XD
#34-wax on wax off
#262 - Why would a mother bring a small child to this nonsense? Because she is an idiot. So it doesn't surprise me that she would. I don't understand what these babies ("protesters") think they are going to accomplish. Maybe someone can come up with a good answer, because I haven't heard one yet.
Una pena... pero cuantos de los que estan protestando y tirando vallas, promulgando la paz y todo el rollo patatero no llevan unas nike, o adidas o.... lo que sea. Cuantos no han zampao en el Macdonals .... Cuantos no se ponen el traje al dia siguiente para ir a currar.
Señoras y Señores: Somos todos unos HIPOCRITAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Menos quejarse y vayanse todos a Africa a luchar por lo de verdad y a ayudar a la gente, Ah no que se esta mejor en casa quejandose mientras echamos una partidita a la play-station
This kind of protesting never ever helps ANY cause. It only makes things worse for EVERYONE. These protesters didn't change a damn thing! All they ended up doing was hurting themselves and others, causing a mess and skyrocketing their crime rate!
Who ever was there that day, I'm sorry, I love you all and respect your ideals, but you handled yourselves like crying children. Seek a different means of protest.
Your photo captions are biased. Police "clash" with protesters. When the facts are that the police attacked protesters. The police in the UK have a legal obligation to facilitiate peaceful protest. What happened that day was that the police assaulted peaceful protesters. It's easy to see whose side you are on.
"The police in the UK have a legal obligation to facilitiate peaceful protest. What happened that day was that the police assaulted peaceful protesters."
Yes, throwing that computer screen through the RBS window was very peaceful, wasn't it? Irrespective of how many people come to peacefully protest at these anti-capitalism demonstrations, there is always a group (often consumers of the goods produced by the very system they supposedly abhor) who come intent on causing mayhem and destruction. Try being a police officer in that situation, out-numbered by a seething crowd, unsure where the next barricade, rock or projectile will come from.
These b*stards protest every year whether the economy is good or bad and they should count themselves as fortunate to live under such a benevolent government. The Chinese or Soviet Russia would have treated them very differently and they would deserve everything they got.
The persons thinking they will made the world better by clashing with the police or smashing bank windows are f*cking retarded. Go get a job for the economy, plant a tree for the ecology but don't be an idiot for the sake of the planet.
Speaking of the photos, #33 is the best one in my opinion.
I was there. We had just flown in from the US and were headed toward st pauls cathedral when the fires broke out and police swarmed everywhere. I got my own pics. It really happened. They even closed down a few of the tube stations and blocked off the streets.
Violence is for people who can't think! We all should stop acting stupid! Our leaders got their way by abusing rights. The sistem can be disrupted from the inside. There are no limits to interpreting our own rights. Let's start changhing ourselfs, know your rights, learn how to use them. I don't know how to stop capitalism, but openly opensing it, is not the way! They did it behind our backs, pretending to do good. Why can't we do this? Why can't we use the same methods? We can manipulate them, they are still human (in flaws)! This protesting method got us nowere, pleaseeee stop with the violence, and start thinking!
to #296 (Maul) - I'd love to have a quick peek at those pictures. Seeing both angles is bound to be fascinating. Any chance you'll be so kind as to forward a link to J@JustinAngel.Net?
Thanks mate,
-- Justin
The British Police have been widely discredited in recent years.
Numerous inquiries have shown them to be violent, racist thugs. They have shot and killed innocent people such as De Menezies and nobody has ever been charged.
Can some explain why they're are protesting, I'm not to familiar with the G20
It's amazing the amount of diversity found in this protest, as well as responses on this blog. For instance, pictures 4,7, 10, and 15 all show peaceful (and creative) people protesting various causes, while others such as 19-21 and 23-32 show much more violent protests. Pictures 21 and 24 makes me outraged at the police for such a violent crime, while pictures 11 and 25 set me against the protesters for making an otherwise peaceful protest violent. I spotted a couple baby strollers in the mix (picture 15), which shows not everyone wanted a violent protest. This also inspires a sadness in me, that children must inheret this world where we can never decide on anything, nor can we resolve anything peacefully. But then a picture like 33 inspires my faith in humanity again, that in the midst of such a violent protest there are people who can step back and converse calmly to try to prevent suffering and resolve the issue calmly.
On the message board, there are some who call for death to capitalists, and others who want to kill the anarchists. I know I may sound old-fashioned, but I still agree with Dr. King, Mohatma Ghandi, and others in saying that violence is never the solution to anything. It's true, Capitalism has it's flaws. So does Communism, and so does Anarchy. The only way to make this world better is to love others on a one-on-one basis. If I learn how to love Reid Gilbertson and Kris Elwood, and they learn how to love those they hate, then maybe we can work together. All this anger isn't getting us anywhere, only more pain. This they-and-us philosophy is the thing that brings down all of us. Suburbanite families and homeless people live less than half an hour away from eachother. The moment I get off my lazy butt and go help at the nearest food shelter next weekend is the moment something get's accomplished. I think I'm going to devote some time in my schedule now. If I've got a human example who does it regularly, my friend Arielle, then I know I have the ability as well. And we all have to, to make a difference. Go volunteer! Volunteer Week is fast approaching!
These clowns...some of them don't even know what they demonstrate for, what's at stake...but this kind of people like to be victimized...as for the "victim", even if he wasn't a demonstrator, and all the more if he had a heart condition, he should have avoided the surroundings knowing there was a violent demonstration going on...everyone knows things go out of hand during those "peaceful" demonstrations, looked what happened in Strasbourg too...
I cant believe that all the protests on those days were as destructive as we are lead to believe here. As a professional photographer myself I am shocked at the number of photographers on the front line, i am sure this only helps to fuel the violence, and lead to a distorted view the event. I understand the urge of photographers to be close to the action, I have been there myself many years ago, but there was never this amount of shooters. It looks more like a photographers demo.
That said, I believe in the freedom (and rights) of photographers. But i also believe giving a full picture of news worthy events, not just the sensational bits. There are many peaceful protesters who are suffering all over this world, I am sure they would be put off attending such an event due to images like this.
Speaking from the UK, we will all now have to pick up the bill for the damage, and policing from this event, thanks guys.
Those photos are amazing! G20 summit looked mental
esto es una mierda se puede demostrar que los policias pegan con raçon por que mira en la foto que por ejemplo tiran una balla kontra los policias ...... eso son barabaridades humanas sigo sin entender por que la gente açe esas cosas en una manifestacion. No podrian hacer una manifestación pacifica .... no tienen que pegar, vacilar, tirar piedras, tirar compteles molotops etc
¡¡ESTO ÉS UNA BARBARIDAD HAVER SI NOS
COMPORTAMOS COMO UMANOS QUE LO
SOMOS. NO ANIMALES !!
PUNK ROOOOOOOOOOOCKKKK
Picture 34
Ian was walking through, a policeman pushed him over, he later died of cardiac arrest.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7990423.stm
he was murdered....
@Harriet In any legitimate constitutional democracy, the right to civic disobedience is enshrined. I find it amazing that you can discern the contents of these images and conclude that the majority of the violent action taking place is being done so by the activists. I respectfully suggest you study them again. As to destruction of property: If a person is ideologically opposed to corporate institutions like the banking system that unfairly, unequally and unaccountably profit of other humans to their detriment and disenfranchisement, then they can legitimately disregard the law, for that is what it is to be a revolutionary.
Furthermore, the police as an arm of the state mandated in large part to deliver violent reprisals against dissenting and disobeying citizens, are not as innocent as you paint them. And as to your charge of hypocrisy re. clothing specifically: A revolutionary also knows that the food they eat are a result of the unequal and unfair exploited labour. By your logic, to avoid hypocrisy, then, that revolutionary should starve. Maybe part of you would enjoy such a hateful wish, but I insist that the charge itself is illogical. I'm worried that people like you would have disapproved of the Civil Rights movement in America in the same way (which entailed civilian/police violence and property destruction) or the LGBT rights movement today. And for that I'm very, very sorry. For you. Human social progress has always come at the cost of revolution, struggle, protest and uprising. Any one familiar with political history should know this.
Thank you!
The expression on those faces is not hate.
It is anger.
Furious frustrated anger - on behalf of us all.
283
So what system HAS worked... in all of history... where MOST in society are fullfilled by the freedom to pursue happiness and are not destroyed??? What system???
maybe these images focus a little to much on the scuffles and fighting surrounding the G20, i dont see much emphasis on what certain people who demonstrating over, or any of the peaceful demonstrations.
as for the riots, things arn't looking very positive at the moment (though they rarely ever do ^_^) people who feel marginalised legitmately or otherwise are bound to feel frustrated its a shame it has to boil over into violence, i have sympathies for both sides, ido enjoy watching RBS take a deserved bashing though.
G20 MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
While the issues raised by the policing tactics are of vital importance, and rightly should be discussed openly and honestly, what has NOT HAPPENED is the open and honest public discussion of the issues that brought the climate campers to the Carbon Trading Exchange in the first place.
In terms of how Government and Business works, that is 'mission accomplished'.
Silence on the key issues has been maintained.
The violence directed intentionally at the Climate Campers AND the issues they were there to highlight are inextricably linked.
Those issues are both about violence as a tool of 'policy' and as an instrument of 'business'..... the culture we have been born into is founded upon the rationalisation of and the justification of violence against all creatures that refuse to comply or cannot be tamed.
Mostly are College aged kids who are very easily influenced by anybody who sounds counter culture. The ones who are older are pretty much hippies who never grew out of their college aged antics or never wanted to grow up, and extremists of other followings. 90% of the excuses and things they protest over they don't even understand. I'd be willing to say that most there don't know even know why, other then just to protest for protests sake.
And to the person posting that the evil police wouldn't allow even mothers of small babies to leave...... All I have to say is. What kind of Mother would bring a small baby to an event like that? Any parent that would, does NOT deserve to have kids. I think the police should of rushed right in and put the baby in protective services.
Oh. . and I forgot to mention the huge influx of the CT and NWO, Illiumnati, etc.. believers that make their way to these events. A bunch of deluded wackos, immature kids. They may be smart and talk a good game to the uneducated ear. But in truth they say nothing new, and the only people who think they are "cool" are the incoming freshman who were beat up by the football players the year before, sooo looking for a group to belong to.
I don't get what they're rioting against. Money? Seriously? What on earth did they think would happen as a result? Nothing. All they wanted to do was pick a fight because their pockets are hurting. Well so are everyone else's.
I feel so sorry for the police officers. The rioters chose to be there, the police had to be - it's their job. All they were doing were defending themselves and trying to gain some control and all they got in return was slander from the press. I'd like to see how any of those reporters would act when some nutter is charging at you with metal railing!!!
The sadest thing is that this ridiculous situation took away all the attention from a peaceful (and SIGNIFICANT) protest against climate change.
@EWW: So on the one hand we have a wildly diverse, energetic and contradictory mish-mash of college freshmen who got beat up by jocks, immature old hippies, mothers with babes, conspiracy theorists and "extremists" versus the majority of the rest of the developed world, who are cynical, apathetic, apolitical, uneducated, totally disenfranchised from politics, history, and social rights, bland, boring... or... Conservative, hateful, prejudiced, bigoted, racist, sexist, anti-gay.
Hmm...
(Half a second goes by)
I'd take the groups you mock over the alternative every day. Sure, half of them are not fully informed as to what is being protested, and certainly not everyone has the same complaint: We call that "democracy" and these pictures are what that form of society looks like and operates when it comes together for a shared cause: It's diverse, misinformed, confused, unorganized, loud and large. It's a shame you mock and scorn it so but I think it's beautiful and essential in an era where surveillance technology has eroded privacy, the media has diluted information delivery to punditry and our politicians play up hate, prejudice and conflict to win votes and any type of warfare, detainment practice and torture is legal because "we say so".
excellent views!
Me gustaría dar las gracias a todos los manifestantes, ya que representan a todos los anticapiatalistas que no podemos ir hasta alli.
Muchas gracias y fuerza para continuar la lucha.
this report is mostly lies i was there, the captions are misleading
there was one sign saying abolish money, nobody chanted that, nobody chants storm the banks either
it has just been confirmed by a second coroner that ian tomlinson did not die of a heart attack but of internal bleeding caused by a police beating and several police officers are charged with manslaughter
although some protestors were obviously not completely peaceful, the police are mostly violent thugs as this day showed, if you live in london come bank today to protest against police brutality and for your right to protest
It is all very well to verbally attack the police officers but it cannot be denied that some of the so called protestors were there to simply riot and cause as much trouble as possible. The police were that day and indeed everyday tasked to do that which most of us would not and although they do not always get it right this country would be in a far far worse state if they did not have the courage to go out and do the job they do. The same people who are so vocal at attacking the police actions should turn the same critical eye upon the actions of some of these protestors.
Nice to see the amount of people willing to support police brutality and murderers. What a liberal and democratic society we live in. I think the main point of the protesters, if anybody hadn't noticed, is that Capitalism doesn't work. Exploitation is inherent in that unworkable system. We need a new system of mutual aid. The only violence that protesters took was against a building - nobody was hurt or killed so where's the problem there?
Also, people who criticise protesters for being 'college kids and hippies' - maybe you're just too grizzled, old, avaricious and sold your soul to the system so long ago you forgot your humanity. Hope you're happy in your meaningless consumer product orientated lives.
que fuerte
Merci a tout ceux qui luttent pour faire changer les choses...
looks like it was a real war going on there. no wonder somebody died.
those protesters look very pleased being fotografed when destroying something.
this has more of a pogrom to me, than a serious demonstration for something useful. those people wanted to lynch other people they think are responsible for the bad things in the world. all thos aggressions towards bankers make me scare...
In photo no 34 you mention Ian Tomlinson died of a heart attack and may or may not have been a protester. I appreciate this article was posted on the 3rd but subsequent video evidence and reporting has shown that he was a local newspaper vendor who was the victim of an unprovoked assault by police and a 2nd postmortem has disproved the heart attack theory.
Will you amend these important details or just repeat the official lies given out by the authorities to cover up their appalling behaviour at the largely peaceful protests?
I read one response speaking of a 'democracy'. Apparently people aren't aware of the difference between democracy and a Republic. In a democracy it is about a nameless one at the top and everyone else can SERVE or be exterminated.I admire the protestors that stand up for what is right. The global dictatorship is drooling at the mouth to take over. They want the useless nations to have the only military forces globally to address all issues...thats coming up in the next summit.They are Socialists every stinkin one of them! In other words NO GOOD comes from Socialism!
There were in fact a very small number of aggressive protesters, and not surprisingly, this handful of individuals were amplified by the media, diluting the strength and message of feeling of the majority in order to get a 'better' story.
Ian Tomlinson was not a protester and as a previous poster has pointed out, died from internal bleeding as a result of the unprovoked attack. Its heart breaking to read people's contempt for protesters.
Muy impresionantes las capturas, realnmete un buen trabajo
Nice photos that make you ask "Who's bad and who's not?"
This is what I call Photojournalism
in response to robby Hate, you're right about wearing what is iconically Capitalist (consumer-capitalist) clothing such as Nike would suggest the validity of their argument is questionable, but Nike aren't solely responsible for spending the money of the taxpayers and savers from their own bank accounts. That was the main reason the protests were held at the BANK rather than the major commercial Captialist areas such as Oxford Street. i don't preach a new system (like certain other posts) and i don't explicitly support big brand corporations. the purpose of this protest (no matter who the main protest groups represented) was to challenge the behavior of profit through reckless spending from banks of our money
...also, it may be worth saying that the recent nature of policing in the uk has been particularly citezen unfriendly. the photogaphs are nice (from an artistic point of view) but the police were definately more brutal than was necessary. As far as UK persons are concerned, the right to protest has been grinded to nothing. Yes, some of the protesters were violent (sadly) but many of the police on duty are specifically rough and are called for these occasions. Some of the police MEDICS were seen beating people with truncheons. it's a clasic case of too much power for the wrong people. (all police forces around the world have tough jobs, but these were simply bullys. check out Nicky Fisher who was hit in the face then beaten with a baton.
Tanta sangre, violencia, lucha y descontrol supongo que dan la imagen resultante de la opinión de la cumbre del G20 en todo el mundo: una amplio rechazo a esta cumbre. La ciudadanía no comparte las soluciones que éstos toman dentro de sus países, las estrategias económicas para hacerse ellos cada vez más ricos y dejar a los pobres más hundidos en la miseria, balanceándose en la cuerda floja de una deuda eterna sin solución ni acuerdo. No soportamos más fotos aparentes en la que dos señores se dan la mano. No queremos más polícia que frene los gritos de la muchedumbre, que esta vez lleva razón: basta ya de tanto egoísmo, apariencia y ostentación, preocupación económica y empresarial...ningún político es capaz de escucharnos?
Well I saw most of the people were younger, They are all probably to lazy to work in the 1st place and wants something for free, Half the crowd was cameras! at least there working, you don't get anything for free you have to work for it ,like Medical insurance. If everyone thought like them they would be complete collapse of countries because no one would want to work. You say it's time for a change, but I never got paid by a poor man, if it wasn't for capitalism I would not be living as well as I am and I not rich by any means.
No one is forcing you to live in the free world, if you want change move to the PRC, or NK, I'm sure they'd love to have you. But while you're here, stop complaining. And if you want to make change, run for office, call your representitive, write a book, get on the radio/tv.. bashing up banks and such is not the right way to get your point across.
Well done the Police under difficult circumstances. The protestors did nothing for their 'cause'! Not a way to bring change or positive comment. Most looked as if they hadn't done a days work in their life, wanting something for nothing! Get a life, work, earn a wage and contribute responsibly to society.
yo quiero que me expliquen porque estan protestando...osea...se muy poco del tema y no me gusta opinar asi...solo puedo decir que el comportamiento violento de parte de los protestantes esta mal! pero de parte de los policias tambien! y los policias siempre estan alli para golpear y reprimir! aunque no hagas nada! es asi mis hermanos.. si alguien me puede explicar por favor a mi mail paolo1991@hotmail.com
@383
I love how so many of you can judge protesters just by looking at them. You have no idea who the individual is, what they do, what they believe nor their reason for being there. Please do everyone a favor and keep your judgmental opinions to yourself. Thanks.
picture 34 47-year-old Ian Tomlinson lies on the sidewalk after collapsing near police during a protest in the City of London on April 1, 2009. Tomlinson later died, of an apparent heart attack. It is unclear whether the man, who worked downtown, was taking part in the protest, or was merely passing through. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images) #
Edit was killed while walking home by police http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HECMVdl-9SQ&feature=fvw
The main problem in this world is that everyone is ready to put the blame on someone else other than himself. No one wants to diminsh his comforts in order to contribute to better this world. Before every one and not just goverments start looking at the global problem and not just his individual problem nothing will ever get fixed. By protesting in that kind you are just making a hooligan of your self. Take a page from Gandhi's book, by peacful protest he braught down the whole of the british empire. If you really want to change this world start at home and see how high is your carbon foot print and try to diminsh it. That would be a step that if taken by everybody would drastically improove the chances for this planet to survive.
May be you'd like to update your caption on the Ian Tomlinson photo.
He was not taking part in the protests.
He didn't die of a heart attack but of internal bleeding.
He was attacked by a policeman from behind whilst walking away with his hands in his pockets.
Some rioter.
People, protests can be peaceful. A sign and a spoken voice can get your point across. I live in Pittsburgh and I am not looking forward to more violence coming here. Buddists protested.Martin Luther King protested.Please be civil. Dont give the officers reason. God Bless
Hating people for what they have is wasting energy. Destroying property is pointless. Protest peacefully, raise your children lovingly and vote wisely.
As a middle aged man, I hope our youth can make a better place than what we seem to be passing down to them.
que chingonas fotos.. son las que me motivan para no sentirme solo en la lucha contra esos represores de mierda.. salud y libertad conpaneros.. seguimos en pie.
As sad as it is to see violence, these truly are beautiful pictures even if they do show the more violent side of the protest.
I know protestors have rights too, but they need to know when stop and when to draw the line. I am from Pittsburgh, PA (host of the G20 for this year) and protestors and anarachists have already started attacking our city. Attacks on innocent people and police officials of our city are totally un necessary. Violence gets you know where and protestors need to know when to stop. Most of these people are losers with no life that obviously have no jobs if they can travel all across the world with nothing better to do than bitch about issues. I have no sympathy for people are dumb and dont knohow to protest in peace
Let us travel to Pittsburgh for the G-20 summit on 24-25 September, to demonstrate and protest the attendance of Meles Zenawi, the prime minister and dictator ruling Ethiopia for nearly two decades, who will be there in the capacity of the representative for Africa.As you all know, Meles Zenawi and the current Ethiopian regime has been responsible for unspeakable atrocities against masses of innocent civilians in many parts of Ethiopia, including genocide. But the international community allows him to operate with impunity because the regime is seen as a staunch ally in the “war on terror”. We strongly believe that he should not be graced and honoured by an appearance in such a high-level meeting in the United States, leave alone as “Africa’s voice”. Africa deserves better!For those near Los Angeles , California area the Ethiopian-American Enterprenuers Association(EAEA) have grunted funds to cover round trip air ticket from Los Angeles to Pittsburgh and back to LAX on 09/26. If interested contact any of the sponsors near you.The sponsors are listed Tessema Dosho Shifferaw, Charlie Zawde, Elias Negash; Agonafer Shiferaw, Elias Wondimu; Leah Niederstadt and Asqual Teferi.For Exact departure time please contact Tel: 213-365-6651 Ext. 100
Fax: 213 365 6670
I expect that the Pittsburgh Police as well as State Troopers with be mindful of our rights to protest, as much as their right to wear a badge. The man that was murdered by bobbys in London, shows just how law enforcement can equally get out of hand. As I march in protest tomorrow, I will do so in a peaceful manner. However, if law enforcement decides to make me a target, I will fight back, and I will fight back to win. If your going to be in a altercation during any point in your life, fight to win. NAFTA needs to be re-written and those jobs need to be brought back home to America.
these protests are pointless. They serve only the egos and immaturity of those involved. Real revolutionaries actually organized to topple states, not just make a ruckus, smash things, etc.. Those things can happen in a revolution, but these people seem to revel in the image of it, it makes them think they are accomplishing something. sad.
I once said to a friend " there is a civil uprising coming in this country , and it will be here in the next 10 years " i said this 4 years ago and the unrest of government issues has manifested its ugly head in so many different problems that we are all so divided. Everything thats is goin on is stemmed from pure greed. " We the people" have the power to change as we did before when we fought off mother england to stop imperious control . In my opinion our government needs a serious flush of the (proverbial Washington DC toilette) We need real people with no agendas of greed and power to take hold of this country and rebuild it from the inside .
Global Warming is a lie. Hippy dropouts feeling important protesting something they know nothing about. Seriously, just ship these morons to Africa and let them be one with the earth. These people fighting for global warming don't realize its just another thing big banks/investment firms are going to trade in the market( pollution credits) and make even more money off of. Good job on supporting more power for big business when thinking your actually making a difference.
Anarchists just go there for violence, rioting and looting. It is a pity the police cannot use real ammo and pop a couple of them wimps for good.
Coward protestors attack the police force only when they outnumber the Force like 10 to 1 or more.
A dangerous game costing a fortune to the tax payer ...for nothing at all but bruises and fines.
I don't understand people. They all look crazy and ridiculous to me. You don't change things in the world by acting like a bunch of animals. Do these people really think they are getting their point across. Why listen to a bunch of crazed lunatics or even take them serious when they are behaving like that? Why not try to do something clever to catch the attention of the people. You do not represent me when you damage property and run through neighborhoods where citizens live (the Pittsburgh summit) and throw bricks in the chance of damaging peoples personal property. If I was Obama why would I listen to the opinion of someone who clearly is not in the right state of mind.
you people are all defending a system that causes your own imprisonment and you don't even get it.
protesting is a healthy form of expressing emotions. it is also a right. if you ever find something to be so passionate about, i hope you still have the right to express yourself over it.
I've read through about half the postings on here, and it is so plain to see that everyone has a different view, a different opinion, and different prioritie. There are a few points that have been made though that I totally agree with. First the media is worthless at getting anything other than ratings, cause the truth took a back seat long ago to what sells. Second lay off the police they are doing there job and have families to feed just like everyone else, and I can assure you would rather be doing somthing else then staring down an angry mob. Third it is very sad that a few druged up dropouts can completly steal the focus of what would otherwise be a peacful protest and the people with a real message go unacknowledged. Now for a few points of my own. I'm from the states I watched the same exact sort of tactics used during the World Trade Organization mettings in seattle during the Clintion years here. Tens of thousands of peacful protesters came out to protest so called "free trade" in Seattle. A group of about twenty masked morons came out and broke windows and that was all the media reported on, beacause that was what was exiting. The effect was that 350 million other Americans and millions of others around the world had no true idea what was really going on, so they didn't care. As a result "Free Trade" went through along with a host of other reforms that benifited a few small elites, corporations, and contries like China with massive amounts of cheap labor. In essence my government sold my job to get a free golf trip and a ride on a private jet from a corporate executive. All the while the media reported on some druken morons breaking windows. That brings us to today, I see somthing about on the news sort of like this: G-20, protestst, police, riots, broken things. What are people protesting about I wounder, cause all the media seems to care about is the monkey with the club breaking windows. I figure hey, I'll check on line the internet has always got the real scoop and what do I find. Well, for the most part monkeys beating each other with meteporical clubs, about why mokeys were breaking windows with clubs at a protest. Capitalism - 2 Democracy - 0 Now to all you who think the market corrects itself, and government should stay out and capitalism is great. Look at it this way true modern capitalism is unsastainable and has only been around for around two hundred years if that. The driving force behind capitalism is consumption, so in this period of time the capitalist super power of the world my country the US has consumed more natural resources in the last century then every other human being that has lived on the planet during the entire course of human history ten fold. Capitalism will not correct itslef it is a self prepatuating tumor that once it consumes it's host will die with everything else. It's just not sustainable, and if you want governement to stay out of the capitalism then get them out of my government. Finally to all you neo hippie enviormentalist quit protesting pollution to the point you drive jobs over seas to third world countries that don't give a damn about pollution. Now not only are we starving, and unemployed, but my air is worse because they have no enviornmental regulations what so ever. Forget "not in my backyard" antics and realize your still going to smell it in your neigboors yard, at least I would have dug a hole. Thats my ten cents and have a good day! P.S I'm still trying to figure out what are we all protesting I would really honestly like to know?
peacful prote
great pictures, from colombia
The protesters are very fierce!
Violence has never worked...that's bullsh*t, look at the Spanish Revolution and tell me violence didn't get them anywhere. Violence is best avoided if possible, but I'm sorry to say that with the situation our society is in right now, if we really want to get rid of all this capitalist and government mentality violence will probably be necessary.
We could of course bring the internet down and see what happens...
I find it amusing that people try to portray the protesters as uneducated, unemployed and lazy. This simply shows how out of touch many of the people who work in the city are. Do you not stop to think that the very act of questioning the system requires the ability to analyse and critique the world you find yourself in. The stupid people are those which do not stop to reflect on their beliefs and preach them as if they were writ. Perhaps next time you stop to denounce protesters in these terms you should look to yourself, and question where it is you derive these assumptions from. Perhaps next time you find yourself dismissing it as random violence you should look at the whole picture, the peaceful as well as the enraged. Next, think to yourself: what could bring about that strength of conviction? Then go away and do your research, it is not the protesters who need to go to a library (many already do so), but those which regurgitate whatever is fed to them by the mainstream media.
Or perhaps it is the case that those who work in the city do not want to acknowledge the legitimacy of the protest since it would lay the responsibility too close to their own door?