London Protest Draws More Than 12,000 Before G-20
Thomas Penny
Bloomberg
Mar 28, 2009
March 28 (Bloomberg) -- More than 12,000 people marched through central London today to protest the handling of the world economy as the leaders of the Group of 20 nations prepare to meet in the U.K. capital next week.
The march, which is scheduled to finish with a rally in Hyde Park, is being organized by labor unions, faith groups and charities under the title “Put People First,” according to the demonstration’s Web site.
About 12,000 to 15,000 people joined the march as of 12:45 p.m. in London, according to Metropolitan Police spokesman Eddie Townsend. He said there were no reports of arrests, injuries or fighting. The police had estimated the march might draw 40,000 people.
“Every day we are hearing stories from around the world of how this crisis is throwing development into reverse,” said Claire Melamed, the London-based head of policy for the charity ActionAid, in an e-mailed statement. “What was a financial crisis is turning into a humanitarian catastrophe.”
Melamed, whose charity is one of 150 organizations involved in the march, called on the G-20 to agree to provide new money to support developing countries and to help the system work better for poor people in the future.
The protest “for jobs, justice and climate” follows a series of demonstrations over the response to the economic slump in France, which saw 3 million people taking to the streets across the country last week.
London’s financial district is preparing for demonstrations centered on the Bank of England and the European Climate Exchange on April 1, which police have warned may turn violent. There are also likely to be demonstrations outside the Excel conference center in east London as G-20 leaders meet April 2.
Thousands marched through Berlin and Frankfurt today in protest over the G-20 summit and a meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Agence France-Presse reported, citing police.