G20 protest: Thousands set off on 'rainbow alliance' march
• Thousands of police monitor G20 protest
• TUC leader warns off troublemakersAlok Jha
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 28 March 2009 12.12 GMT
Thousands of protesters from around the country are gathering today in London, despite the wind and rain, to march for "jobs, justice and climate" ahead of the G20 summit next week. The events mark the start of a week of demonstrations ahead of the meeting of world leaders in London on Wednesday.
Today's march, which started on Victoria Embankment with protesters waving a range of flags and placards, has been organised by a "rainbow alliance" of more than 150 unions, environment, charity, faith and development groups called Put People First (PPF).
One of the organisers, the TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber, said 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 four-mile march route goes through Parliament Square, Piccadilly Circus, Hyde Park Corner, Park Lane and then culminates in a rally at Hyde Park starting at 2.30pm. There, speeches by union leaders and the activist comedian Mark Thomas will call for action from G20 leaders to save jobs, encourage a low-carbon economy and place more regulations on banks.
Several thousand police officers have been placed on duty to keep the peace, although organisers have already expressed concern that police have spread stories that today's demonstrations will be overtaken by violent anarchists. ........(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/28/g20-protest-police-rainbow-alliance
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