Nikolai Gorshkov — Trafalgar square has seen much bigger crowds but probably not as many Guy Fawkses, at least not since the last march a year ago. Not everyone is wearing a mask; in fact, there are activists urging marchers to “de-mask” — to show pride in what they stand for.
Although it is not apparent at first sight, police numbers are almost equal to those behind the Guy Fawkes masks.
After a brief rally by Nelson’s column the crowd of several thousand begins an orderly procession towards the parliament. My debating neighbours shake hands and part ways. The city types go towards Pall Mall, the Mecca of private clubs, and we join the march.
The organizers were expecting about 20 thousand protestors, but police said only 3 thousand turned up. The truth is probably somewhere in between, as there turn out to be several venues for the gatherings, some unauthorized.
The noisy but so far peaceful procession is constantly reminded by police loudspeakers about public order restrictions and penalties for breaking the peace.
Tucked away in back alleys along the route from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square are dozens of police vans with police in riot gear on standby.
We pass several pubs in Whitehall where smart suited businessmen are enjoying their favourite tipple. The sound of vuvuzelas is periodically drowned by police PA system.
As we approach Parliament, all of a sudden riot police charge at us and cut us from those in front. Apparently, the head of the column went past the designated area on Parliament Square and pushed towards Buckingham Palace — way off the prescribed route. We find ourselves sandwiched between two lines of police in full battle gear. Thankfully, the standoff is brief and the police line behind us quickly disperses. People in front are shouting at the police line facing us to let us through, and several fireworks go off.
Immediately, mounted police arrive from nowhere and charge at us. That is a bit scary and people start running in all directions. The charge stops as abruptly as it has started, and the horseback police disappear — only to re-emerge ten minutes later to charge again.
A 'Guy Fawkes' next to me, whose real name – or maybe not — is Luke, starts swearing.
“What the … are they doing?! — They are provoking us but we won’t take the bait.” I ask him why he’s here. “The right to peaceful protest, man?— these are our streets! Why can’t we go to the Palace?”
What’s his protest about, I ask. “Haven’t you heard of the ‘snoopers charter’, man, — I don’t want to be watched by the Big Brother big time – neither do you, I bet.” I cannot help but agree.
But we are stuck: police won’t let us through and it looks like most of the more radically minded protestors have gone ahead to Buckingham Palace, leaving the rest of us without leaders.
People start leaving the square. We hear that an unattended police car was set on fire, and police report three arrests for possession of prohibited items. Some scuffles are reported from around the Palace, but there is no way more protestors can get there.
Well, says Luke, we made ourselves heard and we’ll be back next year.
