Anti-War March Liveblogging *UPDATED* *UPDATED*
With one thing and another (mainly my missus being in bed with a hangover and me having the childminding job) I didn't get down for 12pm at Hyde Park Corner. However, I've just spoken to Davide Simonetti ( who's met up with Rachel) and he's just, 2 hours after arriving, started moving. This is big, people. Murdoch's minions at Sky News are still reporting 'hundreds' demonstrating, so we'll be hoping to refute that. We'll try and get some pictures sent up here to the orbiting Star Wars Blairwatch mission HQ and I'll put them up as the afternoon goes on. At least until the rugby starts.
UPDATE - Rachel has sent me two photos which after some Bluetoothing and an application of the GIMP, are below:
Glowing skeletons and a man in a mask
What Sky News calls 'several hundred people'
15:08 (if Rachel stops sending me new photos!)
*UPDATE by Davide *
I just thought I'd post a couple of videos which I've put up on YouTube. One is George Galloway speaking, the other is Mark Thomas. For more photos (some at a higher resolution), visit my Flickr site. You can see the BBC coverage of the protest here. For what it's worth, I estimated the turnout at somewhere between 40 and 50 thousand people (based on previous demos rather than maths). I heard that the police are saying that 10,000 people turned up and that the organisers are claiming 60,000. Bit of a discrepancy as usual.
Mark Thomas
But was Jack
But was Jack there?
http://worldofjack.blogspot.com/2007/02/so-what-was-he-watching.html
Well, Davide and I were glad
Well, Davide and I were glad of our hip flasks ( him: cognac, me: whisky) and our whistles. We even had a bit of a dance thanks to some top drumming.
I reckon c. 35,000, so poo to Sky. Mark Thomas had the best speech.
Whilst I am a fan of Mark
Whilst I am a fan of Mark Thomas, the video of his speech showed him gesturing in a manner reminiscent of the Father Ted episode "Are you right there, Father Ted" (aka, Father Ted, not a racist). I hope that the right-wing dictator style gesturing was unintentional - or was it also making a statement?
Disappointed with Galloway.
Disappointed with Galloway. More promoting than potesting.
Wasn't that the whole point,
Wasn't that the whole point, scan? Protesting in our thousands and getting ignored by the media is the norm, and we should be cheesed off if that's all the antiwar movement is capable of. Getting an antiwar single to the top of the charts is something the media can't ignore.
Lordy, so it true then. the
Lordy, so it true then. the UK is a nation of winging miserable old twonks.
There have always been the
There have always been the "winging miserable old twonks", Tonys Akiller. Better than shills, I guess.
One good thing (and there were many) about Saturday's demonstration was that YOUNG people were again in evidence. Good for George Galloway and CND for tapping in to the cries of a new generation.
Galloway,yet again spiv
Galloway,yet again spiv first,politician second.
Sad that this corrupt MP is still around.
Interesting that we are
Interesting that we are getting trolls here now on BW. Good to see traffic increase.
well, having just looked at
well, having just looked at a couple of the YouTubes I must say that Trafalgar Square didn't look that full to me. 50,000? I doubt it.
the crowds dispersed a bit
the crowds dispersed a bit at trafalgar square - there were more along the march - not everyone has all day to spare...