Warning: UPDATE command denied to user 'ringverse14'@'77.232.80.10' for table 'cache' query: UPDATE cache SET data = 'a:365:{s:21:\"update_watchdog_fixed\";b:1;s:26:\"theme_slash_black_settings\";a:14:{s:11:\"toggle_logo\";i:1;s:11:\"toggle_name\";i:0;s:13:\"toggle_slogan\";i:0;s:14:\"toggle_mission\";i:0;s:24:\"toggle_node_user_picture\";i:0;s:27:\"toggle_comment_user_picture\";i:0;s:13:\"toggle_search\";i:0;s:14:\"toggle_favicon\";i:1;s:12:\"default_logo\";i:0;s:9:\"logo_path\";s:21:\"pics/electwatLEFT.gif\";s:11:\"logo_upload\";N;s:15:\"default_favicon\";i:1;s:12:\"favicon_path\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"favicon_upload\";N;}s:13:\"filter_html_1\";s:1:\"1\";s:20:\"comment_default_mode\";s:1:\"2\";s:21:\"comment_default_order\";s:1:\"2\";s:24:\"commen in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 174

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc:174) in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/bootstrap.inc on line 569

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc:174) in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/bootstrap.inc on line 570

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc:174) in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/bootstrap.inc on line 571

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc:174) in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/bootstrap.inc on line 572

Warning: INSERT command denied to user 'ringverse14'@'77.232.80.10' for table 'watchdog' query: INSERT INTO watchdog (uid, type, message, severity, link, location, referer, hostname, timestamp) VALUES (0, 'php', '<em>Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc:174)</em> in <em>/mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/common.inc</em> on line <em>141</em>.', 2, '', 'http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/node/1660', '', '38.107.191.113', 1283483646) in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 174

Warning: INSERT command denied to user 'ringverse14'@'77.232.80.10' for table 'watchdog' query: INSERT INTO watchdog (uid, type, message, severity, link, location, referer, hostname, timestamp) VALUES (0, 'php', '<em>UPDATE command denied to user &amp;#039;ringverse14&amp;#039;@&amp;#039;77.232.80.10&amp;#039; for table &amp;#039;cache_filter&amp;#039;\nquery: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = &amp;#039;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If anyone believes the police on anything then, well, what can I say? Do yourself a favour, dont wake up. cheers&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;\\n&amp;#039;, created = 1283483646, expire = 1283570046, headers = &amp;#039;&amp;#039; WHERE cid = &amp;#039;3:68cdb8c22a1663c35a272af07d7c3eb6&amp;#039;</em> in <em>/mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc</em> on line <em>174</em>.', 2, '', 'http://www.blairwatch.co in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 174

Warning: INSERT command denied to user 'ringverse14'@'77.232.80.10' for table 'watchdog' query: INSERT INTO watchdog (uid, type, message, severity, link, location, referer, hostname, timestamp) VALUES (0, 'php', '<em>UPDATE command denied to user &amp;#039;ringverse14&amp;#039;@&amp;#039;77.232.80.10&amp;#039; for table &amp;#039;cache_filter&amp;#039;\nquery: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = &amp;#039;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Since when have any Met Police statements about &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;anything at all&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; been remotely accurate?&amp;amp;nbsp; One only has to look at the blathering from that unimpeachable source, Sir Ian Blair, to realise that they are living in a sort of nether world where reality and truth are merely a form of political currency.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;\\n&amp;#039;, created = 1283483646, expire = 1283570046, headers = &amp;#039;&amp;#039; WHERE cid = &amp;#039;3:411 in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 174

Warning: INSERT command denied to user 'ringverse14'@'77.232.80.10' for table 'watchdog' query: INSERT INTO watchdog (uid, type, message, severity, link, location, referer, hostname, timestamp) VALUES (0, 'php', '<em>UPDATE command denied to user &amp;#039;ringverse14&amp;#039;@&amp;#039;77.232.80.10&amp;#039; for table &amp;#039;cache_filter&amp;#039;\nquery: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = &amp;#039;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;I wasn\\&amp;#039;t there, but judging by the photographs I\\&amp;#039;d estimate that it was at least as big, if not bigger than the demonstration last year during the Lebanon war.&amp;amp;nbsp; The police then said there was either 10 or 20,000 while I thought that 50,000 would be a conservative estimate.&amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;\\n&amp;#039;, created = 1283483646, expire = 1283570046, headers = &amp;#039;&amp;#039; WHERE cid = &amp;#039;3:de71a48864eb15161dad30cc1eb04cef in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 174

Warning: INSERT command denied to user 'ringverse14'@'77.232.80.10' for table 'watchdog' query: INSERT INTO watchdog (uid, type, message, severity, link, location, referer, hostname, timestamp) VALUES (0, 'php', '<em>UPDATE command denied to user &amp;#039;ringverse14&amp;#039;@&amp;#039;77.232.80.10&amp;#039; for table &amp;#039;cache_filter&amp;#039;\nquery: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = &amp;#039;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Captain Sensible of the Damned has an interesting take on the demo figures. Click on my name for details.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;\\n&amp;#039;, created = 1283483646, expire = 1283570046, headers = &amp;#039;&amp;#039; WHERE cid = &amp;#039;3:edd26263722421d56e34700a93601211&amp;#039;</em> in <em>/mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc</em> on line <em>174</em>.', 2, '', 'http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/nod in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 174
How Many People Were In Trafalgar Square On Saturday? | Blairwatch

How Many People Were In Trafalgar Square On Saturday?

Simple enough question, I should have thought, but as usual the police and STWC organisers are vastly at odds.  Let's throw some facts on the table:

Police, according to BBC:

Metropolitan Police put the figure at 10,000.

While the same source on the STWC:

Some 60,000 joined the march from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square, according to organisers.

Which differs from STWC's website:

UP TO 100,000 marchers joined the Troops Out/No Trident demonstration on 24 February, calling for all occupying troops to be withdrawn from Iraq, no replacement of Britain’s nuclear weapons system and no attack on Iran.

Meanwhile the Met, having cranked up the random number generator, told the Independent (and Observer):

The Metropolitan Police put the number at between 2,000 and 3,000.

At Lenin's Tomb the man himself claims (in comments)

Anyone knows that Trafalgar Square when it's full contains 60,000 people, and that's the old Trafalgar square before the paved over the bloody road at the top. And today it was not only full but overflowing

Rachel, who was there, says in her comments:

I reckon c. 35,000, so poo to Sky.

Whlle Davide's report on Nether-World estimates

I guessed (and this is just a guess) between 40,000 and 50,000 people turned up

All of which proves not a lot, except that it's extremely unwise to trust the police figures, which in statistical terms go in the discard pile. Let's expand the data set a bit - the Square isn't used solely for anti-war marches, and there have been two other large crowd events in the last couple of years that received wide coverage - the first is the 6/7/2005 2012 Olympics Award:

Seconds after London was proclaimed the Olympics winner the crowds that had packed into every inch of Trafalgar Square were sprayed with confetti.

 The second is the Ashes celebration in September 2005.

The tens of thousands gathered in Trafalgar Square cheered highlights of the exhilarating summer series and interviews with each member of the victorious squad before a rendition of 'Jerusalem' rounded the presentation off.

[Note the photos, particularly of Michael Vaughan in front of a frankly enormous crowd]

and additionally

England's players joyously belt out the hymn Jerusalem one more time along with an estimated 100,000 well-wishers

 while the Scotsman has

TRAFALGAR Square was transformed into a land fit for heroes yesterday as more than 30,000 gathered to toast the England cricket team's victory in the Ashes Tests.

 

Now, the Square is 110x110 metres, according to the GLA.  That's 12100 square metres.  Now, I reckon you can get four people in per square metre, which brings us up to a notional maximum capacity of, broadly, 50,000.  10,000 people would make the square look decidedly empty - if your commuter train came into the station 20% full you'd be well happy.  From the photos I can see, the area is not 20% full, it's more like 80%, which would put 40,000 people in the square alone when Davide was taking his photos, not counting those still on the march.

So, what have we established?  A large turnout for the Square itself is 30,000 to 50,000 people.  More people were outside the square.  I reckon we can conservatively estimate the turnout to be 50,000+, or sixteen times what the Met Police told the country's leading non-conservative Sunday broadsheets.  Mind you, since their own website of forthcoming events doesn't mention the 24th February demo, perhaps they forgot.

If anyone believes the

If anyone believes the police on anything then, well, what can I say? Do yourself a favour, dont wake up. cheers

Since when have any Met

Since when have any Met Police statements about anything at all been remotely accurate?  One only has to look at the blathering from that unimpeachable source, Sir Ian Blair, to realise that they are living in a sort of nether world where reality and truth are merely a form of political currency.

I wasn't there, but judging

I wasn't there, but judging by the photographs I'd estimate that it was at least as big, if not bigger than the demonstration last year during the Lebanon war.  The police then said there was either 10 or 20,000 while I thought that 50,000 would be a conservative estimate. 

Captain Sensible of the

Captain Sensible of the Damned has an interesting take on the demo figures. Click on my name for details.


Warning: INSERT command denied to user 'ringverse14'@'77.232.80.10' for table 'watchdog' query: INSERT INTO watchdog (uid, type, message, severity, link, location, referer, hostname, timestamp) VALUES (0, 'php', '<em></em> in <em>/mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc</em> on line <em>174</em>.', 2, '', 'http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/node/1660', '', '38.107.191.113', 1283483646) in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 174

Warning: INSERT command denied to user 'ringverse14'@'77.232.80.10' for table 'watchdog' query: INSERT INTO watchdog (uid, type, message, severity, link, location, referer, hostname, timestamp) VALUES (0, 'php', '<em>UPDATE command denied to user &amp;#039;ringverse14&amp;#039;@&amp;#039;77.232.80.10&amp;#039; for table &amp;#039;node_counter&amp;#039;\nquery: UPDATE node_counter SET daycount = daycount + 1, totalcount = totalcount + 1, timestamp = 1283483646 WHERE nid = 1660</em> in <em>/mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc</em> on line <em>174</em>.', 2, '', 'http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/node/1660', '', '38.107.191.113', 1283483646) in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 174

Warning: INSERT command denied to user 'ringverse14'@'77.232.80.10' for table 'watchdog' query: INSERT INTO watchdog (uid, type, message, severity, link, location, referer, hostname, timestamp) VALUES (0, 'php', '<em>INSERT command denied to user &amp;#039;ringverse14&amp;#039;@&amp;#039;77.232.80.10&amp;#039; for table &amp;#039;accesslog&amp;#039;\nquery: INSERT INTO accesslog (title, path, url, hostname, uid, sid, timer, timestamp) values(&amp;#039;How Many People Were In Trafalgar Square On Saturday?&amp;#039;, &amp;#039;node/1660&amp;#039;, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;, &amp;#039;38.107.191.113&amp;#039;, 0, &amp;#039;7baa1e333dd9824a7bbf059a91ff36aa&amp;#039;, 753, 1283483646)</em> in <em>/mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc</em> on line <em>174</em>.', 2, '', 'http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/node/1660', &# in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 174

Warning: INSERT command denied to user 'ringverse14'@'77.232.80.10' for table 'watchdog' query: INSERT INTO watchdog (uid, type, message, severity, link, location, referer, hostname, timestamp) VALUES (0, 'php', '<em>UPDATE command denied to user &amp;#039;ringverse14&amp;#039;@&amp;#039;77.232.80.10&amp;#039; for table &amp;#039;sessions&amp;#039;\nquery: UPDATE sessions SET uid = 0, cache = 0, hostname = &amp;#039;38.107.191.113&amp;#039;, session = &amp;#039;&amp;#039;, timestamp = 1283483646 WHERE sid = &amp;#039;7baa1e333dd9824a7bbf059a91ff36aa&amp;#039;</em> in <em>/mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc</em> on line <em>174</em>.', 2, '', 'http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/node/1660', '', '38.107.191.113', 1283483646) in /mounted-storage/home80c/sub001/sc13882-HCOS/blairwatch5_11/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 174