Cops talk to protesters in City riot fear; ACTION.Byline: RYAN PARRY SCOTLAND Yard Scotland Yard, headquarters of the London Metropolitan Police. The term is often used, popularly, to refer to one branch, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Named after a short street in London, the site of a palace used in the 12th cent. held urgent talks with the largest G20 protest group yesterday in a bid to avert chaos on the streets of London. Senior officers met Climate Camp activists to discuss "unprecedented" numbers of protesters expected to flood into London's financial district for planned demos. Thousands of officers, some armed with stun guns will patrol the streets. Police are concerned about a small number of groups and fear scenes such as those at May Day anti-globalisation protests in 2000 and 2001. A police spokesman said both parties "discussed plans for demonstrations and policing" but would not go into further detail. But activists said police are exaggerating the potential for violence and came after criticism that they had not started talks earlier. More than 5,000 anti-capitalists, environment campaigners and anarchists are expected to take part in "Financial Fools Day" in Bishopsgate and the Bank of England Bank of England, central bank and note-issuing institution of Great Britain. Popularly known as the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street, its main office stands on the street of that name in London. today. Protesters from the charity War on Want said they will carry a huge dead canary and signs saying "Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a large business development in London, located on the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, centred on the old West India Docks in RIP" in the financial district in East London. Ruth Tanner of War on Want said of the protests over the next two days: "We will take the struggle for a fairer and safer world to the heart of the City which helped cause the crisis." But another activist told the Mirror that protesters are prepared to risk arrest if the police try to disrupt their camp. He said "We are prepared to take civil disobedience civil disobedience, refusal to obey a law or follow a policy believed to be unjust. Practitioners of civil disobediance basing their actions on moral right and usually employ the nonviolent technique of passive resistance in order to bring wider attention to the to tackle climate change." One banker said he will stay in his office for lunch, adding: "I don't fancy getting strung up from a lamppost," while others said they would take the day off. CAPTION(S): PROTESTS Thousands expected today |
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