London, Sunday March 27
London was battered by rioters yesterday. Piggybacking on a planned peaceful march against government cuts, a mob of masked extremists wielding wooden sticks, street signs and assorted clubs attacked banks, hotels and shops.
In Piccadilly The Ritz Hotel, banks and Fortnum and Masons department store were prime targets. The Ritz lost many of its windows and the sedate exterior was spattered with paint and daubed with slogans. Masked intruders surged into Fortnum and Masons ground floor terrifying shoppers and staff. They climbed onto the ledge outside by the famous clock and spray painted obscenities on the venerable building. Next door at Hatchards book shop, staff closed the doors, turned off the lights and hunkered down mid-afternoon. Eventually police shepherded staff and customers to safety.
In Oxford Street Top Shop incurred the wrath of the mob, as did the Porsche dealership in Park Lane. They then surged into Trafalgar Square which they planned to occupy Tahir Square style. It took police until 2:00 am to disperse the trouble-makers whom the Times newspaper refers to hooligans. Others call them anarchists.
The planned peaceful march on Saturday was attended by 250,000 protesting government economy cuts. It was organized by the TUC and was the largest march since that protesting the invasion of Iraq in 2003. It culminated in Hyde Park and was attended by families, heath-care workers and pensioners. Trouble-makers spread word on social media networks to use this march to create mayhem.
I went out early on Sunday morning and photographed in Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square. Cleanup was
underway but the destruction was disturbing. I stood in Trafalgar Square and wondered what Nelson would have thought, up there on the top of his tall column, looking down on it all. It dawned on me that he has seen it all before. Then the Bells of St. Martin-in-the-Fields began to peal – a melodic carillon. A group of Scottish Rugby supporters were blowing vuvuzelas – ” just to make noise!” – the supporter said with a grin when I asked.
This was a breath of fresh air – London was shaking off a terrifying night dusting off and moving on as it always does. But worries linger on. Security for the Royal Wedding in one month is being reviewed. “What I don’t like about it is that the world is looking and it gives us a bad name.” said the taxi-driver on the way to Heathrow. “They should arrest these thugs and lock them up.” There are many who would agree with him. Freedom on speech is one thing. Desecration of private property and terrifying shoppers is another.
TTFN For more images click on my photo feed, Angela’s images, on the right of this story. They will be up loaded shortly
