Shropshire marchers condemn London protest violence

ORGANISERS OF Shropshire's 1,500 strong contingent in the mass protest in central London today condemned violence which flared up in the protest march as police revealed 149 people faced charges.

Dr William Edmonson, union member and co-organiser of the Shropshire protest, said the unrest had been magnified by the national media in what was an otherwise peaceful protest.

The 149 people have been charged with offences in connection with the disorder which followed the protest by hundreds of thousands of people against the Government's spending cuts.

About 201 people were arrested after trouble flared following the daytime demonstration from Embankment to Hyde Park.

And police today said they would be considering using "stop and search" powers to prevent troublemakers disrupting the royal wedding, in light of disorder seen around the TUC's March for the Alternative.

Mr Edmonson said of Saturday's march: "The protest was a great success with very good low-key policing. The march itself was good humoured and it was a tribute to the Shropshire organisations involved.

"The violence has been described as being caused by breakaway groups but it was completely separate organisations, including anarchists, who were acting with their own agendas."

John Adams, GMB member for Telford & Wrekin Council, said he did not see any violence and the event was an "outstanding success" sending a message out that "barbaric spending cuts must cease."

Metropolitan Police Commander Bob Broadhurst, who led the police operation, said the groups "could not have been more markedly different" from the TUC march.

He said activists had developed tactics to avoid police by keeping mobile, using small alleyways and covering their faces.

"Their intent appeared to be causing havoc, with no concern at all for those people in central London they were putting in danger.

A group wearing scarves to hide their faces, started attacking shops and banks well away from the march, causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage and clashing with some of the 4,500 police on duty.

By Sam Pinnington