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Tens of thousands protest in London ahead of G20 summit

By Fu Jing (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-03-29 18:37

London: Tens of thousands of people marched through the Temple Place to the Hyde Park in a five-hour rally to send an array of messages to the G20 leaders, who will meet Thursday in London.

The issues range from anti-poverty, social inequality, loss of jobs, war, climate change to capitalism.

A banner is displayed during a demonstration in London on March 28, 2009. The Put People First group, an alliance of more than 150 unions, on Saturday organized the demonstration, calling on the leaders of the Group of 20 Countries (G20) to adopt sustainable policies that can lead the world out of recession. [Xinhua] More photos

But most took to the street to express their anger over bankers whose greed has led to the global financial crisis.

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Among them were Geoff Stratford, aged 73，and his wife, who got up at 4:30 am on Saturday in Manchester, and arrived in London by train to join the rally.

"The causes of the (financial crisis) lie in casino capitalism and greed of bankers," Stratford told China Daily while holding high a banner and proceeding forward in the crowd. "We want to get the view through to the leaders who are meeting to find consensus."

Stratford said he and his wife will also join the scheduled marches on Wednesday and Thursday again in London. "We have pensions and not affected much by the crisis but the leaders should correct mistakes and make less people suffer."

Milton McKenzie, another senior from Essex, said: "How the hell can we have a situation here in Britain where we have people out of work and the bankers just cream it off and are helped by the government."

Brass bands, piercing whistles and stereos blasting music have accompanied the procession weaving through the 7.2 km march route.

Simon O'Brien，commander of the senior command team in charge of policing security, said: "It's fair to say that this [the march] is one of the largest, one of the most challenging and one of the most complicated operations we have delivered."

In the run-up to the G20 summit, a huge security operation is under way with all of the London police not being allowed to take leave before the summit ends on Thursday.

Dressed in green sports wear, the 40-something Andrea Porteous is shouting together with her 10-year-old daughter Taylera again and again: "Put Children first."

Not willing to admit she lost her job, Porteous subtly said: "I just finished my work days ago." However, as an office administrator, Porteous has not received new job offers so far even though she has sent out her CV several times.

"Some of my friends have not got feedbacks after sending 20-30 job applications letters."

In the procession are also groups of trade unions. John, a taxi driver in London, said he has to work longer than before the financial crisis, as his daily fare has decreased by 20 to 30 percent.

"I have to drive even six days a week or a minimum of two extra hours every day, said John, who refused to give his full name. "I am urging the G20 leaders to find a way to punish those who brought about the crisis."

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