By DAILY MAIL REPORTER 26th March 2011
- Hooded anarchists throw paint and set off flares on Oxford Street
- Police targeted with missiles and light bulbs filled with ammonia
- Windows at The Ritz smashed as masked youths run wild
- Anti-capitalist smash banks and cash points in city centre rampage
- Five police officers injured in clashes, one seriously
- Labour leader Ed Miliband likens protest to anti-apartheid movement
These are the scenes in central London tonight as riot police struggle to control anti-capitalist protesters following the TUC's national demonstration against the cuts.
Violence broke out in iconic London locations after splinter groups of activists broke away from the main demonstration and spread out across the centre of the city.
The Ritz hotel and Fortnum & Mason were among the buildings targeted in the capital as groups of rampaging youths fought running battles with riot police.
Clashes look set to continue into the night, as police use containment tactics to try to bring the mob under control.
Scroll down for our video report
Riot: Police officers stand in front of a fire lit be demonstrators in central London
Nightfall: Riot police form lines in front of burning dustbins as they try to control protesters run rampage after the TUC's anti-cuts demo
Running battles: Police officers walk past burning debris in a side road off Regent Street
Chaos: A protester smashing windows at The Ritz in London today
Civil disobedience: Demonstrators throw a road sign at a window of the Ritz Hotel
Street fighting: Hooded protesters, left, continue their attack on the Ritz hotel with bins, while a police officer, right, finds himself in the firing line of flare throwing anarchists
Earlier, around 500,000 activists and campaigners descended on London this morning to protest at the Government's drastic cuts programme.
But while the main march and rally in Hyde Park, which was addressed by Labour leader Ed Miliband, remained peaceful, splinter groups of anarchists went wild.
Hundreds of activists - many wearing masks and hoods - disrupted traffic, set off fireworks and flares in the busiest areas of the city including Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street and Regent Street.
Lightbulbs filled with ammonia and paintbombs were thrown at police as they desperately tried to keep the peace.
Topshop and HSBC had their windows smashed, while paint and glass bottles were thrown at a Royal Bank of Scotland branch. The marauders also attacked The Ritz near Green Park, where they smashed windows with bins and road signs.
UK Uncut, an anti-cuts direct action group, later occupied the Fortnum & Mason store in Piccadilly, claiming the firm had 'dodged' paying taxes.
Nine arrests were made and some police officers were injured.
Siege: Anti-capitalist protesters confront police outside Fortnum & Mason
Uncut: Protesters occupy Fortnum and Mason's on Piccadilly in central London
Rage: UK Uncut protesters targeted Fortnum and Mason's, which they accuse of tax evasion
A policeman splashed with paint in Oxford Street during the anti-cuts protest
Officers clashing with demonstrators in Oxford Street
Topshop's flagship store was paintbombed
The event, organised by the TUC, is believed to be the largest march since up to a million took to the streets in 2003 to oppose the war in Iraq. By 3pm, estimated participation was at 500,000.
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said he 'bitterly regretted' the violence, adding that he hoped it would not detract from the massive anti-cuts protest.
'I don’t think the activities of a few hundred people should take the focus away from the hundreds of thousands of people who have sent a powerful message to the Government today,' he said.
'Ministers should now seriously reconsider their whole strategy after today’s demonstration. This has been Middle Britain speaking.'
Mr Barber said unions would now step up pressure on the Government, especially MPs in their constituencies, and launch a series of protests next week in defence of the NHS.
London Ambulance Service said 30 people were treated for injuries throughout the day, 11 of whom were taken to hospital, ranging from assault to collapsing with illness.
Commander Bob Broadhurst said: 'The main march has gone very well. Their estimates are 250,000 - maybe more - have come to central London and protested peacefully. That has gone as we expected.
'Unfortunately, we have had over 500 criminals effectively attacking premises in the Oxford Circus area, causing damage.
'We anticipated there would be some problems. We have minimised the damage caused. We’ll never have enough officers to protect every building in central London. it cannot be done.
'The actual march has gone according to plan. Those damaging buildings have had nothing to do with the TUC.'
Activists threw flares at shops on Oxford Street
Melee: Police clash with anarchist protesters in the centre of London
HSBC (above) and the Royal Bank of Scotland were targeted
Criminal damage: A masked protestor attempts to smash a window after breaking into a HSBC bank branch in Cambridge Circus
Battle: Police try to defend an HSBC branch after anti-capitalist protesters try to smash their way in with a wheelie bin
Wrestle: A police officer has an activist in his grip and then pushes him to the floor. The man in the brown hooded top appeared to be an undercover officer pushing people away from his colleague
MIKIVERSE EDITORS NOTE: ISN'T IT INTERESTING HOW THE ENGLISH PRESS SO CASUALLY DESCRIBES THE UNDERCOVER OFFICER PRETENDING TO BE A PROTESTOR/ACTIVIST. TYPICALLY THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ALMOST ALWAYS START THE VIOLENCE. IT IS ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT THIS CAPTION AND PHOTO WAS REMOVED FROM LATER EDITIONS OF THIS PAPER.
Mr Miliband defied calls to stay away in case the protest descended into anarchy and attempted to use the occasion to argue that his party offered an 'alternative'.
'This is the big society': Labour leader Ed Miliband told trade unionists he supported their struggle
The Labour leader described the gathering as 'extraordinary' and declared himself 'profoundly moved'. He even likened the action to the anti-apartheid movement.
'We come in the tradition of movements that have marched in peaceful but powerful protest for justice, fairness and political change,' he said.
'The suffragettes who fought for votes for women and won. The civil rights movement in America that fought against racism and won.
'The anti apartheid movement that fought the horror of that system and won. The cause may be different but in coming together today to realise our voice, we are standing on the shoulders of those who have marched and struggled for great causes in the past.
'Our struggle is to fight to preserve, protect and defend the best of the services we cherish because they represent the best of the country we love. We know what the government will say: that this is a march of the minority. They are so wrong.'
He added: 'David Cameron: you wanted to create the big society. This is the big society. The big society united against what your government is doing to our country. We stand today not as the minority, but as the voice of the mainstream majority in this country.'
Black bloc: An anarchist protester throws a yellow smoke bomb at police
A protestor holds a smoke flare during clashes with police
Protesters attacked a police van with metal bars
The demonstration was divided between chaos and peaceful action, with nurses, midwives, Gurkhas and teachers all on the streets.
Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said the turnout was 'absolutely enormous and showed the anger of ordinary working people at the Government's cuts'.
As police fought with the violent fringe, the main group of marchers demonstrated peacefully and walked along the planned route without conflict.
Steel bands, choirs, performers and dancers performed while the mass of people, many with their children in tow, blew horns and whistles as they passed alongside Parliament.
Mass movement: The Trades Union Congress organised the march to Hyde Park, before holding a rally
Protesters of all ages joined the march across London as Scotland yard put 4,500 police officers on the streets
Carnival atmosphere: Despite violent clashes with police, many youths maintained a good humour
Demonstrators walk by Big Ben in central London during the protest dubbed the 'March for the Alternative'
Alternative: Labour leader Ed Miliband MP addresses thousands at the TUC Rally in Hyde Park
Earlier, Education Secretary Michael Gove acknowledged the public concerns about the planned cuts, but insisted that the Government would not be deflected from its strategy.
'Of course people will feel a sense of disquiet, in some cases anger, at what they see happening, but the difficulty we have as the Government inheriting a terrible economic mess, is that we have to take steps to bring the public finances back into balance,' he said.
Activists' websites had shown how they organised a 'huge explosion of class hatred and anger’, specifically targeting banks and shops on Oxford Street.
Trade union leaders, who put on 600 coaches and nine trains to ferry protesters to the capital, insisted they only wanted a ‘safe, well-stewarded and family-friendly event’
But Len McCluskey, leader of the country’s biggest union, ramped up the rhetoric, saying anger towards cuts in public spending ‘needs to find a release’.
Scotland Yard have 4,500 officers on the streets and have warned they will use controversial 'kettling' techniques where necessary.
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