Community | March 29, 2009 | 9 comments

Obama in London as thousands protest bank failures

source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/29/obama-london-visit-uk-g20

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graemesmith
Obama and 500 staff arrived in London last night for this week's G20 summit in Docklands. The stakes couldn't be higher for a huge number of world issues including the economy. Whilst the chances of sorting out these crises this week is silm, the hopes riding on the outcome of the event are high.

Obama landed at Stanstead Tuesday night on Air Force One (on which he is capable of launching nuclear attack or working out in the gym) and was transferred to Central London by Marine One, the Presidential helicopter (complete with missile interceptors). The helicopter was in a fleet of identical decoys to prevent attack. Whilst in London he will be transported in "The Beast" - the heavily armored car that comes complete with private oxygen supply and tear gas cannon. It is unlikely to end up sitting on the south circular in traffic.

There are 200 security personnel just for the President and a team of doctors and chefs. His security staff have already checked the venues in London and done a reading of the levels of bacteria in the air.

Whilst there is the G20 meeting at the Excel centre in Docklands, there are also a number of private mini-summits. On Wednesday Obama will meet the Chinese leader Hu Jintao, he will then meet Dmitry Medvedev of Russia, Indian PM Manmohan Singh and the South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. The issues negotiated in London between Obama and these leaders are the economy, North Korea's "satellite launch", the security situation in Pakistan and Iran.

At the same time some of the biggest demonstrations in a generation in the UK are set to take to the streets of London with environmentalists, left wing groups, anti capitalist groups and even anarchists. The security operation to be mounted by the Metropolitan Police and the Security Services is set to be unprecedented. All Police leave in the capital has been cancelled.
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9 comments // Obama in London as thousands protest bank failures

  • cowfish
    • 0
      cowfish  

    • It was fine on Bartholomew Lane when I was there at lunchtime, with 6 police vans parked at the top. There seemed to be a lot more people covering the smashing up of the RBS branch than there were actually doing the smashing.

      Climate Camp (in Annie Mole's piccy above) is much calmer and friendlier and over on Bishopsgate. I'll be wandering over there on the way home to see what's happening.

    • 3 years ago
  • abbym0308
  • AnnieMole
  • abbym0308
    • 0
      abbym0308  
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    • The group protesting on Threadneedle Street and Bartholomew Lane has been the most heated with violent clashes with police. Demonstrators busted out windows of the Royal Bank of Scotland there, a few made it in and then threw some office furniture out the windows. Police in riot gear moved in and are trying to move the crowds out of the area.

    • 3 years ago
  • mattbrawn
    • 0
      mattbrawn  
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    • I've been following this on Twitter mostly, the amount of comments being posted is phenomenal.

      Try checking out Search.Twitter.com and search '#G20' ~ I found this picture of one of the Police's super riot vans apparently 'en route' somewhere in a bit of a hurry...

      Watching the live feed on BBC and Sky News, things defintiely seem to be getting a bit more heated, one thing's for sure, I'm glad I don't work in that part of the City.

    • 3 years ago
  • richjm
  • abbym0308
    • 0
      abbym0308  
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    • The four demonstrations are converging at the Bank of England now. It's reported that there have been a few arrests for people who were carrying knives and one more for assaulting a police officer. I'm watching the live feed on BBC right now and it all looks pretty civil to me so far. Thousands of people are filling in though. Will be interesting to see how this pans out.

    • 3 years ago
  • emmahill
    • 0
      emmahill  

    • I'm strangely proud of 2 things: 1, Obama's first official foreign visit is taking place in London and 2, protesters are able to mobilize themselves for an event like this, and have already made an impact even before the summit has started.

      I just hope any marches don't descend into violence. It's the responsibility of both the police and the protesters to make sure this doesn't happen.

    • 3 years ago
  • catchiecoo
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