March draws thousands to protest Bush visit

6:11pm Thursday 20th November 2003

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Tens of thousands of people crammed the streets of central London this afternoon, to march against the state visit of US President, George Bush.

Organisers of the march claimed at least 100,000 people demonstrated against Mr Bush, while the Met police claimed the figure was closer to 70,000.

Starting in Malet St, Bloomsbury, at about 2.45pm, the march moved south across the river to Waterloo, before coming back across at Westminster, along Whitehall, and finishing at Trafalgar Square.

The Trafalgar Square rally culminated with a ceremony to pull down a 5m high statue of George Bush at 5.15pm, to massive cheers from the large crowd.

Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic lead the countdown leading to the pulling down of the papier mache model of Mr Bush, and its downfall provoked a frenzied response.

Police earlier had problems with the crowd after a large group of late arrivals, who could not join the main body of marchers, began their own procession.

Many among the marchers expressed strong feelings against the man honoured last night by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

Omar Arsslan, of Kurdish origin but resident for 10 years in the UK, said he was marching against Bush 'because of his actions and his violence towards states in the middle east'.

Josh, who refused to give his surname but comes from York, said he 'American foreign policy' had prompted him to march - and because 'it's a good excuse to embarrass Tony Blair'.

"Clearly because I'm British my problem is with the British Government," he said.

Carol Burns, a writer from Belsize Park, said she was marching 'for herself and for her children'.

She said: "I'm marching because I want the war in Iraq to end. I think they are murdering people, it's anbsolutly tragic. I don't think all the atrocities are being reported and I've got American friends who are not aware of this going on."

Thousands of 'Stop Bush' signs - designed to look like they have a spreading stain of blood on them - were waved in the air as the crowds passed down Kingsway, over Waterloo Bridge and back across the river into Whitehall.

One banner proclaimed not 'war on terror', but 'war is terror'.

Another group held up a large banner bearing the words "Geneva Convention". The banner had been shredded and stained blood red.

Duncan Coleman, a London schoolboy, said: "I'm here because of George Bush's campaign against the third world."

Duncan was not entirely against the war however, "I think it was justified, but not to do with Bush's idea of homeland security."

The demonstration is expected to last into the late evening. The President holds a return banquet for the Queen at the residence of the American ambassador this evening.