[DEBATE] : (Fwd) Monbiot, Guardian reports on London protests

[Patrick Bond]

G20 protests: Riot police, or rioting police?

At the G20 protests in London only one group appears to be looking for 
violent confrontation – and it's not the protesters

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Comments (110)
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G20 protests turn violent at Bank in the City of London. Photograph: 
Owen Humphreys/PA

Force majeure ... are the police protesting too much? Photograph: Owen 
Humphreys/PA

The trouble-makers are out in force again. Dressed in black, their faces 
partly obscured, some of them appear to be interested only in violent 
confrontation. It's almost as if they are deliberately raising the 
temperature, pushing and pushing until a fight kicks off. But this isn't 
some disorganised rabble: these people were bussed in and are plainly 
acting in concert. There's another dead giveaway. They are all wearing 
the same slogan: Police.

The police have been talking up violence at the G20 protests for weeks. 
They briefed journalists and companies in the City of London about the 
evil designs of the climate campaigners intending to demonstrate there, 
but refused to let the campaigners attend the briefings and put their 
own side of the story. They also rebuffed the campaigners when they 
sought to explain to the police what they wanted to do.

The way officers tooled themselves up in riot gear and waded into a 
peaceful crowd this afternoon makes it look almost as if they were 
trying to ensure that their predictions came true. Their bosses appear 
to have failed either to read or to heed the report by the parliamentary 
committee on human rights last week, about the misuse of police powers 
against protesters. "Whilst we recognise police officers should not be 
placed at risk of serious injury," the report said, "the deployment of 
riot police can unnecessarily raise the temperature at protests."

But there has always been a conflict of interest inherent in policing. 
The police are supposed to prevent crime and keep the streets safe. But 
if they are too successful, they do themselves out of a job. They have a 
powerful interest in exaggerating threats and, perhaps, an interest in 
ensuring that sometimes these threats materialise. This could explain 
what I've seen at one protest after another, where peaceful 
demonstrations turn into ugly rucks only when the police attack. The 
wildly disproportionate and unnecessary violence I've sometimes seen the 
police deploy could scarcely be better designed to provoke a reaction.

If this is so, they lose nothing. They might get the occasional rap over 
the knuckles from MPs or the police complaints commission. It doesn't 
seem to bother them. By planting the idea in the public mind that the 
streets could erupt into catastrophic violence at any time, were it not 
for the thick blue line thrown around even the mildest protest, they 
establish the need for a heavy police presence. While the public lives 
in fear, no government dares to cut the policing budget.

Monbiot.com

***
G20 protests: riot police clash with demonstrators

• RBS branch stormed as bloody skirmishes erupt
• Thousands of protesters held in containment pens
• Barack Obama and Gordon Brown upbeat on G20 deal

* Sam Jones, Jenny Percival and Paul Lewis
* guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 1 April 2009 20.58 BST
* Article history

Demonstrators have been involved in skirmishes with officers outside the 
Bank of England in central London Link to this video

The G20 protests in central London turned violent today ahead of 
tomorrow's summit, with a band of demonstrators close to the Bank of 
England storming a Royal Bank of Scotland branch, and baton-wielding 
police charging a sit-down protest by students.

Much of the protesting, from an estimated 4,000 people in the financial 
centre of the capital, was peaceful, but some bloody skirmishes broke 
out as police tried to keep thousands of people in containment pens 
surrounding the Bank of England on Threadneedle Street.

A minority of demonstrators seemed determined to cause damage, seeking 
confrontation as they surged towards police lines. Late tonight, much of 
the City remained cordoned off.

By about 8pm, running battles between riot police and demonstrators were 
taking place across London Bridge. Bottles, sticks and bricks were thrown.

Nearer the heart of the City, police moved in to break up a 'climate 
camp' on Bishopsgate, with baton-wielding officers said to be pushing 
through a line of tents and bicycles. At least five armoured police 
vehicles were also at the scene.

The trouble broke out as Gordon Brown and Barack Obama announced that 
the G20 leaders were "within a few hours" of agreeing a global deal for 
economic recovery. The G20 summit will be held tomorrow, amid high 
security, in London's Docklands.

Earlier in the day,protesters targeting the Bank of England were met by 
lines of police whose tactics were to try to pen demonstrators inside 
multiple cordons of officers. "It's our street, it's our street," the 
protesters chanted as they were forced forward on to the line.

At one stage, after midday, riot officers and police dogs and horses 
removed some 20 protesters who had spent a quarter of an hour ransacking 
an RBS branch, tearing out computers and telephones. To cheers and 
shouts, they smashed several of the bank's windows, writing "burn a 
banker" and "scum" in spray paint. Police in riot gear inside the bank 
tackled protesters trying to climb in through the smashed windows.

Subsequently, at least 10 protesters sitting down in the street close to 
the Bank of England were left with bloody head wounds after being 
charged by officers with batons at around 4.30pm. One woman, said to be 
an Italian student, was carried off unconscious.

Tonight the Metropolitan police said 32 people had been arrested. The 
offences ranged from threatening behaviour and criminal damage to 
violent disorder; two were arrested for aggravated burglary on the RBS 
building and one for attempted arson on the branch. One was detained in 
possession of a class-A drug, while another 12 protesters who had turned 
up at the protest in a blue armoured personnel carrier were arrested in 
connection with possession of police uniforms and road traffic offences.

Some buildings in the City were boarded up in anticipation of trouble, 
with staff warned to work from home or dress down. As protesters began 
to gather, after 11am, some City workers were seen waving £10 notes at 
them from office windows.

After the charge against the sit-down protest at students, there were 
complaints that officers had been heavy handed. "When people surrounded 
RBS, I could understand police tactics," said Jack Bright, 19. "We were 
sat down, trying to have a peaceful protest, but they started whacking us."

With his head wounds bandaged up by an ITN crew, Finn O'Sullivan, 21, 
said: "There was a girl in front of me who got hit. Then a bloke got hit 
and fell to the floor. I was next in line and just remember shields 
coming down on us. The police were stamping and kicking. I asked them to 
let me through the line for medical treatment but they said no."

Earlier police spent an hour clearing and sealing off the branch of RBS 
that had been targeted. The firm is at the centre of a row over 
£703,000-a-year pension payments to Sir Fred Goodwin, the disgraced 
former chief executive – and the branch had been closed today as a 
precaution.

By midday, around 60 protesters and police were involved in scuffles, 
which saw officers pelted with bottles, eggs, fruit and paint. Some 
officers also had their helmets ripped from their heads and thrown into 
the air, which turned pink and red as protesters let off smoke bombs. 
Police responded by using truncheons, batons and pepper spray.

Protesters pushing against the police on Threadneedle Street provoked 
intermittent skirmishes that left several officers and demonstrators 
injured. Police used truncheons and batons to beat back the protesters 
each time they surged forward. Some in the pens demanded to be released, 
saying they were being denied the right to march.

Scotland Yard said corralling the demonstrators into the area was a 
legitimate tactic as missiles were being thrown at police officers on 
Threadneedle Street. A spokesman said that the pens would remain in 
place for as long as necessary, but by 3pm police had loosened the 
cordon around the Bank and allowed crowds to filter away along Queen 
Victoria Street.

Injured demonstrators with bleeding heads and necks were ushered through 
the crowd while others handed out milk so that people could wash the 
pepper spray from their eyes and mouths.

Harry, dressed as the Grim Reaper, led the procession from Moorgate to 
the Bank of England. His costume did not amuse the police, however, who 
demanded that he remove his skull mask so they could see his face.

He said it was the first time he had marched in 10 years. "I'm 
protesting for the small individuals in Britain who have been left with 
their pants down as the government bails out the banks for billions of 
dollars. Where's the money for the struggling baker, butcher, small 
marketing people and architectural companies?"

But by late afternoon tempers around the main protest zone were fraying, 
as demonstartors complained they were being blocked in by police and not 
being allowed to leave.

Then, at around 7pm, the police moved in on the climate camp. Rebecca 
Pearse, of the Legal Observer Collective, who said they worked with 
police to provide a witness of events, said that until the police moved 
in "it had been all sunshine, smiles, cake , food and drums. Then it 
just escalated."

***

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2009/mar/31/g20-summit-protests

G20 summit and protests: live blog

As world leaders gather for the London G20 summit, thousands of 
protesters have taken to the streets to vent their anger about the 
economic crisis, climate change and the war on terror. We bring you the 
latest news and analysis from the summit and updates from the protests
Comments (365)
G20 protesters with police standing guard in central London

Police stand guard in central London as protesters demonstrate against 
the G20 summit meetings on 1 April 2009. Photograph: Bruno 
Vincent/AFP/Getty Images

8.02am:
Over the next 48 hours there is going to be a deluge of G20-related news 
and comment in the form of articles, blogs, video, audio and even 
tweets. This blog will update the news as it happens and signpost where 
you can find out more.

First up: Barack Obama has just arrived at Downing Street and posed 
briefly for the cameras with Gordon Brown.

8.16am:
What is everyone wearing? The Guardian's Esther Addley introduces us to 
some of the G20 other halves in a new picture gallery.

8.21am:
Applause was audible from Downing Street staff as Obama entered Number 
10, according to PA. He and Brown are expected to start their 
discussions over breakfast, and will hold a press conference later.

8.29am:
"It's easy to spot bankers when they're 'dressing down' - look for 
chinos & a normal smart shirt, but unbuttoned & a baseball cap," tweets 
PolitikSkeptic who uses a picture of George Orwell.

Millionaireblog says: "Not a lot happening down by the bank of england 
this morning so no problems getting in. Not many people in suits today 
funnily enough."

8.40am:
Downing Street says that the G20 press conference between Obama and 
Brown will take place at 9.30am and can be watched live on its website.

8.44am:
French president Nicolas Sarkozy appears to be squaring up for fight or 
a walk out. "The conversation is going forward, there are projects on 
the table. As things stand at the moment, these projects do not suit 
France or Germany," he told Europe 1 radio.

8.56am:
Billy Bragg needs someone to help him transport his gear to Bank so that 
his musical protest can go ahead.

9.04am:
Hillary Clinton and David Miliband have arrived at Downing Street. 
You'll be able to follow live coverage of Obama and Brown's press 
conference here.

9.18am:
Twitter round up:

Last Hours: "Cops & security guards on every corner of the city."

Christian Action: "Lots of jeans & trainers in City today. Strange air 
of anticipation."

Russell Brand: "Today at the Bank at noon I shall be protesting by being 
enraptured with joy and beauty and not being bludgeoned into tedium."

Pop Chris "Staff @ RBS, Bishopsgate are told that once in, they cannot 
leave the building until end of business. Expecting the worst."

9.34am:
Guardian and Observer reporters will be tweeting from the G20 summit and 
the protests.

9.54am:
The Brown/Obama press conference is due to start any minute. Andrew 
Sparrow will be liveblogging it in fine detail.

As activists descend on London the Guardian's business team tracks the 
impact they are having on the city.

10.05am:
The NUJ is offering legal help to journalists who find themselves 
hampered by the police while covering the protests.

10.10am:
The blogging project G20Voice is livestreaming footage of its efforts.

Here's their blurb:

50 of the world's most interesting and influential bloggers will be your 
eyes and ears at the G20 Summit in London, April 2. They come from 22 
different countries, and between them represent a global audience of 
over 14 million readers and online participants. They are journalists 
who use blogging as their medium to disseminate their views. Some are 
'professional bloggers', others are ordinary citizens who have become 
well known through their blogs.

10.15am:
The Brown/Obama press conference is underway.

10.16am:
My colleague, Paul Lewis, sent this update from the City:

Link to this audio

There is already a heavy police presence at the Bank of England, which 
is set to be the focus of the demonstrations, and where protesters will 
gather at noon. Police surveillance teams have been deployed on the roof 
of the bank and are poised to identify known troublemakers and relay 
information to the operational command.

In front of the bank, police have erected a double-barrier pen with 
locks. The equipment is likely to be used to corral protesters into a 
central area.
Banks, financial institutions and shops along the march route have been 
boarded up and police officers are standing in doorways near tube 
stations and patrolling the pavement.

The first sign of today's protests came courtesy of a group of 200 
cyclists who are cycling around the city this morning holding a banner 
proclaiming: "Pedalling for the planet."

Protesters have already begun to congregate at Cannon Street, Liverpool 
Street, Moorgate and London Bridge. At 11am, they will follow the four 
horsemen of the apocalypse from these four rendezvous points.
A quick glance around suggests that the vast majority of City workers 
have followed police advice and opted to dress down.

10.20am:
'It's one of the biggest police operations there's ever been in London', 
Paul Lewis explains who's demonstrating in the capital, and the steps 
being taken to keep things peaceful

10.24am:

Paddy Allen has produced a brilliant interactive guide to the protesters 
on an "axes of dissent".

10.28am:
Dave Hill, the Guardian's digital journalist of the year, is also at the 
Bank of England with lots of other journalists. According to his 
liveblog he has already been twice asked for quotes from his fellow 
reporters.

10.38am:
Is it a tank or an armoured car? Whatever it is, its outside RBS on 
Bishopsgate.

Andrew McDonough says it looks like a Bat Mobile.

10.48am:
Six protesters in an armoured car have been arrested, according to the 
BBC. Paul Lewis, our man on the scene, says there were around 10 
anarchists inside.

10.59am:
Follow the latest developments from the G20 summit and protests in 
London with updates on our interactive map.

11.05am:
The anarchists in the armoured car are being questioned, they have not 
been arrested, according to the BBC. My colleague Sam Jones has just 
spoken to the Met Police, who say they cannot confirm any arrests.

11.23am:
Tension is reported at Liverpool Street where Gordon White tweets that 
police are holding back protesters. He also says officers have a water 
cannon outside the RBS building there.

11.38am:
Our reporter Rachel Williams is at the "silver horse" march, which is 
currently at the City end of London Bridge. She said the mood is 
peaceful and jolly. A brass band is playing "Tequila" and much amusement 
has been generated by a man in a suit and tie whose cab has got stuck in 
the middle of it all. Her favourite banner so far is "Make love, not 
leverage".

11.41am:
Russell Brand has arrived at the Bank of England!

11.49am:
In an interview, that was shambolic to say the least, Russell Brand told 
Sky News he was at the Bank to "observe and participate peacefully". 
When asked why he was angry he replied "I ain't angry...I live 
here...talk to everyone else."

Sky reported minor scuffles when police arrested someone wearing a black 
hood and scarf, the supposed uniform of anarchists, outside the Bank. 
There are plenty of people dressed in that manner but there has been no 
sign of any violence so far.
G20 Demonsrators A demonstrator makes an anti-G20 sign out of coins at 
Trafalgar Square in central London Photograph: Reuters

11.57am:
Paul Lewis, Guardian reporter, with the march from Liverpool Street says 
that police are struggling to cope with the sheer number of protesters 
as the Liverpool Street marchers converge with those who started at 
Moorgate outside the Bank of England. Paul says the barriers designed to 
fence in the protesters are not big enough. A handful of protesters have 
been arrested and dragged into police vans, he says.
The silver horse marchers (from London Bridge) have just arrived at the 
Bank.

12.04pm:
There's trouble outside the Bank of England, where thousands of 
demonstrators have now converged. Guardian reporter Paul Lewis says 
there's a fight between about 50 police officers and demonstrators. 
Protesters have stripped police of their helmets and thrown them in the 
air. Bottles have also been thrown. The police have been forced to 
retreat and smoke bombs have turned the air red. Another Guardian 
reporter, Sandra Laville, says an officer has been covered with pink paint.
Matthew Weaver's Twitpic Matthew Weaver's Twitpic Photograph: Matthew 
Weaver/Guardian

12.11pm:
A protester is shouting "We were tear-gassed", tweets the Guardian's 
Sandra Laville. Police are still not confirming any arrest figures.

12.15pm:
Matthew Weaver has recorded an interview with a marcher, Laurenz, 
originally from Berlin.

12.20pm:
Here's a picture Matthew Weaver took outside the Bank of England

12.32pm:
For fear of neglecting those who are - partially at least - the subject 
of the protests, here's some details of what the City workers are making 
of today's activity.

The Press Association reports that City workers waved £10 notes at 
protesters as they passed their offices. It must be a recession - those 
would have been £50 notes a few years back.

Guardian journalist David Teather is at Killik & Co, a small branch of 
the stock-broking firm just around the corner from the Bank of England.
He says the firm has locked its doors and not made any appointments but 
the staff are wearing suits.
"As far as we are concerned, work goes on," James Gatehouse who runs the 
office told David. "I was asked by a friend this morning if I was 
nervous. I spent 15 years in the army before this and my last major riot 
was in Drumcree, which was a little more serious than this."
David adds most people passing the office have taken the advice of 
police and employers and dressed down. "But there are exceptions. One 
man wandering past as I was coming in, was in full City pinstripe and 
told a policeman standing outside that he had decided to 'dress as 
offensively as possible'" says David.

An anonymous City banker tells the Guardian:
"I think the office looks more colourful with everyone in the same colour
jeans and t-shirt. Bishopsgate was funny this morning, never seen more 
people in jeans obviously looking like bankers - too many pressed 
t-shirts and designer jeans."

12.41pm:
Paul Lewis says there's a "kettle" at the Bank of England, i.e. police 
have hemmed in protesters. The scuffles earlier do not seem to have 
escalated.

Guardian reporters on the scene say many of the people gathered appear 
to be curious onlookers rather than demonstrators.

Banners include "drop books not bombs", "the un-free market failed", and 
"0 per cent interest in others".

12.59pm:
TV pictures show a small group of protesters apparently goading police. 
One protester is apparently bleeding from his head. There have been some 
clashes now and missiles thrown. One demonstrator has struck a police 
officer with a pole. It should be emphasised though that there seem to 
be more people photographing the trouble than there are protesters 
involved in it.

12.47pm:
Matthew Weaver has recorded some more audio from the scene.

The first is of the minor trouble earlier

And the second is of the band!

The Met Police told my colleague Sam Jones that 11 people have been 
arrested so far today, all after the armoured car incident. They have 
been arrested in connection with possession of police uniforms and 
traffic offences.

1.13pm:
Paul Lewis says there are clashes on Threadneedle Street outside the 
Bank. Bottles have been thrown, police have drawn truncheons and there 
have been injuries on both sides. Sandra Laville says police are not 
letting anyone in or out and had to move in to rescue an officer who 
became isolated.

1.19pm:
A climate camp has been set up on Bishopsgate in the City. Campaigners 
carrying tents, picnic blankets and wooden stalls, set up the camp at 
12.30pm and intend to stay for 24 hours.
"The G20 is meeting up to shore up an economic system that has been 
disastrous in many ways and one way it guarantees to create disaster is 
the fact that it's got us on course for runaway climate change," said 
climate camper Richard Howlett.

1.30pm:
Sandra Laville reports "Cracked heads from police batons" on 
Threadneedle Street. Paul Lewis says police in riot gear have emerged. A 
branch of RBS is being pelted with bottles and a window has been smashed.
Domcasciani on Twitter says police took away one man at the climate camp 
demo after campaigners attempted to take the road and shut down all traffic

1.39pm:
Meanwhile, most bankers seem relatively unaffected. Ricky Dilorenzo, a 
property developer taking a fag break, wearing a suit on Lombard Street, 
just round the corner from the Bank of England, told Matthew Weaver he 
didn't feel at all threatened by the "misinformed" protesters.

Meanwhile David Teather is at the rooftop garden at City restaurant Coq 
d'Argent where he says there are 36 diners but only two ties. There are 
security checks before getting in the lift but a waiter tells him 
business is better than usual because of the riots. People are at the 
balcony watching the protests, drinking chablis.

1.43pm:
More windows reported smashed at RBS, branch and masked people trying to 
get in. Chants of "Whose bank?" answered by "Our bank" and "We paid for 
this, rob the bank".

1.50pm:
Protesters have broken into RBS and are coming out with computers and 
files. There is glass and blood, says Paul Lewis. Riot police are 
advancing on horses.

A "spiderman" has freeclimbed the side of the BofE and unfurled a banner 
to the awe of onlookers, says Guardian reporter Alok Jha.

2.50pm:
Sorry, it appears some content may have been lost due to technical problems.

Mounted police were stationed belatedly outside the RBS branch which 
came under attack and officers went inside with police dogs. The 
building has now been cleared and sealed off.

Matthew Weaver saw a protester come out covered in blood:
Listen!

1.56pm:
The mood is lighter over at climate camp where Matthew Weaver has been.

Earlier Matthew spoke to the comedy terrorist, Aaron Barschak, who is 
dressed as Jesus with a sign saying "Moneylenders out".

He said: "I thought I'd come and join in the festivities of what is 
effectively a fun day that will change nothing."
Protesters and police clash at G20 demonstrations Link to this video

2.57pm:
Here's some video of the earlier clashes outside the Bank of England.

3.05pm:
Police have relaxed the cordon around the Bank and allowed crowds to 
filter away along Queen Victoria Street.

Some demonstrators told the Press Association they had seen incidents of 
police brutality and complained that officers had occasionally "gone 
over the top".

"Cops clearly don't like Bob Marley just randomly charging the demo 
during 'One Love'," Lasthours tweeted.

3.17pm:
Matthew Weaver says it's still tense outside the RBS branch.

Alok Jha tweets that things are also tense on Poultry, round the corner 
from the Bank of England, where protesters are being held back by police.

David Teather is still on Poultry, albeit in the rooftop garden of the 
Coq d'Argent restaurant with City workers, where he says: "A banker in 
pinstripe tells me he is lunching as an act of defiance."

3.27pm:
Police have now confirmed 19 arrests today, 11 in relation to the 
armoured car incident, and the others as follows.

1 - threatening behaviour
2 - violent behaviour
1 - obstructing the highway
2 - breach of peace
1 - indecency
1 - possession of class A drugs.

Over at climate camp things are much more peaceful relative to RBS with 
people picnicking.

"If you don't like the violence elsewhere, come to climate camp. It's 
completely peaceful! And good fun!" tweets climate camp.

Sandra Laville says: "Families camped out relaxed police looking on. But 
will they let them stay?"

3.37pm:
Stop the War coalition has arrived at Trafalgar Square. Islington North 
Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn has just addressed the crowd. All appears calm.

4.00pm:
This incredible photo shows how many photographers were outside the RBS 
branch, presumably waiting for something like this to happen.

4.07pm:
Police on horses have carried out two charges down Threadneedle Street 
in a bid to disperse protesters, says Alok Jha, who is at the scene. 
Alok said everything had been calm beforehand and demonstrators have not 
been impressed by the police response.

4.15pm:
The "hardcore" protesters have broken through police lines and have made 
their way to an unboarded HSBC branch on Queen Victoria Street, says 
Guardian reporter Paul Lewis. An anarchist flag has been raised on an 
office block opposite the branch, he adds. The Press Association 
reported a fight on the same street between two men - one wearing a suit 
- which was broken up by police.

4.28pm:
On Twitter, Snufkin21 says Stop the War protesters booed the media 
present "for hyping up the G20 violence". The huge media presence has 
been criticised by a number of people on Twitter who believe it's 
encouraged extreme elements to "play to the gallery".

4.44pm:
Things are turning "very nasty" on Queen Victoria Street, according to 
Paul Lewis. He says protesters trying to sit down in protest have been 
"pounded" by riot police with batons trying to drive them back towards 
the Bank of England.

"I've just seen a girl unconscious being carried away, her whole face 
drenched in blood," tweets Paul.

4.49pm:
Someone has been knocked out by a police baton charge near Canon Street 
(which is round the corner from Queen Victoria Street) according to a 
lasthours tweet.
g20 beat British police in riot gear beat protesters in central London's 
financial district Photograph: AP

5.08pm:
While our reporter Alok Jha tries to extricate himself from the police 
cordon, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel are giving a joint press 
conference in London. The French president described his "red lines" for 
the G20 summit as tax havens, trader remuneration and regulation and 
control of hedge funds.

5.25pm:
Now that the media have got their pictures of police and protesters 
clashing outside the BofE and RBS a lot of news organisations seem to 
have lost interest in the demonstrations.

The confrontation on Queen Victoria Street (4.44pm) seems to have been 
largely ignored but protesters told the Guardian that police overreacted 
to a peaceful protest by anti-war protesters, many of them hippies. 
There's a feeling among some that police may have been "settling scores" 
following the trouble at RBS earlier.

Environmental campaigner and Guardian contributor George Monbiot asks 
"Riot police, or rioting police?" on his blog.

5.27pm:
Guardian reporter Alok Jha has managed to get out of the police cordon 
(see 5.08pm) but he had to show his press card to do so.

5.35pm:
The protest is continuing outside the Bank of England but most people 
seem to be in a party mood.

The Press Association reports the detention of "a bald man, who had been 
taunting the police with cries of 'William Wallace' as he beat his chest.
The police apparently took away his pint glass.

5.50pm:
The story leading the Daily Mail site says: "Protesters storm RBS office 
as thousands of anti-capitalists ransack the City in G20 riot."
Thousands? Are you sure? The arrest tally stands at 20.

There is not one picture illustrating the peaceful demonstrators on the 
Mail site as far as I can see.

In its latest bulletin Sky News described the troublemakers as a 
"handful", which seems much more accurate.

6.09pm:
Guardian reporter Alok Jha may have removed himself from the pen by 
flashing his press card but he says that police plan to keep everyone 
else in indefinitely.

France and Germany have laid down the gauntlet of what they want to see 
from tomorrow's summit, demanding stricter banking regulation.

Amid all the concern about the global economy, most world leaders have 
probably been really fretting about how close they will be sitting to 
Barack Obama at tonight's dinner (catering by Jamie Oliver) for G20 
delegates. The seating plan shows Germany to his right, South Korea to 
his left and Argentina opposite.

6.24pm:
People penned in by police outside the Bank of England are chanting "Let 
us out", themadhiker tweets.

6.29pm:
World Development Movement, which campaigns against global poverty, says 
it has had its accreditation for tomorrow's summit withdrawn by Number 
10 "at the last minute".

6.33pm:
The Press Association also reports people chanting "Let us out" (see 
6.24pm). It says a few people threw plastic bottles, banners and toilet 
rolls at officers on Cornhill, at the corner of the Bank of England. TV 
pictures show rows of riot police blocking the way out (or in).

6.47pm:
More trouble reported at Mansion House place, people throwing bottles 
and then a police baton charge after the crowd surged forward.

War on Want has posted pictures and a video of its dead canary (Canary 
Wharf RIP, geddit?!!) on its website

7.08pm:
Metropolitan Police Commander Simon O'Brien said tonight that small 
pockets of criminals were responsible for the outbreaks of trouble while 
the vast majority of participants were good humoured.

He said there had been 26 arrests overall linked to the protests, 
including four last night, and others involved in violence should expect 
a "knock on the door".

"We are already in the process of collecting key evidence against 
individuals involved in violent acts and disorder and other activity in 
the crowd," he said.

Senior officers said one police officer is in hospital tonight receiving 
treatment after receiving a blow to the head. Seven protesters have also 
been taken to hospital.

Thankfully, things appear to remain peaceful at climate camp.

The blog is shutting down for the night now but any updates will appear 
in our main protests story and we will be liveblogging again from 7am 
tomorrow. Full coverage can be found on our G20 homepage.

Thank you for all your comments and feel free to continue the discussion.