May Day in Europe (from The Guardian)

[Wojtek Sokolowski]

>To see this story with its related links on the Guardian Unlimited site,
go to http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk
>
>Clashes in Whitehall at May Day protests
>Audio report from Sean Dodson in Whitehall
>Mark Tran and Gwyn Topham
>Monday May 01 2000
>The Guardian
>
>
>The violence feared by police erupted in central London today, where
thousands have gathered for a series of demonstrations against capitalism.
>
>After three-and-a-half days of peaceful protest, the first violent
incidents occurred on Whitehall when marchers passed a branch of
McDonald's. Windows were smashed before protesters  entered the restaurant,
ripping up tables and throwing out burgers from the kitchen.
>
>A bureau de change next door was also attacked before police moved in. An
eyewitness reported panic and a crush in the crowds as a police cordon
pushed the crowd back to Trafalgar Square, hitting protesters with batons.
By later afternoon, Trafalgar Square was sealed off with protesters
surrounded by a police cordon.
>
>One demonstrator trapped behind police lines told Guardian Unlimited:
"It's ridiculous, there are no obvious troublemakers here, it's just a mix
of ordinary people and tourists, and we want to go home."
>
>A policeman joked:  "We're trying to bore them to death so they'll go
home." But it was not clear how the protesters would be able to leave.
>
>Earlier, bottles were thrown at riot police at the entrance to Downing
Street and at least one police officer has been taken to hospital.
>
>The violent outburst threatened to become an issue in the London mayoral
election, with voting due on Thursday. Liberal Democrat candidate Susan
Kramer hit out at front-runner Ken Livingstone, who has courted controversy
by making anti-capitalist remarks. 
>
>She said: "This is a sad day for London. Ken Livingstone praised direct
action. Now he's got  direct action. This is not the sort of leadership
London needs." 
>
>Tory mayoral candidate Steven Norris chimed in: "Welcome to Livingstone's
London. These  actions have absolutely no place in this great city.
Londoners will wonder whether this is the shape of things to come if they
have a mayor who sides with rioters and protesters rather than ordinary,
law-abiding Londoners."
>
>The day's events had started at Parliament Square, where protesters
gathered at 11am with gardening tools, seeds and plants as part of a
"guerrilla gardening" event, digging up and replanting the area. At Hyde
Park Corner, around 500 people gathered for a protest cycle ride. 
>
>The Reclaim the Streets group, which organised the guerilla gardening
event, had denied that a repeat of last year's June 18 London riots was
inevitable. However, some masked marchers at other events over the weekend
accused police of increasing tension with their heavy-handed presence. 
>
>Last year's anti-capitalist demonstration by about 10,000 people started
peacefully but descended into chaos, catching police by surprise. Some
marchers burned cars, smashed office windows and fought with riot police,
leaving a £2m trail of destruction in London's most violent protests since
local tax riots in 1990. 
>
>• In Hamburg, Germany, protesters clashed with police, injuring 12
police. Protesters threw stones at banks, broke shop windows and set fire
to several cars in the city centre after midnight. 
>
>Authorities across Germany readied themselves for trouble and more than
6,000 police were deployed across the capital, Berlin. Reinforcements
guarded government buildings in the city centre.   
>
>Copyright Guardian Media Group plc.
>
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