Capital prepares for anti-Bush protest
London braces itself today for a large-scale protest against this week’s state visit to the UK by US president George W Bush.
A national protest organised by the Stop the War Coalition starts at 14:00 BST and the organisation expects as many as 100,000 people to march through the capital, finishing with a rally in Trafalgar Square during which an 18ft high effigy of Mr Bush will be toppled.
In a separate demonstration, chained protesters dressed in orange boiler suits will be outside Downing Street demonstrating against the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.
Meanwhile, Mr Bush is due to meet today for talks with the prime minister, Tony Blair. The two leaders are expected to discuss the reconstruction of Iraq, UK prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, steel tariffs and the global AIDS crisis.
On Wednesday US secretary of state Colin Powell hinted that British detainees at the Guantanamo Bay camp might be granted a trial in the UK. “We expect to be resolving this in the near future,” Mr Powell said.
The president will lay a wreath at Westminster Abbey this morning and will meet families of soldiers killed in Iraq. Later tonight he will host a banquet for the Queen at the US Ambassador’s residence
Protests on Wednesday were described as largely amicable, though a scuffle occurred between protesters and police outside Buckingham Palace, which led to 31 arrests for minor offences.
Traffic in London is expected to face severe disruptions today as roads start to close from midday.
