Anti-Bush Visit Protest Marred by Police Violence and Snatch Arrests
Indymedia UK - 17 Jun 2008
On Sunday 15th of June, as George W. Bush was making his way to Downing Street for his last state visit to the UK, thousands of people were gathering in Parliament Square following a call from the Stop the War Coalition.Although the turn out to sunday’s protest was much smaller than in 2003 when Bush visited the UK in the high of the Anti-War protest movement, by mid afternoon a crowd of around 2500 determined people were already making clear what they thought of the legacy of George Bush’s wars in the Middle East and the US driven War on Terror [Video reoport]. A powerful sound system had been set on the square from where several people, including Brian How, made speeches. Meanwhile the crowd kept demanding the arrest of George Bush for his “terrorist activities and war crimes” in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan.The protest had already been banned by the Metropolitan Police from marching through Whitehall, therefore crash barriers and police lines had been set at the southern end of Whitehall to prevent the demonstration from marching forward. At some point, the crowd approached the barriers and police lines to demand their right to demonstrate, but they were faced by a line of baton wielding police that started hitting those at the front. As a result a series of scuffles followed, resulting with some head injuries and bruises to some protesters, and the first wave of arrests.Eventually, a large number of police wit riot gear took positions to protect the entrance to Whitehall, whilst at the same time groups of TSG and FIT police forces started to carry a series of snatch arrests around the Parliament Square area [Video of arrests]. By the end of the evening 25 people had been arrested, some of which have already been released but others are being charged.Photos: 1 | 2 | 3

Is a New Congressional Resolution Declaring War with Iran?
Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran (CASMII) - 17 Jun 2008
Summary: A House resolution effectively requiring a naval blockade on Iran seems fast tracked for passage, gaining co-sponsors at a remarkable speed, but experts say the measures called for in the resolutions amount to an act of war. source: NIACread more

ANTI-BUSH PROTESTERS HOSPITALISED
Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran (CASMII) - 17 Jun 2008
Summary: Disgracefully, and for the first time, a Stop the War demonstration was denied the right to march peacefully up Whitehall and past Downing Street, where George Bush was having dinner with Gordon Brown and—among the other guests—Rupert Murdoch. Enforcing the ban on our march, the police attacked protesters with metal batons. source: Stop the War Coalitionread more

Government caves in to Pressure from Bush
Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran (CASMII) - 17 Jun 2008
Summary: Bush has been travelling round Europe trying to secure support for sanctions and a possible future attack on Iran, for greater support in Afghanistan and for backing for permanent US bases and occupation in Iraq. source: Stop the War Coalitionread more

Police Riot At Peace Demo
Jyoti Mishra - 17 Jun 2008
The ban on the demonstration down Whitehall to protest the visit of war criminal George Bush was enforced with violence by the Metropolitan police. Two protestors were hospitalised by baton weilding police. Stop the War Coalition have organised over 20 national protests all of which have been peaceful. We have written a letter of protest [...]