*Ø* Blogmanac | Bush visit set to paralyse London
Itinerary details remain secret in record security operation as thousands plan street protests during first state visit by an American President
Martin Bright and Anushka Asthana
The Observer
"London will be brought to a standstill in 10 days' time when the visit of US President George W. Bush will take place under the highest security ever reserved for a foreign head of state.
"A combination of last-minute road closures and a rally at Trafalgar Square by an estimated 100,000 anti-war protesters will paralyse the capital when Bush arrives on 19 November for a three-day stay in Britain. It will be the first ever state visit by an American President, who will be the guest of the Queen for the duration of his stay ...
"Bush's arrival is likely to follow the pattern of his visit to Australia last month, when he was spirited away from protesters along empty streets cleared of ordinary people. All police leave has been cancelled and armed units and US special agents will be assigned to the streets of London.
"Whitehall sources have confirmed that the itinerary for the visit has still not been finalised, and officials on both sides of the Atlantic say that a visit which places the American President, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Queen Elizabeth II in the same place calls for an unprecedented level of protection.
"The chaos will be compounded by the fact that protesters are not co-operating with the police in their plans for a demonstration against the two leaders of the coalition war in Iraq. Protesters last night said they will see it as a victory if they are kept away from Bush's cavalcade altogether. Andrew Burgin of the Stop the War Coalition said: 'I think it is a back-handed compliment, because it shows they realise he is such an unpopular political figure held in very low esteem and the war was so wrong. Other Presidents have come here and there have not been demonstrations, but against Bush there will be. The police have promised us we will be allowed a legitimate right to protest and we intend to continue with our plans.'
"Tim Ireland, 33, marketing consultant of anti-war website Bloggerheads.com, said: 'Demonstrators should not be kept away from him. We expect them to make it difficult for us, and there will be a lot of misinformation.' ...
"The centrepiece of the protest will be a huge march on 19 November arranged by the Stop the War Coalition which will go through the capital and end at Trafalgar Square, where a giant statue of George Bush will be pulled down in a parody of the toppling of Saddam Hussein's statue in Baghdad. It will be led by American nationals living in the UK who have gathered under the title Expats Against Bush. They will carry banners reading 'Proud of my nation. Shamed by my President'."
FULL TEXT
Martin Bright and Anushka Asthana
The Observer
"London will be brought to a standstill in 10 days' time when the visit of US President George W. Bush will take place under the highest security ever reserved for a foreign head of state.
"A combination of last-minute road closures and a rally at Trafalgar Square by an estimated 100,000 anti-war protesters will paralyse the capital when Bush arrives on 19 November for a three-day stay in Britain. It will be the first ever state visit by an American President, who will be the guest of the Queen for the duration of his stay ...
"Bush's arrival is likely to follow the pattern of his visit to Australia last month, when he was spirited away from protesters along empty streets cleared of ordinary people. All police leave has been cancelled and armed units and US special agents will be assigned to the streets of London.
"Whitehall sources have confirmed that the itinerary for the visit has still not been finalised, and officials on both sides of the Atlantic say that a visit which places the American President, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Queen Elizabeth II in the same place calls for an unprecedented level of protection.
"The chaos will be compounded by the fact that protesters are not co-operating with the police in their plans for a demonstration against the two leaders of the coalition war in Iraq. Protesters last night said they will see it as a victory if they are kept away from Bush's cavalcade altogether. Andrew Burgin of the Stop the War Coalition said: 'I think it is a back-handed compliment, because it shows they realise he is such an unpopular political figure held in very low esteem and the war was so wrong. Other Presidents have come here and there have not been demonstrations, but against Bush there will be. The police have promised us we will be allowed a legitimate right to protest and we intend to continue with our plans.'
"Tim Ireland, 33, marketing consultant of anti-war website Bloggerheads.com, said: 'Demonstrators should not be kept away from him. We expect them to make it difficult for us, and there will be a lot of misinformation.' ...
"The centrepiece of the protest will be a huge march on 19 November arranged by the Stop the War Coalition which will go through the capital and end at Trafalgar Square, where a giant statue of George Bush will be pulled down in a parody of the toppling of Saddam Hussein's statue in Baghdad. It will be led by American nationals living in the UK who have gathered under the title Expats Against Bush. They will carry banners reading 'Proud of my nation. Shamed by my President'."
FULL TEXT
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