Four-year-old boy leads crowd in chants of Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead as hundreds 'party' in Trafalgar Square to mark Thatcher's death
A four-year-old boy yelled 'Ding
Dong! The Witch Is Dead!' to cheers from the hundreds of people who
celebrated the death of Baroness Thatcher in London's Trafalgar Square
yesterday.
The boy, named Jack, also yelled: 'Thatcher's dead!' with his father, who gave his name as Howard.
'I don't see it as brainwashing,' Howard, from Islington, north London, told the Sunday Express.
'It is just learnt behaviour.'
Crowds gathered to protest against Baroness Thatcher's legacy and mark her death with a party.
Union members from across the UK who had fierce battles with Lady Thatcher in the 1980s rubbed shoulders with those demonstrating against today's welfare cuts.
Old and young turned out last night to mark the former prime minister's death in a 'celebration' that was many years in the planning.
Protesters clutched on to their umbrellas as they 'celebrated' the death of Baroness Thatcher by drinking alcohol in the square and chanting 'Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead!', according to reports.
As an effigy of the former Prime Minister made its way down the stairs in front of the National Gallery, the crowd chanted 'Maggie! Maggie! Maggie! Dead! Dead! Dead!' and sang lyrics from the Wizard of Oz song.
Despite the depth of feeling and a large police presence there was no serious trouble and few arrests.
Scroll down for video
A
police spokesman said the last of the protesters left Trafalgar Square
at about 2am and there were no reports of any damage to property.
During yesterday's Trafalgar Square protest people drank cider and champagne, waving sparklers and letting off party poppers and they chanted slogans about Lady Thatcher, who died at The Ritz hotel on Monday.
Members of the National Union of Mineworkers travelled to the capital from North East England, with others joining them from Scotland and Wales.
UK Uncut members, protesting about welfare cuts, also joined the demonstration.
One protester, drinking from a mug that read 'I still hate Thatcher', said the event - initially planned by now defunct anarchist group Class War - had been years in the planning.
The 49-year-old, who gave his name only as Steve, said: 'I was here during the Poll Tax riot in the 1990s.
'Subsequently, I was given a leaflet saying Class War was going to organise a party on the first Saturday after she died, and I've never, ever forgotten it.
'I've come from Brighton to be here today. I believe it's something not to be celebrated, but something that needs to be marked in history.'
Richard Watson, 45, from Brentwood, Essex, was joined by daughter Sian, 20.
The pair wore party hats and danced around in the square, with Mr Watson saying: 'We've been waiting a long time for this.
'It's not a spur of the moment decision. I've known about this party for years - it's an opportunity of a lifetime.'
He questioned the decision that taxpayers' money would be used in part to pay for Lady Thatcher's ceremonial funeral next week, saying of her family: 'Why can't they pay for it out of their estate?'.
Fergus Ray Murray, 34, from north London, made an effigy of Lady Thatcher from recycled materials, which was cheered as he carried it through the crowds.
He said: 'It's a chance to lay her to rest as much as possible.'
Former miner Dave Douglas from
Newcastle, part of the delegation from the miners' union, said Lady
Thatcher was a 'terrible woman'.
He said: 'We're absolutely furious at this image that is being presented on television, that the whole country is in mourning.
'In the north of England, in Scotland, Wales and the Midlands, people are celebrating the fact she's gone because we don't support what she did to our community, our industry and our unions.'
The
emotion of the occasion was almost too much for Fred Reynolds, 80, from
Sidcup, Kent, who tearfully said: 'She destroyed the way of life in our
community.'
Mr Reynolds, who lost his job as a Daily Express union official during Lady Thatcher's time in power, added: 'I don't want to see any violence at all tonight.
'What causes the violence is youngsters, who don't even know what it's all about, drinking and treating it as a night out.
'But it's not. We're here to protest about what she's done and the misery she caused in the country, especially for the miners.'
Security was tight, with police officers stationed throughout the square. Scotland Yard said they had an 'appropriate policing operation' in place.
The Greater London Authority had also brought in security officers to manage the crowds.
Baroness Thatcher's funeral is to be held on Wednesday and police are bracing for possible trouble along the procession route in central London.
Some in the crowd yesterday said they did not want to celebrate her death, but wanted to mark their opposition to what she stood for.
Andy
Withers, 49, said: 'I'm not here to celebrate Thatcher's death - but
what's going on tonight is part of the legacy she created.'
Boris Johnson had warned that police would be ready to tackle rioters 'celebrating' the death of Margaret Thatcher.
The Mayor of London said troublemakers who broke the law 'will be properly dealt with' and questioned why they would rejoice the death of an 87-year-old woman.
Thousands
were set to celebrate the Iron Lady's death at up to 25 locations across
the UK, with the biggest one planned for Trafalgar Square.
It was the scene of the notorious Poll Tax riots in 1990, just before Lady Thatcher left power.
The Guardian reported the police had brought in extra officers after the crowd grew to around 3,000. Conflicting reports said the crowd had been made up of 'hundreds' of protesters.
Later reports on Sky News however also suggested the numbers started to dwindle as the rain continued to fall on the protesters.
Hundreds of anti-cuts activists also launched a fresh campaign of civil disobedience in protest at the Government's controversial welfare changes.
Direct action group UK Uncut
said it would hold events in central London, Birmingham, Manchester and
Chelmsford yesterday to bring the impact of the cuts home to
'millionaire misery-makers'.
Around 200 people gathered outside the home of Baron David Freud, minister for welfare reform, to protest against the bedroom tax and benefits cap.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said five arrests had been made at the protests. Three people were arrested for being drunk and disorderly while two were arrested for inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The spokesman said: 'We will not be giving a breakdown of where the arrests were made.'
Officers were anticipating the possibility of thousands of Millwall Football Club fans clashing with protesters in Central London after watching their side take on Wigan in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Police said they were not aware of any clashes between the two groups.
The boy, named Jack, also yelled: 'Thatcher's dead!' with his father, who gave his name as Howard.
'I don't see it as brainwashing,' Howard, from Islington, north London, told the Sunday Express.
'It is just learnt behaviour.'
Crowds gathered to protest against Baroness Thatcher's legacy and mark her death with a party.
Union members from across the UK who had fierce battles with Lady Thatcher in the 1980s rubbed shoulders with those demonstrating against today's welfare cuts.
Old and young turned out last night to mark the former prime minister's death in a 'celebration' that was many years in the planning.
Protesters clutched on to their umbrellas as they 'celebrated' the death of Baroness Thatcher by drinking alcohol in the square and chanting 'Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead!', according to reports.
As an effigy of the former Prime Minister made its way down the stairs in front of the National Gallery, the crowd chanted 'Maggie! Maggie! Maggie! Dead! Dead! Dead!' and sang lyrics from the Wizard of Oz song.
Despite the depth of feeling and a large police presence there was no serious trouble and few arrests.
Scroll down for video
Police lined Trafalgar Square in London as protesters met to celebrate the death of Margaret Thatcher
During the protest people drank cider and
champagne, waving sparklers and letting off party poppers and they
changed slogans about Lady Thatcher
One man was seen injured after a scuffle in Trafalgar Square yesterday
Police arrested 16 people aged between 18 and 44, in Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and nearby streets.
Eight were arrested for being drunk and disorderly, two for affray, two for public order offences, two for assault on police, one for breach of the peace and one for obstructing police.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'Most of those arrested remain in custody at a central London police station.'
Eight were arrested for being drunk and disorderly, two for affray, two for public order offences, two for assault on police, one for breach of the peace and one for obstructing police.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'Most of those arrested remain in custody at a central London police station.'
A Margaret Thatcher puppet was torn apart and set alight
Protesters, campaigners and activists gathered in Trafalgar Square to celebrate the passing of Baroness Thatcher
BISHOP: £10M FUNERAL IS 'MISTAKE'
The
Anglican bishop of Baroness Thatcher's home town has described the
scale and cost of her funeral as a 'mistake' which may play into the
hands of extremists.
The
Bishop of Grantham, The Rt Revd Dr Tim Ellis, said the ceremonial
event, said to be costing up to £10million, was 'asking for trouble'
amid divisions about the late prime minister's legacy.
In
an interview with BBC Radio Lincolnshire, the bishop was asked whether
the organisers of the funeral had 'got it right' given criticism of its
cost to the public purse.
Dr Ellis replied: 'I personally don't think that they have.
'I
think that in a context where there is manifestly great ill-feeling
about her tenure and about her legacy, to then actually have a situation
where we seem to be expecting the nation to glorify that with a
£10million funeral... I think any sensible person would say that that is
asking for trouble.
'It
plays into the hands of those more extreme people who will use the
funeral as an opportunity to promote certain political views.'
He added: 'I think it was probably a mistake.
'I
think that perhaps what we should be doing is actually marking her as a
person, perhaps somewhere in Grantham - a more low key but more
personal way of marking that.
'And one which might bring together all the shades of opinion about her.'
Baroness Thatcher's father was a preacher at the Methodist church in Grantham. During yesterday's Trafalgar Square protest people drank cider and champagne, waving sparklers and letting off party poppers and they chanted slogans about Lady Thatcher, who died at The Ritz hotel on Monday.
Members of the National Union of Mineworkers travelled to the capital from North East England, with others joining them from Scotland and Wales.
UK Uncut members, protesting about welfare cuts, also joined the demonstration.
One protester, drinking from a mug that read 'I still hate Thatcher', said the event - initially planned by now defunct anarchist group Class War - had been years in the planning.
The 49-year-old, who gave his name only as Steve, said: 'I was here during the Poll Tax riot in the 1990s.
'Subsequently, I was given a leaflet saying Class War was going to organise a party on the first Saturday after she died, and I've never, ever forgotten it.
'I've come from Brighton to be here today. I believe it's something not to be celebrated, but something that needs to be marked in history.'
Richard Watson, 45, from Brentwood, Essex, was joined by daughter Sian, 20.
The pair wore party hats and danced around in the square, with Mr Watson saying: 'We've been waiting a long time for this.
'It's not a spur of the moment decision. I've known about this party for years - it's an opportunity of a lifetime.'
He questioned the decision that taxpayers' money would be used in part to pay for Lady Thatcher's ceremonial funeral next week, saying of her family: 'Why can't they pay for it out of their estate?'.
Fergus Ray Murray, 34, from north London, made an effigy of Lady Thatcher from recycled materials, which was cheered as he carried it through the crowds.
He said: 'It's a chance to lay her to rest as much as possible.'
The puppet was ripped apart and set on fire while protesters gathered to watch
One protester said yesterday's tearing apart of the Lady Thatcher effigy was a chance to 'lay her to rest' as much as possible
He said: 'We're absolutely furious at this image that is being presented on television, that the whole country is in mourning.
'In the north of England, in Scotland, Wales and the Midlands, people are celebrating the fact she's gone because we don't support what she did to our community, our industry and our unions.'
The Metropolitan Police said it made nine arrests last night at the demonstration
Arrests were made for affray, breach of the peace, threatening behaviour and being drunk and disorderly
Romany Blythe, who set up a Facebook page called
'The witch is dead' to encourage people to go to Trafalgar Square last
night, was seen at the protest
Mr Reynolds, who lost his job as a Daily Express union official during Lady Thatcher's time in power, added: 'I don't want to see any violence at all tonight.
VIDEO Girl stage dives into crowd during Trafalgar Square 'party'
A protester leaps into the crowd from a ledge
outside the National Gallery during yesterday's 'celebrations' of the
death of Margaret Thatcher
Police said the event was 'fairly peaceful' and made nine arrests
Extra police were called in to monitor the protest after the number of protesters grew, according to reports
Police said protests were 'fairly peaceful'
'But it's not. We're here to protest about what she's done and the misery she caused in the country, especially for the miners.'
Security was tight, with police officers stationed throughout the square. Scotland Yard said they had an 'appropriate policing operation' in place.
Reports suggested the number of protesters started to dwindle as the rain continued to fall
The event at Trafalgar Square was due to be the biggest of a number of protests held across the UK yesterday
Protesters also sang lyrics from 'Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead! at the protest
Baroness Thatcher's funeral is to be held on Wednesday and police are bracing for possible trouble along the procession route in central London.
Some in the crowd yesterday said they did not want to celebrate her death, but wanted to mark their opposition to what she stood for.
A reveller danced while wearing a mask of the former Prime Minister during the protest in Trafalgar Square
Thousands of protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square, according to reports, despite the wet weather
Boris Johnson had warned that police would be ready to tackle rioters 'celebrating' the death of Margaret Thatcher.
The Mayor of London said troublemakers who broke the law 'will be properly dealt with' and questioned why they would rejoice the death of an 87-year-old woman.
Protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square yesterday, the scene of the notorious Poll Tax riots in 1990
Old and young turned out last night to mark the
former prime minister's death in a 'celebration' that was many years in
the planning
It was the scene of the notorious Poll Tax riots in 1990, just before Lady Thatcher left power.
The Guardian reported the police had brought in extra officers after the crowd grew to around 3,000. Conflicting reports said the crowd had been made up of 'hundreds' of protesters.
Reports suggested the numbers had started to dwindle as the rain continued to fall on the protesters
Police have described the event so far as 'fairly peaceful'
Later reports on Sky News however also suggested the numbers started to dwindle as the rain continued to fall on the protesters.
Hundreds of anti-cuts activists also launched a fresh campaign of civil disobedience in protest at the Government's controversial welfare changes.
Representatives of the National Union of Mineworkers travelled to London to join the protest
Around 200 people gathered outside the home of Baron David Freud, minister for welfare reform, to protest against the bedroom tax and benefits cap.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said five arrests had been made at the protests. Three people were arrested for being drunk and disorderly while two were arrested for inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Liverpool fans held up banners regarding
Baroness Thatcher's death before their match against Reading at the
Madejski Stadium yesterday
Fans, commemorating the 96 Liverpool supporters
who died at Hillsborough in 1989 with a 9T6 logo, held up a banner that
read: 'You didn't care when you lied, We don't care that you died'
A minute's silence was held at the beginning of the match to mark tomorrow's anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster
Officers were anticipating the possibility of thousands of Millwall Football Club fans clashing with protesters in Central London after watching their side take on Wigan in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Police said they were not aware of any clashes between the two groups.
A few Liverpool fans took banners marking Lady Thatcher's death to the Reading game yesterday
The Liverpool fans unfurled their banners at the Madejski stadium