Anti Cuts Demonstration, Whitehall, London

................. I actually didn't mean to be anywhere near the West End while the march was taking place; I had been at the British Library first thing and walking through London early on I could feel the tension mounting already and that was several hours before the demonstration started. I ended up back in the Whitehall/Charing X area around 12.30 and decided I'd stop and take a few shots and what I saw was loads of people just like these guys having a peaceful demonstration and there was people from all walks of life and the ages ranged from small babies to pensioners therefore I saw it exactly as was advertised - "a family event". Then I started to notice a few people dressed in black with their faces hidden who did not like anyone taking their photograph (even if the camera was only sort of in their direction) so I thought eeks I can see trouble soon, as there was also some (but very few) drunk people and for me the icing on the cake that trouble was imminent was when the Trojan Horse appeared. As soon as I got home I switched on the news and as I anticipated the horse was a problem and it had been set alight in the Oxford Street area and the minority have hit the headlines for causing criminal damage to The Ritz, Topshop, McDonalds and HSBC to name a few when windows were smashed, paint bombs and smoke flares erupted - it looks carnage on the TV but what I saw a few hours ago was peaceful and happy.

Me I'm not really into politics I vote because if you don't then you have no right to complain (dad told me that when I first voted) and woman died fighting for the right to vote at the turn of the last century so I believe that we all should vote. But I'm not a big supporter of any party I?m sure all have good and bad points (some more than others) when analyzed but whether I agree or disagree with one decision or another I mostly keep my thoughts to myself as there are 2 topics I have no wish to ever discuss one being politics!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend :)