UK begins heavy-handed G8 policing

Dozens of anti-capitalist protesters are being interrogated by the British police after riot police heavy-handedly stormed two buildings in London occupied by anti-capitalists and clashed with protesters on the streets of the capital London.

The protests were called by Stop G8 campaigners across London as a “show of anger” at capitalism ahead of next week’s G8 summit in Northern Ireland.

According to London Metropolitan Police, 57 people were arrested during the demonstrations as some 1,200 officers in riot gear were deployed to the streets.

Many of the arrests were made at a deserted building, formerly used as a police station, in the Soho area of London where demonstrators were holding an anti-capitalist squat with a banner reading “What if we smash the G8?” hanging from a window.

Hundreds of riot police forced their way into the building, chainsawing the front door, and resorted to force to end the squat as TV footage showed police chasing and nabbing an injured protester, who was trying to escape through rooftops.

The police claimed they stormed the building based on tip-offs that said “individuals at the address were in possession of weapons and were intent on causing criminal damage and engaging in violent disorder”.

This comes as a Stop G8 spokesman said in a statement that the only weapons in the vicinity were “police tasers, batons, shields, chemicals, fists and dogs”.

The police also raided a building in east London where three people were arrested.

Riot police were also on the streets where the Stop G8 was leading its Carnival Against Capitalism with protesters carrying banners reading “Make extreme wealth history” and “No borders, no prisons, no capitalism”.

In response to the police heavy-handed crackdown on the demonstrations, and a feared breach of their right to protest, the Home Office justified the police behavior saying the marchers were engaged in violent and threatening actions. – See more at: http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/06/12/308523/uk-begins-heavyhanded-g8-policing/#sthash.ipKcoKbC.dpuf