AFP - Tens of thousands of Britons were demonstrating peacefully Saturday at midday in central London to protest against austerity, responding in mass to the appeal of unions.
"Participation is beyond anything we dreamed it's fantastic.. This is the biggest event in a generation in London," enthused the general secretary of Unite union, Len McCluskey.
"There is a palpable anger in this country and hundreds of thousands of people came here to say. According to police, there would be almost half a million people," he said.
No official estimate was available, however.Before the event, the Confederation of British trade unions, Trades Union Congress (TUC), predicted "more than 100,000 people, and certainly much more" and the media had forecast 250,000 to 300,000 people.
Unions hope the gathering will be the largest in London since the 2003 war against Iraq (one million) and the broader social movement for two decades.
About 4,500 police were mobilized for fear of spills, such as occurred during the student demonstrations this fall.The unions have also provided an important service order to preserve "family atmosphere" of this event, bringing people of all ages.
"Do not break Britain!", "Defend our public services!" Proclaimed the banners of the demonstrators. Many had come with family, strollers and vuvuzelas, the famous horns used by fans at the World Cup football in South Africa.
"I'm here because the government makes us pay to repair what did the bankers.It is currently building a society where the rich are even more weak and more needy, "said Gillian Siddons, a retiree of 60 years.
"We want to show the government what we think of his politics," added Jim Waters, 62.
The government decided to impose a course of unprecedented rigor in the UK, with cuts of more than 90 billion euros by 2015.
