Protesters gather after Queen’s speech to ‘fight austerity’

Anti-austerity protesters gathered to protest against the Government’s measures announced in the Queen’s speech.

Around 200 people joined the protest which began in Trafalgar Square, central London, after the Queen’s speech outlined the new Conservative Government’s plans.

There were skirmishes with police as protesters – some wearing masks and scarves to cover their faces – ran down Whitehall. Uniformed police linked arms to form a human barricade to try to contain the protesters while some pulled out their batons to warn off demonstrators.

One man was pinned to the ground by police officers who arrested him after trouble flared up near Parliament Square.

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Green Party activist Sian Berry told Channel 4 News that she believes London voted to reject austerity and this could be reflected in the mayoral elections next year.

Speaking at the event Dave Ward, general secretary-elect of the Communication Workers Union, said: “This a Tory government that is planning to undermine the incomes and conditions of working people while at the same time cynically sabotaging the very means they have to speak out in protest.

“The Tories may have won the election, but they run the real risk of losing the country if they continue to pursue divisive policies that tear up working peoples’ rights, conditions and incomes.”

One protester, who did not want to be named, described how Douglas Carswell, Ukip’s only MP, was surrounded by demonstrators and doused in water before being bundled to safety by police.

He said: “Douglas Carswell was in St James’ Tube, someone spotted him and everyone rushed over.

“Everyone was chanting and he was stuck. The police had to push through the crowd and he got a bottle of water thrown over him.

“Then police put him in a van and he was driven away.” Protesters played cat and mouse with police around central London, sprinting through the streets around Parliament and Whitehall. A group stopped traffic as they staged a sit-down protest by Trafalgar Square.

Mr Carswell claimed the group that shouted abuse at him as he waited for a bus appeared to have “pretty murderous” intent before he was escorted by officers into the back of a police van as demonstrations turned nasty.