Around 30 activists attended the Million mask March event in Birmingham (Photograph: Paul Stringer)
Around 30 people turned out for a Million Mask March event in Birmingham yesterday, which was held to coincide with the larger official November 5th demonstration in London.
Amidst scenes of police confrontations and burning vehicles in the capital, the turnout in Birmingham garnered a much smaller show of support, with minor scuffles between protesters and police.
Activists in Birmingham created home-made banners and placards for the Million Mask March event (Photograph: Paul Stringer)
Riot vans and police outnumber protesters in #Birmingham as only 20 people show up for a #MillionMaskMarch protest. pic.twitter.com/sswlRvI2P8
— I Am Birmingham (@IAmBirmingham) November 5, 2015
Gathering outside the Council House in Victoria Square, local activists wearing Guy Fawkes masks – as popularised in the 2005 film V for Vendetta – held aloft homemade placards and banners in defiance and in opposition to capitalism, austerity; and calling for a boycott of Israeli goods.
Placards and banners targeted austerity, capitalism and called for a boycott of Israeli goods (Photograph: Paul Stringer)
Placards and banners targeted austerity, capitalism and called for a boycott of Israeli goods (Photograph: Paul Stringer)
Some protesters then marched through the city centre streets, chanting and protesting outside the Tesco Metro store in New Street, followed by a impromptu rally outside the Bullring shopping centre, which went into lockdown mode in response.
Police evicted Million Mask March activists from Starbucks cafe in Birmingham’s New Street (Photograph: Paul Wheeler)
A few of the masked activists also entered Starbucks in New Street where they were swiftly removed by West Midlands Police officers.
There was a confrontation between anti-war campaigner Stuart Richardson and ‘Anonymous’ activists (Photograph: Paul Stringer)
There were minor scuffles between protesters themselves after attendees claiming to represent the regional arm of organisation Anonymous clashed with Socialist Resistance activist Stuart Richardson, also a member of the Birmingham Stop the War Coalition. A masked activist was heard telling Richardson to “F*** you” before apologising.
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There were no reported arrests during the Birmingham Million Mask March protest.
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