Clashes, arrests mark first day of G-20 protests

Windows of the Royal Bank of Scotland were smashed amid clashes between the police and thousands of protesters who converged here on Wednesday to vent public anger over economic meltdown, recession and climate change before world leaders, including prime minister Manmohan Singh, gathered for the G-20 Summit.

The RBS is one of the beleaguered banks that has been rescued by millions of pounds of state funds. Protesters also converged on the Bank of England in thousands with slogans such as 'Swindlers List', 'Financial Fools day and 'Storm the Banks'.

A security officer was injured when a protester hit him with a large pole, while several people were arrested in various parts of London as world leaders prepared for the
one-day G-20 summit on Thursday.

The protests were mainly prompted by anger at bankers' role in the global economic meltdown, resulting in job cuts and major losses in the value of savings and pensions.
Protests were also held outside the US embassy against the war in Iraq.

The largest demonstration was held outside the Bank of England, where four protest marches converged. A group of officers was forced to retreat behind metal crowd barriers outside the bank, apparently because of the crush of the crowd in front of them.