Mob storms RBS branch as protests turn violent

AN ANGRY mob stormed a bank yesterday as the G20 protests turned violent.

Masked anarchists smashed their way into the Royal Bank of Scotland branch in the City of London.

They trashed equipment, daubed graffiti on the walls and threw a chair through a window.

More than 4,000 demonstrators, most of them peaceful, gathered near the Bank of England to demand action from world leaders.

But several hundred clashed with police, who were pelted with eggs, paint bombs and empty beer cans.

Scotland Yard responded by cordoning off streets and sending in riot police and officers on horseback.

There were 19 arrests for offences such as violent disorder, threatening behaviour and breach of the peace.

The day began with marches from Cannon Street, Liverpool Street, Moorgate and London Bridge, led by effigies of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

As the lines of protesters walked peacefully towards the Bank of England, City workers were seen waving £10 notes at them from office windows above.

Political protesters carrying banners marked “Balls to the Banks” and “Punish the looters” were joined by workers who had lost their jobs in the recession.

Former financial worker Caroline Carter, 49, from Chertsey in Surrey, said: “Believe you me, this is going to get a lot worse by the end of this year.

“I suggest the bankers give up some of their pensions and give something back to the community.”

Christine Hickey, 64, from Sutton, Surrey, said: “I’m just fed up with the bankers who’ve got away with taking all this money.

“People are losing jobs and their homes and I’m fed up with it.

“I’m not here with anyone today but wanted to come along to show my support. It all seems good-natured.”

When the four processions converged on the roads around the Bank of England at around midday, the atmosphere turned menacing.

Police closed off nearby streets to stop anyone leaving the area as small groups of protesters began charging police lines.

To cheers from parts of the crowd, a handful of men with black scarves obscuring their faces and hoods over their heads smashed a hole in the windows with a metal pole and crawled in.

Police entered the branch at around 2pm and shortly afterwards began driving demonstrators away from the building.

An RBS spokeswoman said the branch was closed today and there was no-one inside.

“We made a decision yesterday to close various branches, so that branch is closed, there is no question about that,” she said.

The outbreaks of violence marred otherwise peaceful G20 protests around London.

In nearby Bishopsgate, hundreds of environmental protesters blocked the road with a climate camp.

They pitched tents and set up market stalls, bunting and banners outside the European Climate Exchange.

One protester, Richard Howlett, said efforts to restart the world economy risked making climate change worse.

He said: “Anybody with any common sense can see that we’re not going to get ourselves on the low-carbon economy we need if we’re building new runways and new coal-fired power stations.”

Campaign group Stop The War said there were 5,000 protesters in Trafalgar Square for an anti-war rally.

Convenor Lindsey German said: “The message is very simple we want troops — out of Iraq and Afghanistan, an end to the siege of Gaza, stop the arming of Israel, and the creation of jobs, not bombs.”