Hundreds of thousands of protesters from across the UK staged a mass demonstration in London today against cuts in public spending.
TUC sources estimated up to half a million activists had taken to the streets in the biggest protest for years.
Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said the turnout was “absolutely enormous and showed the anger of ordinary working people at the Government’s cuts”.
The protest was largely peaceful but a breakaway group of hundreds of protesters attacked shops and banks in the Oxford Street area.
Topshop and HSBC had their windows smashed, while paint and glass bottles were thrown at a Royal Bank of Scotland branch.
Fireworks and flares were set off and a handful of activists scuffled with police.
Scotland Yard said light bulbs filled with ammonia were thrown at officers. One man was arrested on suspicion of going equipped to commit criminal damage.
Many of the protesters covered their faces with scarves and carried black and red flags.
They shouted “whose streets, our streets” and held placards which read “No cuts!”.
But the main group of the marchers demonstrated peacefully and walked along the pre-planned route from Embankment to Hyde Park.
Steel bands, choirs, performers and dancers performed while the mass of people, many with their children in tow, blew horns and whistles as they passed alongside Parliament.