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By News Editor Declan Wilkes Thousands have taken to the streets and riot police deployed as police struggle to keep order in the city of London. "So far so good" was the quote from officers on the ground - but they are expecting the situation to develop as more organised protests gather and sporadic violence fuelled by alcohol break out. Our Editor-in-Chief John Kaponi is at the protests where it is estimated 4,000 have massed and the riot squad have been deployed after building up by the Royal Exchange as smoke grenades are being thrown. Activists have stormed a branch of a Royal Bank of Scotland on Bartholomew Lane, , breaking windows and throwing computers onto the streets. That bank was given a £37bn government bail-out and their former Chief Sir Fred Goodwin has been villified by refusing to hand back an enhanced pension. Nearby buildings have been boarded up but police are not stopping the attack. 11 held for "impersonating cops" - our man on the front line Earlier eleven people arrested in a mock armoured personal vehicle arrested on suspicion of intimidating police officers were found with uniforms and other equipment. Crowd surges, drawn batons and snatch and grab operations are occurring on what now seems to be 'the front line' on the edges of the Bank of England. Hardcore protesters hell-bent on causing a confrontation are goading police lines and missiles are being thrown, two officers were visibly struck in the face. Police lines defusing situation - lack of agenda It is a contrast directly outside the Bank of England and Bishopsgate were protesters have pitched tents in a mock 'storm the bank' event. Police leave has been cancelled, shops and banks have been bordered up but the lack of an agenda has lead the protests to drift off and mushroom. 5,000 police - protests "unprecedented" A huge £7.5m security operation by 5,000 officers has been mounted in the face of potentially violent protests against the G20 by anti-capitalist, anti-globalisation and environmental activists. Previous meetings between world leaders and bankers in Seattle and Genoa have seen riots explode on the streets. Police have said the effects of the global downturn make the nature of these protests "unprecedented".
US embassy protest
A potentially volatile meeting is the Stop the War Coalition who will gather outside the US Embassy at Grosvenor Square at 2pm and then march on Trafalgar Square. The Financial Fools' Day protesters have just left Cannon Street, Moorgate, Liverpool Street and London Bridge stations to march to the Bank of England. The huge network of alleys and back streets make the marshalling of the event a nightmare for police. At 12.30 Climate Camp groups who claim a day of "spectacular action" are converging on European Climate Exchange and at 5pm a protest will be held on the Mall outside Buckingham Palace. On Saturday tens of thousands of people marched through London demanding action on poverty, climate change and jobs.
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