British police arrest 63 in G20 London summit protests

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-04-02 11:38

LONDON -- The number of arrests made by British police during Wednesday's city-wide G20 London summit protests has risen to 63, police said.

Police and a demonstrator clash in London April 1, 2009. Riot police staged baton charges to try to disperse several hundred protesters gathered around the Bank of England in the heart of London's financial centre on Wednesday after a day of protest around the G20 summit. [Agencies]

Most were held under public order act, breaching of peace, burglary or arson on Royal Bank of Scotland building, criminal damage, and possession of police uniform or drugs.

Other offenses include carrying offensive weapon, threatening behavior, obstruction of police or highway.

Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, protesters clashed with police in central London after some trouble-makers ran out of control and started to smash the windows of Royal Bank of Scotland.

A man was also found dead after collapsing at a protest camp near the Bank of England in central London. A member of the public told a police officer that "there was a man who had collapsed round the corner," said a police statement.

Full coverage:  G20 Financial Summit Related readings:  Protesters square off as London prepares for G20  London police charge to disperse G20 protesters  G20 protestors jam downtown London, target banks  London beefs up security for upcoming G20 summit

The officer then sent two police medics through the cordon line and into St Michaels Alley where they found a man who had stopped breathing. "The officers gave him an initial check and cleared his airway before moving him back behind the cordon line to a clear area outside the Royal Exchange Building where they gave him CPR," it added.

The officers took the decision to move him as a number of missiles believed to be bottles were being thrown at them. The man was pronounced dead when he was taken to hospital.

Thousands of people gathered outside Bank of England, Royal Exchange and Royal Bank of Scotland in the financial center of London and set up camp there to express their anger at the " irresponsible," "reckless" fat-cat bankers who pocket fat bonuses even when banks were plunged into difficulty.

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