Peaceful protest turns sour as 200 are corralled

London

Fears that anti-capitalist protests in London would descend into violence appeared unfounded early last night after the May Day demonstrations passed off relatively peacefully.

Scuffles between about 400 protesters and police in Trafalgar Square and Whitehall, a confrontation with demonstrators on The Strand and at least eight arrests for minor public order offences marred an otherwise good-natured series of demonstrations.

The situation in Trafalgar Square turned violent at the end of the day when several officers used batons against a core of about 150 people who refused to disperse. Riot officers were called to the scene as the protesters were corralled into a small area of The Strand. In the early evening, a stand-off developed as a singing, dancing and chanting crowd threw bottles and other missiles, including a fire-cracker. Police, who said that one member of the crowd had a petrol bomb, encircled hundreds of demonstrators and told them by loudspeaker that they would be held until public order was restored. Two protesters were dragged away and several were held by police who stormed the crowd.

A huge police presence of 3,000 officers, with an extra 1,000 on standby, and a low turn-out of protesters – estimated at about 1,500 – were thought to contribute to the relative lack of conflict.

Amid concerns that anti-capitalists and anarchists would repeat the destruction seen in previous May Day rallies, dozens of businesses in central London were closed and boarded up, and the Metropolitan Police set up a massive containment operation.

By 7pm the police had dispersed most of the protesters, having threatened to arrest anyone who remained in Parliament Square after 7.05pm. One police officer suffered a minor injury after being struck by a missile.

Earlier, lines of police officers and about 200 protesters were involved in scuffles outside the headquarters of the American arms company Lockheed Martin, one of the targets for the anti-war and anti-capitalist demonstrations.

The day of protest in London began with an anti-car rally by about 200 cyclists, who held a picnic before demonstrating outside the Home Office.

The people arrested included a 33-year-old man for criminal damage and possession of a knife, men aged 23, 19 and 16 for assault, and two 22-year-old women for assault.

As well as the anti-capitalist demonstration, the TUC held its annual workers' rally, which attracted about 3,000 people in central London.

Earlier in the day, the traditional carnival atmosphere prevailed as the multitude of unconventional haircuts mingled with pink and silver wigs. Clowns and jugglers mixed with protesters wearing George Bush masksas they danced their way to booming music and piercing whistles flanked by a heavy police presence. Only a few marchers with bandannas covering their faces gave a sinister appearance.

An initial gathering in High Holborn of anarchists and anti-capitalists brandished banners protesting against the arms trade, the war in Iraq, globalisation and exploitation of animals.

Some, such as a streaker who entertained the crowds by running down the street with only his socks on, appeared less sure of their protest. "I did it because I felt bored. I had nothing to do and thought I would have some fun," Michal Jaskowski said.

Most of the 300-strong crowd initially gathered there were determined to make their protest peacefully. Andrew Burrell, a 19-year-old Nottingham University student with Awaken Your Conscience inscribed on his jacket, said: "I think there is great emphasis on May Day about violence and damaging property. It is important to make people realise people are doing this for a bigger and just cause – against injustice for the poor and slave labour in the Third World."

"Professor Kayoss", who was cycling a flying machine complete with wings proclaiming Love Life, added: "It's a celebration of life today. It is not all doom and gloom and destruction. It is about saying let's do something about the planet. It is not going to change the world but it may just influence the world."

But as the crowd surged forward, meeting resistance from a sometimes heavy-handed line of police, scuffles broke out to cheers from the crowd. Nevertheless, they marched past such "imperialist" bastions as the Savoy Hotel without incident, herded by the police. Along The Strand almost half the businesses had boarded up their windows, while statues in Parliament Square were encased.

Demonstrators marched under the banner of "Weapons of mass construction – Our day" and staged protests at the offices of oil and arms companies.

Organisers had published on the internet a list of 69 possible targets for protesters, but the anti-capitalist groups proved to have been over-optimistic about the turn-out in London.

Last year there were 54 arrests after fighting broke out in Soho, while the year before nearly 100 were arrested as 5,000 people were penned into Oxford Circus by the police.

The Protest Groups

* Critical Mass Anti-car and anti-pollution cyclists who meet to stop traffic and highlight the lack of cycle routes.

* London Rising Tide Anti-oil industry group which recently targeted BP's annual meeting.

* Wombles (White Overall Movement Building Liberation through Effective Struggle) Anti-capitalists who organise May Day demos via a website and public meetings.

* London Animal Action Anti-fur demonstrators who protested outside the Dolce & Gabbana shop in the West End.

* Cleaning Up After Capitalism Anti-capitalists and anarchists who dress in fluorescent jackets marked "Cleaning Up After Capitalism" and carry vacuum cleaners as a symbolic gesture.

* Class War Anarchists involved in the 1990 poll tax riots in London. Recently protested at a hardware shop selling goods made by convicts (seen as exploitative).

* Mayday Collective Co-ordinates May Day website and protests around the country.

* No Sweat Opposed to sweatshop labour in UK.

* Disobedience Remains of the anti-traffic group Reclaim the Street.

* Workers Revolutionary Party (And Its Youth Wing, The Young Socialists) Marxists who campaign for a socialist revolution through the leadership of the working class.