Meanwhile in London…

I was talking to a friend from London this morning. He had a lot to say about what life in the big city’s like right now.

Pres. Obama arrived with an entrouage of 500 yesterday. Upon arriving in England, Obama took a helicopter and flew to London where he’s staying at the American ambassador’s residence in Regent’s park.

My friend lives in Regent’s Park.

The city has been under huge preparations for the G20 for the best part of a week, but yesterday the barricades started going up in an ever-increasing number in the Regent’s Park area. Since there’s a large mosque, my friend thought the barricades had to do with something going on at the mosque, but it was due to the Presidential visit. The zone was cordoned off, more barricades were put up, and “the area was literally filled with police.”

And then Obama arrived in his helicopter. My friend said, “It was a sight to behold. There was an air corridor: A group of helicopters flew in place while the presidential helicopter came through and landed.” Mercifully, most of the 500 people in the entrouage took other means of transportation.

My friend continued, “now we have security like the end of the world was near: helicopters, police cars, riot police, and everything else you can think of.

“As you go further away from the Ambassador’s house, then you have the demonstrators. Between the police and the demonstrators, it’s like living in a stage of siege.”

The Times on Line has a video in this report, Brown and Obama deny G20 splits as protesters scuffle with police. You can see the protestors vandalizing the Royal Bank of Scotland windows in full sight of the reporters who are eagerly recording the crime.

The article states,

The Metropolitan Police said that around 4,000 protesters had gathered in the City for a protest outside the Bank of England and a “Meltdown Carnival” headlined by the left-wing rock singer Billy Bragg.

Mixing in with them were City workers who had deliberately “dressed down” – on police advice – to avoid being the targets of protesters.

In clear spring sunshine, the protests were initially good-natured, but isolated scuffles soon saw police retreat behind their barriers. By 1pm, the violence was worsening, with police using their batons to push back the crowds.

Even before the protest began, 11 people were arrested as they drove an armoured personnel carrier – painted blue with the words “riot police” in capital letters – towards Bishopsgate. All 11 were arrested for being in possession of police uniforms.

More than 30 forces have provided specialist officers for the days around the summit when there will be unprecedented levels of protests and 40 diplomatic delegations requiring security.

It’s going to be a long week in London.