It was obviously a trade union demonstration but not everyone was trade unionist. It was a demonstration about the public sector but clearly not everyone was a public sector worker.
For sheer diversity it surpassed even the great ant-war demo of 2003.
I did not get to hear many speeches (along with thousands of others!). Not sure I missed much. Milliband was roundly heckled - we want no cuts, not slow cuts!
Most of the demonstrators will have got home before even being aware that there had been any violence but that hasn't stopped the media from making it the defining characteristic of the day. The thing to most criticise the "black bloc" for is the way in which they provide the police with a ready-made excuse to come down hard on any direct action. I wonder if bothers the BB that most people seem to think they are riddled with state agents provocateur. In the public mind, even the non-violent direct action of UKUncut gets pigeonholed with "the violent minority". Mission accomplished!
It is not clear what the TUC's plan is from here but it is clear that a demo - even this one - will not be enough to knock the ConDems off course.
And if they don't come with some ideas, it is clear that there are others who will not waiting around to do something.
Video and photos available here....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUCt13Q64Fw&feature=youtube_gdata_player
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