London cancels police leave to handle Bush protesters

[Sticky]

y Bruce I. Konviser
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

LONDON — Police are bracing for what could be the largest demonstration ever organized against a foreign head of state when President Bush arrives for a state visit on Tuesday.
Central London streets will be closed for Mr. Bush's motorcades and leave has been canceled for London police, who are expected to spend millions of dollars on security for the visit.

The highlight will come Thursday when as many as 60,000 people gather in Trafalgar Square to pull down a homemade statute of President Bush in a parody of the April 9 destruction of Saddam Hussein's statue in Baghdad.

"Our quarrel is not with the American people but with Bush and his administration," said Ghada Razuki, a organizer with the Stop the War coalition representing more than 400 student, religious and labor groups opposing the war in Iraq.

"American soldiers are over there dying — for what?"
Mr. Bush addressed the planned protests in an interview given to the London Daily Telegraph for publication today.

http://www.washtimes.com/world/20031113-110709-8288r.htm