Softly Softly in Sheffield

Despite a massive police presence in Sheffield for the G8 summit protests this evening have been fairly spirited while the Police approach seemed to be much less full on than Derby.

The morning kicked off with Weapons of Mass Information - people leafleting the public in the town centre. The cops were soon on those who dressed in white but did nothing more than mild harassment and photographing people.

Around 50 people met on Devonshire Green from 4.30pm with a mixture of bikes skateboards and pedestrians. This left around an hour later but the police intervened soon after the start on West Street. Those on foot (around 10) were penned and prevented from going further. The rest of the mass was allowed to continue and still included a number of pedestrians. At the ring road we turned L while the police kept behind in vans. They didn't seem to mind where we went and at the large roundabout intersection the police kept the traffic signals red so we could get round safely. This critical Mass was pretty disorganised but fairly fun most of the time. Eventually it turned back into the city centre to near the Winter Gardens - a giant green house where the G8 would be entertained.

It's difficult to estimate numbers because people came and went and were spread around different streets too - but probably around 3-400 seems fair.

The SWP/StWC demo outside the Lyceum seemed fairly typical, fenced off in pen with much chanting that could no way be heard from the Winter Gardens.

But most people stayed on Fargate and after a while headed off down the street. A few scuffles broke out here and there and someone got arrested. The crowd weren't to pleased about this and at one point a load of officers got surrounded by people chanting "Let him go!" The officers looked understandably nervous having to guard their prisoners.

After this people moved to the entrance to the big road of Arundel Gate with some more heated stand offs with the boys in blue. Riot cops tooled up and came out to join the ranks and there were 2 more arrests. The crowd went back up to Fargate, which was now closed by the cops and stood around till now.

Latest report from the street is that there are only around 50 people left now.

Apparently the ministers will be at Chatsworth House tomorrow, a huge mansion in the Peak District. But they'll be back in the evening to dine at Cutler's Hall opposite the Cathedral.