Jackie Stewart book signing on London Wall

My only claim to motorsport fame is winning an international corporate go-karting event but I’ll be keeping quiet about that for the remainder of this week because former Formula 1 Champion Jackie Stewart will be at Waterstones on London Wall on the 16th between 12.30 and 1.30 signing copies of his new autobiography Winning Is Not Enough. I’ve never met him but have seen examples of his driving and also, more recently, seen him teaching James May to drive very quickly indeed on an episode of Top Gear. The book’s had some rave reviews and this event coincides with the release of the paperback version so if you turn up you won’t have to break the bank to get a signed copy.

Or you can go along and ask him how he feels about pocketing the RBS cash from Fred the Shred…

Book Signings at Waterstones, London Wall
http://www.waterstones.com/

One week on in the City

The echoes of last week’s protests still linger in the City, from the police van parading anti-capitalist graffiti to the headlines in the news of the ever increasing storm surrounding the death of Ian Tomlinson. As more witnesses come forward some of the narratives become more contradictory (drunk v not drunk, only encounter with police or previous encounter) and it will take time to untangle the threads and come closer to finding out what really happened.

In these kind of situations it’s hard to get an idea of context, particularly if you’re not familiar with the City. The image below comes from the Evening Standard’s “This is London” website and shows Ian on the ground after being pushed by one of the police.

The image below is my own picture from across the road showing a wider view. 

If you go forward fifty yards or so you’ll come to the RBS that was damaged by protestors and if you go left just over fifty yards you’ll come to the front of the Royal Exchange, the epicentre of last many of last week’s events, so by any reckoning it occured very close to the centre of the protests. If you head thirty yards or so to the right down Cornhill you’ll find floral tributes attached to a streetsign as a memorial to Ian, which I assume mark the spot where he was treated and subsequently died.

For the sake of the family I hope the truth will out. 

Google Streetview
Location of the picture of the incident
http://bit.ly/15YfM
Location of the damaged RBS
http://bit.ly/6eu
Location of the floral tribute
http://bit.ly/fxYb

The Evening Standard coverage:
“I’ll see you tomorrow if I am still living and breathing”
G20 victim seen on film clashing with police an hour before fatal fall

The City Blog Flickr Page
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moorgatemercurius

Pawnbroker Opens in City of London

Since banker bashing is in vogue, the media seems to be delighting in the news that a pawnbrokers has opened up in the Square Mile – apparently the first one in over a hundred years – conjuring up images of crest fallen bankers having to trade in their valuables.

Nikolas Michael Pawnbrokers and Jewellers can be found on the first floor at 176 Bishopsgate, and according to the Guardian, it is “Rolex watches and diamond necklaces that are the currency of the loans it provides as, with bonuses long gone, City workers seek out alternative ways to make ends meet.”.

Lord Mayor’s Chauffeur Receives Driving Ban

The Lord Mayor’s chauffeur, Michael Dore, has been banned from driving for one year. The sentance was handed down after the driver was found guilty of drink driving. He was stopped by police officers in Cheapside in March after they spotted a fault break line on the Rolls Royce he was driving.

Whilst talking to him, officers began to suspect he had been drinking and took him to Bishopsgate Police Station after he failed a roadside breath test.

Mr Dore has been dismissed from his job and was also given a £585 fine by City of Westminster Magistrates Court.

See also: Lord Mayor’s Chauffeur Banned from Driving

Video Shows Police Assault On Ian Tomlinson

A shocking video has been obtained by the Guardian that appears to show police officers assaulting Ian Tomlinson from behind whilst he had his hands in his pockets and posed no threat. In the video, he is seen being hit in the legs by a police officer and then forcefully pushed to the ground.

After a period of time on the floor, he then gets up and stumbles off although it should perhaps also be noted that his walking at the start of the video before he is struck also seems slightly haphazard. He later collapsed and died of a heart attack.

Ian Tomlinson was a 47 year old newsagent in the City of London, and was apparently returning back to a hostel he lived in after finishing work. The video obtained by the Guardian will raise many questions about the police conduct on that day and will no doubt form an important part of the IPCC’s investigation into the matter.

G20 Protest Photos… in Lego

Some shocking photos have appeared of both protesters and police from the G20 protests last week. The first shows a lone protester being singled out for stop and search while the second shows protesters at Downing Street being held at bay while the G20 leaders address the world’s press.

You’ve got to love Legoland…

Calm in the City

Well, mostly calm. There were two workers cleaning a statue on Bank junction when I came in this morning and apparently there was a demo up on Bishopsgate but the general feeling seems to be that people are glad it’s over and now we can get back to worrying about work instead.

Last night’s scuffles were interesting as they didn’t feature on the TV or news that I noticed and when I phoned the office to give them a report they were surprised. That may partly be because a core of protesters had been kettled in at the Royal Exchange where the TV crews were based across the road waiting for something to happen, away from the other action in Lothbury. As it was the TV crews were too far away to get any broadcastable pictures so the whole thing went unreported.

G20 Protests Update – Evening Day 2

Everything was on a lot smaller scale this today and the skirmish I was caught up in around 4pm was only 50 or so protesters and the police weren’t even in full riot gear. The slightest disturbance got a loud reaction from other protesters and there was certainly a lot more noise than action, which is a good thing in those circumstances. I eventually made my way through the police lines to Bank and was able to watch as police moved in to dislodge the protesters from in front of the Royal Exchange but it looked like a slow and unequal struggle with only one outcome so I left them to it and found a bus as Bank station was closed. I’m not going to stick my neck out too far but I’m assuming tomorrow will be quiet. Yes?

G20 Protest Update – Early Afternoon Day 2

There’s some tension in the air around Bank if you care to feel it. Police are stopping and searching anyone who looks too suspicious for their liking and the police I spoke to didn’t think it was all over just yet. The police helicopter was just hovering over the Liverpool Street area but it seems unlikely that we’ll see anything on the scale of yesterday as the protesters don’t seem to be that organised, particularly when contrasted with the police.

At 1pm there was a short ceremony to remember the man who died during the protests yesterday, who was himself a protester. The circumstances surrounding his death will no doubt be examined over the coming days but I hope it won’t turn into a political football. Just around the corner police horses were lined up in front of the boarded-up windows of the RBS building (picture top) which was attacked by protesters yesterday and you can find pictures for this and more on my Flickr page and Twitter updates (right)

City Blog Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moorgatemercurius/

G20 Protests Update – Lunchtime Day 2

The “Youth Fight for Jobs” protest is apparently 200 strong and complying with the police. Having gathered south of the river they are now going to make their way into the City and may even be there by now. I’m going to head out shortly to have a look.

There’s also talk of a slow march from Bishopsgate to Bank as a mark of respect for the person who died during the protests yesterday

Police attacked as they helped dying protester
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/G20/article6020028.ece

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