Anonymous Protest In London, Part Of Worldwide #MillionMaskMarch (PICTURES, VIDEO) | HuffPost

Anonymous Protest Stops Traffic In Trafalgar Square

Paul Vale— The Huffington Post UK

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An Anonymous protest in London on Tuesday evening has led to clashes with the police after thousands took to the streets, many wearing the now infamous Guy Fawkes mask, to protest at austerity cuts. Comedian Russell Brand, who appeared at a Huff Post UK event on Monday, was spotted at the protest.

A fire was started at the Victoria Memorial, close to the gates of Buckingham Palace, and protesters threw glass bottles during clashes with officers in riot gear. A video emerged late on Tuesday evening showing the protesters laying in front of a bus and goading the police (see below).

STORY CONTINUES BELOW SLIDESHOW

Million Mask March

Bonfire of Austerity protest(01 of45)

Protesters demonstrate as part of the Bonfire of Austerity protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protestors clash with police outside Buckingham Palace, as they demonstrate during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protestors stand on the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace, as they demonstrate during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Police watch as protestors stand on the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace, as they demonstrate during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protestors clash with police outside Buckingham Palace, as they demonstrate during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protestors clash with police outside Buckingham Palace, as they demonstrate during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

Bonfire of Austerity protest(07 of45)

Protestors clash with police outside Buckingham Palace, as they demonstrate during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protestors clash with police outside Buckingham Palace, as they demonstrate during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protestors clash with police outside Buckingham Palace, as they demonstrate during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Police line up as protestors demonstrate outside Buckingham Palace, during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protestors stand on the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace, as they demonstrate during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Police line up as protestors demonstrate outside Buckingham Palace, during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Police line up as protestors demonstrate outside Buckingham Palace, during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Police line up as protestors demonstrate outside Buckingham Palace, during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Police lead away a protestor outside Buckingham Palace, during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protestors block a police van along The Mall, during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Police repair barriers along The Mall after they were knocked over by protestors, during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Police lead away a protestor on The Mall, during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protestors block a police van along The Mall, during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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EDS NOTE GESTURE: Protestors block a police van along The Mall, during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Police form a line in front of Admiralty Arch, The Mall, during the Bonfire of Austerity protest in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protesters demonstrate as part of the Bonfire of Austerity protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London. (credit:PA)

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EDS NOTE CONTENT: Protesters demonstrate as part of the Bonfire of Austerity protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protestors demonstrate outside Leinster House in Dublin as part of a planned Anonymous Million Mask March to mark Guy Fawkes Day. (credit:PA)

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Protestors demonstrate outside Leinster House in Dublin as part of a planned Anonymous Million Mask March to mark Guy Fawkes Day. (credit:PA)

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Protestors demonstrate outside Leinster House in Dublin as part of a planned Anonymous Million Mask March to mark Guy Fawkes Day. (credit:PA)

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Protestors demonstrate outside Leinster House in Dublin as part of a planned Anonymous Million Mask March to mark Guy Fawkes Day. (credit:PA)

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Protestors demonstrate outside Leinster House in Dublin as part of a planned Anonymous Million Mask March to mark Guy Fawkes Day. (credit:PA)

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Protestors demonstrate outside Leinster House in Dublin as part of a planned Anonymous Million Mask March to mark Guy Fawkes Day. (credit:PA)

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Protestors demonstrate outside Leinster House in Dublin as part of a planned Anonymous Million Mask March to mark Guy Fawkes Day. (credit:PA)

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Protestors demonstrate outside Leinster House in Dublin as part of a planned Anonymous Million Mask March to mark Guy Fawkes Day. (credit:PA)

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Protestors demonstrate outside Leinster House in Dublin as part of a planned Anonymous Million Mask March to mark Guy Fawkes Day. (credit:PA)

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Protesters demonstrate as part of the Bonfire of Austerity protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protesters demonstrate as part of the Bonfire of Austerity protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protesters demonstrate as part of the Bonfire of Austerity protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London. (credit:PA)

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Badger cull protesters demonstrate as part of the Bonfire of Austerity protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protesters demonstrate as part of the Bonfire of Austerity protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protesters demonstrate as part of the Bonfire of Austerity protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protesters demonstrate as part of the Bonfire of Austerity protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London. (credit:PA)

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Protesters demonstrate as part of the Bonfire of Austerity protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London. (credit:PA)

Speaking to PA, Ceylan Hassan, 24, a university graduate said: "They started shouting move back, move back, but we had nowhere to go. The police started pushing us, screaming 'move back, move back'."

He added: "There was a fire on the right hand side of the monument and people started throwing things. We've been here from the start, for about four hours."

Police in riot gear advance on protesters close to Parliament

The event is part of a MillionMaskMarch, with similar protests being held in cities around the world. A Facebook page promoting the protest called for Anonymous, WikiLeaks, the Pirate Party, and Occupy to "defend humanity".

"Remember who your enemies are: Billionaires who own banks and corporations who corrupt politicians who enslave the people in injustice," it read.

Earlier, cities in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand witnessed similar events highlighting corruption, corporate malfeasance and the expanding surveillance state, with more than 450 locations around the world planning disruptions.

Protesters close to Big Ben earlier in the evening

More from the Press Association:

Sean Roesner, 21, a self-employed computer programmer, travelled to the protest with his brother and friend from King's Lynn, Norfolk this afternoon. He said: "We turned up and the protest was at Buckingham Palace. When we arrived people were firing fireworks at the Palace."

He added: "It was funny. I didn't have any but I would have fired some if I had. I joined Anonymous because I was arrested under the Computer Misuse Act. I spent eight months on police bail last year and had done nothing wrong. We are here to stand up for what we believe in, to make the world a better place."

Roesner said his friend had been among a group of people encircled by the police on The Mall and was waiting for him to be released so they could return home.

WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE

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