A huge protest is filling the streets of downtown London as students, union leaders and others demonstrate against proposed cuts to social spending in the U.K. –JCL

AP via The Oakland Tribune:

Tens of thousands of protesters crowded central London on Saturday to protest government cuts to public services, streaming in from around the country with banners, balloons and whistles.

Organizers of the march estimated that at least 100,000 people were joining in the demonstration, what the Trade Union Council called the largest civil society demonstration in years. Police said they are not giving out estimates of the number of demonstrators, but as of early afternoon they said the march had been peaceful so far.

Britain is facing 80 billion pounds ($130 billion) of public spending cuts from Prime Minister David Cameron’s coalition government as it struggles to get the country’s large budget deficit under control. The government has already raised sales tax, but Britons are bracing for deep cuts on services.

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