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Gravesend snapper followed London march

by Mary Graham

This was the dramatic moment a mob forced its way into London’s Fortnum and Mason store during the TUC’s anti cuts protest.

It was captured by Daniel Turner, a Gravesend-based photographer.

He described the start of the day as "very peaceful and good natured - almost like a carnival atmosphere" but noticed that at midday the atmosphere began to change.

He said: "As the march went past Downing Street towards Whitehall, you saw little groups and they were a different kind of person and their main aim was to fight and destroy.

"There was a flash point at Oxford Circus and bricks began being thrown at Topshop and then from there the so-called "anarchists" headed for the Ritz and Fortnum and Mason was just down the road.

"There were people from UK Uncut who were using the march to go up to people and hand out leaflets, then they would just disappear into the crowd again. Then there were "anarchists" who had their faces covered.

"I followed them inside Fortnum and Mason. It was largely peaceful inside and nothing got destroyed, although some shop displays got knocked over."

Mr Turner was paintballed with red paint as he took his pictures and also witnessed another photographer working while covered in white paint. He said protesters were blowing the yokes out of eggs, before filling the shells with paint and hurling them into the crowd.

Police have charged 149 people and are still studying CCTV and still photographs to find out who led the violence.

More of Daniel's riot pictures at www.youinspire.co.uk

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