The last protest of the year for me, and it was pretty damn fun. I took some photos too, that will be littered throughout.

Granted, there was masses of violence from both police and protesters, especially the several occasions when police (both on foot and horse-mounted) charged at protesters. Overall 8 police were injured, in excess of 100 protesters were injured, from which over 40 were hospitalised. One individual received life threatening injuries after a police charge and required three hours of brain surgery to save his life.

Numbers from the protesters first aid area are unavailable, although the student doctor there reported several head injuries that required hospital treatment. Two people from my travel group were hospitalised with head injuries.

[Photo] A man injured in the first police charge

Police spent a great deal of time acting suspiciously - at least in my eyes. At one point those nearest to Parliament simultaneously dropped shields and started moving barriers, although nothing came out of that.

The most suspicious tactic that I witnessed was when riot police allowed protesters into Whitehall, then kettled and charged at them repeatedly, pressing them against police vans that had conveniently been left behind. Police voluntarily relinquishing control of a cordon they had kept for five hours for no reason? That's bloody suspicious.

[PHOTO] The view down Whitehall after police allowed protesters through
[PHOTO] A line of riot police on Whitehall, just prior to charging

Funnily enough I was hit in the chest during one of those charges, I'm absolutely fine though.

It was awesome to see such a diverse mix of people at the protest. Yes there was the students and the anarchists (who go to every protest ever), but there was also a healthy dose of university staff, people who had become unemployed during the recession, seasoned protesters (who actually live on Parliament Square) and the random well-dressed old man shouting for violent revolution.

[PHOTO] Well-dressed old man shouting for violent revolution

And now, because I can't think of anything else to talk about, have some more pictures.

[PHOTO] Protesters around Parliament
[PHOTO] More older protesters
[PHOTO] A line of police surrounding Whitehall, Portcullis House and Parliament
[PHOTO] Protesters retaliate against police charges, using fences as shields
[PHOTO] Starting fires to keep warm