LONDON (AP) — About 300 people critical of the economic impact of London’s Olympics are marching in protest to an east London park.
A dozen police are watching Saturday’s trouble-free march by the hard-left activists, who decry the games as a corporate juggernaut rolling over residents and their civil rights. Their placards include such slogans as “Corpolympics.”
The protesters contend that the often-cited Olympic boost to the traditionally gritty, working-class East End of London is an illusion, whereas major corporate sponsors such as McDonald’s and Coca-Cola gain from the 9.3 billion pound ($14 billion) games.
One protester, Michael Coulston, says the British government chose to spend billions on attracting visitors “to one location for a couple of weeks” rather than to build infrastructure of lasting benefit to all Londoners.
