Rainbow alliance is first onto streets

The rainbow alliance of protesters opposed to the visit of George Bush finally took to the streets today after weeks of propaganda and preparation.

Thousands of demonstrators began to converge on the capital as the US president was welcomed by the Queen at Buckingham Palace at the start of his three-day state visit, amid some of the tightest security London has ever seen.

The loose coalition comes from all walks of life and includes Left-wing activists, students, environmentalists and trade unionists.

An alternative state procession is being staged later today, with a cavalcade of cyclists, scooters and marchers following an open carriage carrying a Bush lookalike - mocking the President for his refusal to appear in public over safety fears.

Only yesterday he cancelled plans for an open-air ceremony with the families of British September 11 victims in Grosvenor Square.

The protests began last night when hundreds of environmentalists marched in anger at Mr Bush's refusal to ratify the Kyoto agreement limiting greenhouse gases.

As Airforce One touched down at Heathrow airport, Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic condemned his country's occupation of Iraq at a packed rally, while students occupied a lecture theatre at the London School of Economics.

For the greens and eco-warriors gathered in Lincoln's Inn Fields to march on the US embassy, Mr Bush, and the oil companies which backed his election, present mankind with one of its greatest dangers and his refusal to tackle global warming threatens to destroy the planet.

They came on foot and by bike, pulling trailers adorned with windmills, streamers and flaming torches, banging drums and blowing whistles and kisses.

At their head stood 77-year-old Sylvia Appleton and her friends, clutching placards reading "Southwark pensioners demand a hospitable planet for their grandchildren".

"Bush was after the oil in Iraq and that's not going to help the planet," said the former civil servant, adding: "He is coming here so he can show off to the American people and say that the British support him. Well, they don't. No one I know supports Bush."

The drummers struck up a samba beat and the march set off, past ExxonMobil's offices in Aldwych (loud boos and jeers) and along the Strand. The marchers sang their condemnation of the man they call the Toxic Texan.

While some clutched placards with Bush's face and the slogan "Wanted for crimes against the planet", others held glowing papier-m‚ché ³kulls and images of a burning planet Earth to symbolise global warming.

Green activist Lucy Wills, dressed as Ms Flaming Planet, said: "By not putting environmental controls in place we will have to pay out more in the future cleaning up after environmental disasters. Bush is mortgaging our future."

Overhead clattered a helicopter. Could it be Marine One ferrying Mr Bush and his wife from Heathrow airport for supper with the Queen? No-one knew for sure, but they booed and jeered all the same.

At the LSE, about 50 students occupied a lecture theatre as a warm-up for the rest of the week. Postgraduate James Meadway, 23, of the LSE Stop the War Coalition, said: "A clear majority of the British public were against the war, so to invite the person responsible here is a slap in the face."

Back in Piccadilly, the 600-odd marchers were nearing their destination. Then into Grosvenor Square and the US Embassy, defended by concrete blocks, steel fencing and a solid line of police. Here former environment minister Michael Meacher addressed the crowd, who chanted: "George Bush: eco-terrorist."

There were more insults for the President at a 1,300-strong rally at Friends Meeting House in Euston Road, where Mr Kovic was joined by Harold Pinter, Tony Benn and George Galloway MP in denouncing the US-led invasion of Iraq.

Mr Kovic, whose story was told in the film Born On The Fourth Of July, said Americans were being fed the same lies about Iraq today that persuaded him to volunteer to fight in Vietnam nearly 40 years ago.

Mr Kovic, who was paralysed after being wounded as a Marine, said that just as protesters had stopped the Vietnam war, those demonstrating against Mr Bush now had the power to end the occupation of Iraq. "You have a rendezvous with history on the streets of London," he said.

While Tony Benn called for Britons to support those Americans who oppose Mr Bush, playwright Pinter declared: "The United States is more and more resembling Nazi Germany."

Welcome to London, Mr President.