London Protesters March Against 'Capitalist' Games

10:52 AM, Jul 28, 2012   |    comments
The London Bridge at Night, shows the Tower bridge adorned with the Olympic Rings.
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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.