Archive protest photos: Mayday Festival of Alternatives in central London, 1st May 2002

Following on from Mayday protests in 2000 and 2001, the 2002 event was billed as a “festival against work, want and denial, and a vision of freedom and plenty throughout the world.”

The original report from the day can be found here, but this page features the photos in much higher resolution.

These people, wearing masks of the Queen and George Bush, staged their own ad-hoc perfomances in Charing Cross Rd.

A series of stalls, campaign groups and speakers lined the north side of Trafalgar Square.

Mayday attracted a wide range of people protesting on diverse issues.

These old fellas were fighting against proposed cuts for home care in Southwark.

Police surround Trafalgar Square with a sea  of yellow and blue.

Such was the elevated level of press hysteria drummed up prior to the event, many shops had decided to board up their frontages.

An enterprising, family run cafe offered this advice to passing protesters.

This noisy and highly colourful march in support for Soho sex worker’s rights was great fun!

The corner of Dean Street and Old Compton Street was the meeting point for a samba band, dancers, some stray Wombles and loads of people in pink outfits.

The noise of the samba band echoed through the narrow streets of Soho as the band headed down Old Compton Street.

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