No more porky pies: Inside the weekend’s Panama protests

This Saturday outside Downing Street, thousands rallied with banners, speakers and porky paraphernalia (masks, toys and pigtures) to demand the Prime Minister closes tax loopholes, or resigns.

The protest came after the “Panama Papers” leak, in which David Cameron’s father was implicated. In the fallout, Cameron’s family’s tax affairs are under investigation.

Cameron has since admitted to previously owning shares in his father’s company – protestors therefore gathered to demand the PM’s resignation, citing the fact that he’d benefited from legal tax avoidance, despite having condemned the practise in the past.

Saturday’s protest brought people of every description, some wearing Hawaiian shirts, others not. Volleyballs were thrown and beach glasses sported by those wishing to show the PM a less sinister alternative to offshore fun.

As the day progressed, the demonstrations became increasingly festive. Considering the ugly reason for which everyone had gathered it was a particularly beautiful thing.

As far as chants were concerned, “Get your loop hole, put it up your poop hole” was the outright winner.

“If Iceland can do it, we can do it better. Off with his head. Off with his head,” arguably came a close second.

In the early evening the police moved demonstrators to Parliament Square where music was played and poetry read.

Police eventually targeted the sound system and the demonstration came to a halt.

There were some skirmishes between police and protesters, though there were no reported arrests.

The People’s Assembly has planned another protest for this Saturday: Cameron Must Go! National Demo – March for Health, Homes, Jobs & Education.

For more information on similar demonstrations in the future, Occupy London has a list of upcoming events.

All photos by Jackson Flowers