Businesses
in London are bracing themselves for today’s May Day demonstrations against
global capitalism.
Many shops and businesses around Oxford Street will close and some have
taken down door plaques to prevent potential troublemakers identifying them.
Last year’s May Day protests descended into violence as demonstrators
launched a violent assault on a McDonalds store and defaced public monuments
around Whitehall.
Companies warned employees to avoid wearing suits and some retailers have
closed altogether.
Organisers of the protests have publicised events at locations corresponding
to squares on the Monopoly board game, including Old Kent Road, Strand, Fleet
Street, Kings Cross and Pentonville Road.
Employers received a warning claiming that demonstrators could target
companies such as McDonalds, Tesco, Sainsbury, Coffee Republic, Starbucks,
HSBC, NatWest and Barclays.
Companies named on the Mayday Monopoly website, included the bank Coutts and
the Prison Service.
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Coutts was singled out because Mayday organisers believed it had a
reputation for pandering to royals and the mega-rich – but a spokesman insisted
that business would go ahead today as usual.
