70,000 people joined hands in a huge ring, demonstrating to put pressure on the G8 (an exclusive gang of the world's most powerful capitalist economies) to cancel the crippling debt inflicted on the world's poorest countries.

This was followed by a massive Street Party! in which the Birmingham ring road was completely closed to all traffic, which was backed up to the M6 and beyond. The police, drafted in from as far away as Devon and Cornwall, could only look on as thousands of people partied and picnicked, danced and drank in the sunshine, in a space reclaimed from the authorities. Loads of people were wearing clown costumes, and entertainment ranged from music, juggling and fire breathing to the surreal spectacle of a multi-coloured monkey trying to persuade people to stop burning a car.

Twenty police strolled into the reclaimed space, desperately trying to look inconspicuous in their regulation short-sleeves. But the crowd cotton on that they're sidling towards the sound system, and surround them in a sudden pincer movement. The police frantically call for asisstance through their walkie-talkies, as kids go running off with their helmets. Admitting defeat, they're escorted out by the victorious crowd. But they'd left one poor guy behind! This lone copper emerges from the crowd, covered head to foot in custard pies and foam, and everyone can't help laughing as he runs the gauntlet back to his colleagues.

Once the sun went down and the families left, leaving drunks to chuck vegetables at the police and get beaten up in return, the sound-system was marched out to where it could kick-start an all-night party. The whole day was absolutely wicked, and to think, the same thing was going on in Montreal, Sydney, Tel Aviv...