LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) – London police are bracing for protests at Margaret Thatcher’s funeral on Wednesday, with opponents vowing to pelt her coffin with eggs, coal or milk if they can get close enough — or simply turn their backs on the passing procession.

More than 800 people have pledged to attend an event called “Maggie’s good riddance party”, promising a “right jolly knees-up” outside St Paul’s Cathedral — where 2,000 global political leaders, celebrities and friends will be paying their respects to the former British prime minister.

“Let the world know the hypocrisy of a state-funded funeral for the person who influenced 30 years of cuts to state funding of welfare,” the protest’s Facebook page reads.

“If taxpayers are funding her funeral… we can at least get our money’s worth.”

The former Conservative Party leader’s death has sparked furious debate in Britain over her legacy — and over the decision to grant her a state-funded ceremonial funeral, which by some estimates will cost the taxpayer up to £10 million ($15 million, 12 million euros).

Her more radical critics, who accuse her of ruining millions of lives with her radical free-market reforms, greeted news of her death from a stroke last week with impromptu street parties.

Hundreds of people filled London’s Trafalgar Square on Saturday, erected a giant effigy of her and shouted “Maggie, Maggie, Maggie! Dead, dead, dead!”

Scotland Yard has launched a massive security operation, fearing that protesters could attack the 1.9-kilometre (1.1 mile) route between parliament and St Paul’s. Her coffin will be carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage through streets lined with military personnel.

Police have repeatedly asked demonstrators to give them advance notice of their plans, warning that anyone causing “harassment, alarm or distress” could be arrested.

Some protesters have vowed to pelt the coffin with eggs, while others have hinted at hurling coal — a reminder of the bitter 1984-1985 miners’ strike which Thatcher crushed, leading to the closure of dozens of mines and tens of thousands of job losses.

“Please remember your coal to throw at the cortege, it’s what she would have wanted,” one Twitter user posted.

Former miners were among those celebrating Thatcher’s death at Trafalgar Square on Saturday — and pubs in areas where the mines were shut down, from Wales to northern England, are expected to do brisk trade on Wednesday.

In London, some protesters suggested they may try to throw milk at Thatcher’s coffin, a reference to her days as education minister when her decision to stop free milk for older school pupils earned her the nickname “Thatcher the milk snatcher”.

Westminster City Council has nine “flushing machines” and 40 staff on standby to clear the streets of milk if necessary, a spokeswoman said.

But many of Thatcher’s foes said that simply turning their backs as her coffin passes would send a more powerful message.

“If many people turn their backs it will be a deeply symbolic act,” said Becca Blum, an environmental activist who said she had police permission for a peaceful protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice.

“We will show the world that Britain is not all united in grief,” she wrote on her blog.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said an “appropriate” policing operation was in place for Wednesday.

She declined to say how many officers would be on the ground, adding that the force had been in contact with some protesters.

“We are hugely experienced in safely delivering high profile and ceremonial events in the capital,” said Commander Christine Jones, who is leading the operation.

It is yet another large-scale operation for the London force after the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, last summer’s Olympic Games and Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond jubilee celebrations.

St Paul’s itself is no stranger to protests. Lying at the heart of London’s financial district, it was home to anti-capitalist “Occupy” protesters for more than four months until their camp was evicted in February 2012.

Shopkeepers along the funeral procession route have been told to remove signs from the pavement, as well as any ladders or tools that could potentially be used as weapons.

“We’re moderately concerned about it,” said Stuart Dove, manager of George Attenborough and Son jeweller’s on Fleet Street, near the cathedral.

“We might have to put our shutters down, depending on how big the crowd gets. It’s a bit annoying for business, but I think it’s important that London marks the occasion,” he told AFP.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/04/protesters-plan-to-pelt-thatchers-coffin-with-eggs-coal-or-milk/

If they like, after pelting the coffin with milk, egg or coal, they can as well go extramiles in smashing the coffin and feast on thatcher's corpse. That doesn't change anything about her again since she is dead.
Moreover, these people should come and learn how to respect the dead from our people.

And my naija brothers and sisters are hailing her as one of the greatest leaders of her time....take ur time o! Make una de try do research my people! Nobody seems to like Mma Thatcher

CHAIRMAN1: And my naija brothers and sisters are hailing her as one of the greatest leaders of her time....take ur time o! Make una de try do research my people! Nobody seems to like Mma Thatcher

What do you naija people know apart from parroting the garbage-in, garbage-out crap they see on TV, just to sound cool.

I hope that old hag rot in hell for what she did to African immigrants living in Britain. Serves them racists right.

Madness!

The evil men/women do lives after them...

Na wa o! I still like the lady . Not fair on her legacy. For what its worth, she tried.

our soak-away tank is being emptied. they can come and borrow d shyte

waz she dat bad ?

The evil that men do live after them. What a lesson to learn

If na naija some people go want queue for rice n meat. Lol....

MAYBE THAT WILL SERVE HER RIGHT.

Thatcher is a hate figure in Britain due to many of her anti people's policies.

... And I'm sure there'll be another round of partying and boozing .

2ND ACCT: waz she dat bad ?

If only for her support for the Apartheid regime in South Africa, YES! she was bad. She encouraged the violation of economic/trade embargo on the South African regime.

Margaret Thatcher refused to restore British authority in Rhodesia (now called Zimbabwe) after the country's white population usurped power

Nigeria responded by nationalizing the operations of Barclays Bank after the bank ignored the strong protests by Nigeria urging it not to buy the South African government bond.

Nigeria also nationalized the British Petroleum (BP) for supplying oil to South Africa. The witch even called Mandela a terrorist.She was bad! bad!! bad!!!

K

Go ahead with the plan !!!

If you look at the pix above youwill see that even some people that were not even born by the time of her regime are protesting.

hahaha dis witch? Serves her right

Do good during your days on Earth.

I only hope they will allow me sell my gala during the procession.

NOW THATS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
NOT HERE FULL OF PRETENSE

O ga o! We would only be remembered by what we have done.

If they like they can even kidnap d copse.A copse feels no pain. Pls where is musiwa 1-500? i need a satelite update on pyongyang

I need to read her story 1ce more. So wicked ?

yeeeee!!!magret thatcher the iron lady,racist come see wetin them the plan to do your coffin,oh i forgot you are dead.rip anyway

George Bush is probably watching this and crying.

He knows its going to be MUCH worse when he dies!

I think there is a thin line that separates human beings from animals, and that is our capacity to show empathy and sympathy. The day we loose this basic trait is the day we stop being human beings, we become no different from animals. Shame and woe unto those who disrespect the dead for whatever reason!

I'm a black immigrant hence I should know how the shoe pinches, but personally, I don't give a flying f-uck what Margaret Thatcher did during her time in power. The bottom-line is that she is dead, and my condolences goes to her family. May her soul R.I.P.

ShyM-X:


What do you naija people know apart from parroting the garbage-in, garbage-out crap they see on TV, just to sound cool.

My brother, no mind our country. Our leaders puring encomiums on her is because of their own selfish attitude here whereby they see the white as their superior no matter what any white man does to them. They love employing white men who are clerks in their country by bring them to work in their company here in Nigeria, just to be boasting that they employ and pay white man. Look at the way the British are treating her death like that of Abacha

ShyM-X:


What do you naija people know apart from parroting the garbage-in, garbage-out crap they see on TV, just to sound cool.

My brother, no mind our country. Our leaders here are pouring encomiums on her because of their own selfish attitude here whereby they see the white as their superior no matter what any white man does to them. They love employing white men who are clerks in their country by bring them to work in their company here in Nigeria, just to be boasting that they employ and pay white man. Look at the way the British are treating her death like that of Abacha