Thousands join peaceful march in London

Tens of thousands of protestors on Saturday marched across London to demand action on climate change, jobs and poverty as world leaders began to arrive here for the G-20 summit next week.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is among leaders of 20 key countries participating in the April 2 summit that is expected to forumulate a global action plan to tackle the worst economic crises in decades.

The police launched a major security operation to prevent violence, but the march was peaceful and there were no arrests. The police estimated that between 12,000 and 15,000 people participated in the march.

People arrived in London in there thousands from all over Britain as well as France, Germany and Italy. Many of them brought along children as babies in prams.

Today's march was organised by what is considered an unprecedented alliance of more than 150 unions, environment and faith groups under an umbrella calling itself 'Put People First'.

"Our future depends on creating an economy based on fair distribution of wealth, decent jobs for all and a low-carbon future. There can be no going back to business as usual," the organisation said.

The demonstrators are keen to send a message to G20 leaders to pursue a new kind of global justice.

The protesters marched four miles from the Victoria Embankment to Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park on a route past the Houses of Parliament, up Whitehall and along Piccadilly, and culminated in a rally in Hyde Park.