Protesters from Tower Hamlets were joined by Mayor Lutfur Rahman, MP Rushanara Ali and councillors for the TUC demonstration in central London on Saturday.

The march, called by the Trades Union Congress, brought up to 500,000 people onto the capital’s streets to protest against government spending cuts.

The Mayor made good on his word to join protesters despite being in the position of having to oversee budget cuts of �72 million in the borough over the next three years.

He and members of his cabinet, including Alibor Choudhury, the lead member for resources, met up with Tower Hamlets groups including Hands Off Our Public Services.

From their meeting point at Altab Ali Park in Whitechapel they marched towards Embankment via Upper Thames Street, with around 300 people in their group.

Members of the borough’s Labour group, including the MP for Bethnal Green & Bow also took part in the demonstration, billed as a March for the Alternative.

Ms Ali, former council leader Helal Abbas and the group’s finance spokesman, David Edgar, amongst others joined the march from a starting point next to St Paul’s Cathedral.

Much of the TUC march passed without incident but 149 people have since been charged by the Metropolitan Police for various offences including assaults on police.

An assault on the Fortnum & Mason’s store led to 145 arrests.