Thousands of off-duty police officers took to the streets in London today in a rare display of anger against government austerity, joining a protest by public sector workers including immigration officials, healthcare workers and prison officers.
Unions predicted some 400,000 public sector workers would walk out, a smaller protest than in November when Britain saw the biggest strike in years, but a significant show of discontent just after Prime Minister David Cameron's government took a drubbing at local elections.
The government said only about 150,000 had taken part and dismissed the action as "futile". Cabinet Office minister Frances Maude said, "public services were mainly unaffected".
However, the sight of some 30,000 police officers marching through London will be embarrassing for Cameron's centre-right Conservatives, who pride themselves on being the party of law and order.
Budget cuts and a government-commissioned report that recommended allowing officers to be sacked, introducing pay reductions and raising the pension age, have all caused disquiet.
"I feel like the government has misled the public. It's nothing to do with making a leaner, more efficient police service," said Anthony Coultate, 32, a sergeant from Leeds in northern England.
The officers, whose caps bore the slogan "Cutting the police force by 20 pct is criminal", marched slowly past the interior ministry and other government buildings, blowing whistles.
Gareth Rees, 35, who suffered serious injuries while on duty requiring nine operations and three years of treatment, said he would have lost his job under the proposed changes.
"British policing could change forever if these changes are allowed to be pushed through and ultimately it's going to be the public that will lose out," he said.