Dobermans against poverty: Even the dogs have got the message. Photograph: Neil Mcintosh
The march is supposed to start an hour ago, and the locals are gathering expectantly at the foot of the Mound - the road that winds down from Edinburgh's Old Town to the New Town, past the rather grand Royal Scottish Academy and National Gallery of Scotland.
A public march is a slighly curious thing to come and watch - it is, after all, other folk just marching past, and everyone there could actually join in. But, alas, there wasn't much to see. Just lots of police, a robotic dancer moving to Kraftwerk on a very quiet bit of pavement behind everyone, a helicopter high above, and each other.
And then, suddenly, the protesters hove into view. First came the photographers, running backwards. Then the placards - thousands upon thousands being borne by the white t-shirt clad crowd, many with the Make Poverty History slogan but lots of others highlighting how a patchwork of beliefs and aspirations has gathered under the anti-poverty banner.
On the run: Socialist Youth race down the mound. Photograph: Neil McIntosh
There were plenty branding Bush "the world's #1 terrorist", urging the world to "fight poverty not war", or hope not debt, or simply: trade justice. But there were also quieter groups carrying Christian Aid banners, and flags; flags by the dozen, from all over the world, South Africa to - of course - Scotland.
From what I saw, the red-clad Socialist Youth were doing the best job - both of having fun and being noticed. Perhaps they were the most practiced of the various groups marching through Edinburgh today, perhaps they were just well organised, but either way they had this marching thing down pat.
Shouting, whistling, waving their red banners, they came to a sudden halt on the Mound, in front of the watching locals and the world's press. Then they began a countdown from ten. Then they raced forward with a huge roar - towards the crowd and past the surprised snappers.
The pictures make it look like a minor riot, but it was far from it - smiles all round, and a point effectively made.
