People in Brixton celebrate the death of Margaret Thatcher

Police were called to Brixton in South London after people celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher gathered in the streets. Some revellers climbed onto the Ritzy cinema building and rearranged letters on its film listings board to spell out the words: "Margaret Thatchers (sic) dead LOL". Britain's first and only female prime minister died on Monday after suffering a stroke at the age of 87.

The area was the scene of fierce riots in 1981, two years into Lady Thatcher's first term in office. Pictures of anti-Thatcher graffiti scrawled on walls in Brixton also appeared on Twitter, with one reading: "You snatched my milk! & our hope" A Metropolitan Police spokesman said extra officers were brought in to control the crowds, who "caused low level disorder" and threw "a small number of missiles" at officers. There were no reports of any arrests and the group dispersed in the early hours of the morning, acccording to police. A spokesman for Ritzy said there was some damage to its building, adding that staff helped clear up the streets after the demonstration.

Meanwhile in Glasgow, up to 300 people gathered in George Square, 24 years after poll tax protests were held there. Some anti-capitalist campaigners wore party hats and launched streamers into the air, while a bottle of champagne was sprayed. Earlier, David Hopper, general secretary of Durham Miners' Association, said he was celebrating on his 70th birthday after learning of Baroness Thatcher's death. "She was a heartless woman who tore the heart out of the mining communities of the North," he said. George Galloway, the Respect MP for Bradford West, wrote on Twitter: "Thatcher described Nelson Mandela as a 'terrorist'. I was there. I saw her lips move. May she burn in the hellfires." Parliament is being recalled on Wednesday for a special session to allow politicians to pay tribute to Lady Thatcher. A full ceremonial funeral will take place at St Paul's Cathedral next week, Sky News reports.