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| UK supporters marking 'Obama Day' | UK supporters marking 'Obama Day' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| People are gathering across the UK to celebrate the inauguration of the first black president of the US, Barack Obama. | People are gathering across the UK to celebrate the inauguration of the first black president of the US, Barack Obama. |
| BBC News' Anna-Louise Taylor is reporting from events being held to mark the historic day. | BBC News' Anna-Louise Taylor is reporting from events being held to mark the historic day. |
| 1800 GMT: TEXAS EMBASSY CANTINA Shanay Norvell from Atlanta wanted to celebrate with fellow Americans | |
| Hundreds of people packed into the bar to watch Obama being sworn in as president, and about 50 or so more watched through the windows from the street. | |
| People were waving American flags and were draped in them too, cheering and clapping throughout the speech before erupting at the end in a standing ovation. | |
| Shanay Norvell, 33, from Atlanta, Georgia was one American away from home who wanted to be with her countrymen on the occasion. | |
| She said: "The highlight was watching him speaking about all the ways we will change, in that we will become friends again with everyone in the world, and it's America's goal to make friends again with other nations. | |
| "He's a man of his word and we're offering our hands out to help, but I also liked the way he said that if anyone is against us, we won't back down. | |
| "I definitely hope his presidency will bring his whole motto and mission of change with it, he has such a great energy and I want his office to keep that energy going when things get hard and rocky." | |
| Megan Ryan, 19, said she "loved it".Student Megan Ryan praised Mr Obama's vision and inspiration | |
| "His speeches are so inspiring, he really has a vision and it is really different from what we have had for the last eight years - he has a vision for social and foreign policy," she said. | |
| "I loved it when he said we were willing to take anyone's hand who was willing to unclench their fist, that's a great step for the US and for the rest of the world." | |
| Writer Gillian Bagwell, 49, said it was "hard to take it all in". | |
| "It was overwhelming⦠I expected erudition and eloquence and it was," she said. | |
| "I've spent a lot of time in the UK, and almost never spend time with people from the US and I wanted to see it around other Americans. | |
| "We're sorry for Bush. It has really been exciting watching how other nations and the rest of world have been following it. Finally we have change and it feels good to be American again." | |
| 1600 GMT: MADAME TUSSAUDS US citizens were given free entry to see Mr Obama's waxwork | 1600 GMT: MADAME TUSSAUDS US citizens were given free entry to see Mr Obama's waxwork |
| Many US citizens who are not on American soil decided to seek out the next best thing to meeting Obama in person. | Many US citizens who are not on American soil decided to seek out the next best thing to meeting Obama in person. |
| That is, having their photo taken with the wax figure of the incoming president in Madame Tussauds. | That is, having their photo taken with the wax figure of the incoming president in Madame Tussauds. |
| The London landmark offered all US citizens free entry if they showed their passports at the door, attracting thousands. | The London landmark offered all US citizens free entry if they showed their passports at the door, attracting thousands. |
| Student Whitney Prior, 21, from Chicago, said she was "really excited". | Student Whitney Prior, 21, from Chicago, said she was "really excited". |
| "It's a dream come true for me - to see Obama in office, not the figure I mean! | "It's a dream come true for me - to see Obama in office, not the figure I mean! |
| "Obama used to live in the neighbourhood, so I've seen him in the neighbourhood in Chicago, and I've voted for him two times. The figure does look like him!" | "Obama used to live in the neighbourhood, so I've seen him in the neighbourhood in Chicago, and I've voted for him two times. The figure does look like him!" |
| Quinn Lewandowski, 21, is a student from Pittsburgh. "I love Barack Obama," he said. | Quinn Lewandowski, 21, is a student from Pittsburgh. "I love Barack Obama," he said. |
| "I wish I could be there today, it's only down the road from Pittsburgh. | "I wish I could be there today, it's only down the road from Pittsburgh. |
| "Most of my friends are going to the inauguration and I wanted to mark it in some way." | "Most of my friends are going to the inauguration and I wanted to mark it in some way." |
| Michael Durikas, 28 from New York, said: "It's a new shot, a chance to undo the last eight years and take the country in a new direction. | Michael Durikas, 28 from New York, said: "It's a new shot, a chance to undo the last eight years and take the country in a new direction. |
| "I think it's great to see. I've voted three times and this is the first time someone I voted for got it." | "I think it's great to see. I've voted three times and this is the first time someone I voted for got it." |
| 1400 GMT: BERNIE GRANT ARTS CENTRE, TOTTENHAM Gina Moffatt joined in the children's celebrations by having her face painted | 1400 GMT: BERNIE GRANT ARTS CENTRE, TOTTENHAM Gina Moffatt joined in the children's celebrations by having her face painted |
| About 400 members of the black community are expected at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Tottenham, north London. | About 400 members of the black community are expected at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Tottenham, north London. |
| They will be enjoying traditional African and Caribbean food and music, as well as watching the events unfold on a big screen. | They will be enjoying traditional African and Caribbean food and music, as well as watching the events unfold on a big screen. |
| Gina Moffatt, 32, is a caterer and took her children in this morning to get their faces painted - then she decided to join in too. | Gina Moffatt, 32, is a caterer and took her children in this morning to get their faces painted - then she decided to join in too. |
| "My kids came down this morning and got it done and I thought: 'I want something!' | "My kids came down this morning and got it done and I thought: 'I want something!' |
| "I went to Tesco with it done and everyone was waving and celebrating at the tills. I wanted to get into the spirit of it." | "I went to Tesco with it done and everyone was waving and celebrating at the tills. I wanted to get into the spirit of it." |
| Community worker Nia Bellot, 40, took her seven-year-old son El-Hajj along so that he could "always remember a piece of history". | Community worker Nia Bellot, 40, took her seven-year-old son El-Hajj along so that he could "always remember a piece of history". |
| "I wanted him to celebrate the day, this historic occasion, it's especially historic for him as a black child," she said. | "I wanted him to celebrate the day, this historic occasion, it's especially historic for him as a black child," she said. |
| "They won't do anything about it at school and as a parent I thought it was important to give him this memory."Nia Bellot wanted son, El-Hajj, to remember the 'historic occasion' | "They won't do anything about it at school and as a parent I thought it was important to give him this memory."Nia Bellot wanted son, El-Hajj, to remember the 'historic occasion' |
| Maria Oniah, 60, from the Nigerian Organisation of Women took her grand-daughter Lemena, six, along to witness the inauguration. | Maria Oniah, 60, from the Nigerian Organisation of Women took her grand-daughter Lemena, six, along to witness the inauguration. |
| Mrs Oniah said: "He has the leadership qualities, he's got the stamina, he can listen, he has good qualities and - hopefully - policies. | Mrs Oniah said: "He has the leadership qualities, he's got the stamina, he can listen, he has good qualities and - hopefully - policies. |
| "I think he'll talk well about the current crisis - the credit crunch, that's number one - the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and I hope he'll talk about peace in the world and race equality." | "I think he'll talk well about the current crisis - the credit crunch, that's number one - the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and I hope he'll talk about peace in the world and race equality." |
| The Bernie Grant Arts Centre was named after the Guyana-born politician who became Europe's first black council leader in Haringey in 1985, and later served as a Labour MP. | The Bernie Grant Arts Centre was named after the Guyana-born politician who became Europe's first black council leader in Haringey in 1985, and later served as a Labour MP. |
| And the event has been used to launch Bernie's List, a project aimed at getting more Black and Asian people into Parliament. | And the event has been used to launch Bernie's List, a project aimed at getting more Black and Asian people into Parliament. |
| Dawn Butler MP said: "This is about getting grass roots people, people Bernie represented, I represent, and Obama represents, into politics, and making change. | Dawn Butler MP said: "This is about getting grass roots people, people Bernie represented, I represent, and Obama represents, into politics, and making change. |
| "We have enough qualified, talented Black and Asian people and we want to get them into Parliament." | "We have enough qualified, talented Black and Asian people and we want to get them into Parliament." |