'The Witch is Dead': Thatcher not mourned by all as some Britons party

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David Moir / ReutersA man attends a gathering of people celebrating the death of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, in George Square in Glasgow, Scotland on April 8, 2013.Sang Tan / APAnti-Thatcher protesters gather at Trafalgar Square in London on April 8, 2013.Danny E. Martindale / Getty ImagesPeople cheer in front of a banner displaying the message 'The Witch is Dead' in Brixton, south London, on April 8, 2013.Controversial in life, Britain's ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher continued to  divide a nation in death, with somber plans for a funeral and eulogies  rejected by some in favor of celebrations and parties, Reuters reports.

Her radical, right-wing policies, credited by some with modernizing Britain, alienated many,  who saw her as a destroyer of jobs and traditional industries.

In Brixton, south London, a banner with the message "The Witch is Dead" was erected above a pub as a hastily convened party gathered pace.

"Thatcher herself, she represents so much of what people hate about what has  happened to Britain in the last 20, 30 years," said 40-year-old graphic designer  Ben Windsor.

Police said there was "low level disorder" in Brixton, and six officers were hurt in Bristol after a street party there, ITV News reported.David Moir / ReutersRevelers spray champagne in George Square, Glasgow, on April 8, 2013.More than 200 people gathered in a city square in Glasgow, Scotland, where revelers sprayed champagne and danced as a bagpiper played.

"We are here because Thatcher's legacy is one of poverty and oppression and it  is important that she is remembered for those reasons," Jonathon Shafi told Glasgow's Herald newspaper.Jeff J Mitchell / Getty ImagesMembers of the public dance to mark the death of Baroness Margaret Thatcher on April 8, 2013 in Glasgow.Peter MacDiarmid / Getty ImagesA pint of milk is left outside the residence of Baroness Thatcher in Chester Square, London, on April 8, 2013.Back in London, a pint of milk was placed on the doorstep of Thatcher's home,  a reference to her policy of scrapping free milk for primary school children  while head of education in the 1970s, a move which earned her the moniker  "Thatcher the milk snatcher."

-- Reuters contributed to this reportSlideshow: The life and times of Margaret ThatcherJohn Minihan / Getty ImagesA pioneer for her intercourse, Margaret Thatcher was prime minister of the United Kingdom for almost 12 years. Take a look back at her life and career.Launch slideshowRelated:

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Thatcher played polarizing role in pop cultureAs the first woman to serve as British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher shifted British policy to the right and became an influential and controversial figure among political leaders. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports. Follow @NBCNewsPictures

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