Cleared temp files and browsing history because of your post. Still can't stop it ...
... Ah! At the top of the "Delete" options there was a ticked one, (in IE9), headed "Preserve Favorites website data", sub-text "Keep cookies and temporary internet files that enable your favorite websites to retain preferences and display faster".

Cleared that and now ESC works. But quite how wikipedia qualifies for being in that category I don't know - I can't see it in my Favorites.

or use <Stop>

<Stop>?

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

<Stop>?

Use the <Stop> button on the browser ...

Ah. To difficult/slow on a touchpad after clicking a google link. (i5 2nd gen processor). It's only a little X. Esc can have a finger over it at the time you click the link.

Quite funny really.

Wiki goes offline for 1 day to highlight a very serious concern about new laws which would affect them directly and people are trying all sorts of things to circumvent it.

Well if these new laws go though then I suppose that would be the norm then with people having to work out how to get round systems etc just because Rupert Mudoch or Sony etc decided they didn't like a certain website.

It is, really . I hadn't thought of that.

fair play to the americans making a stand, when labour rushed in similiar legislation before the election we seemed to just passively sit back.

In reply to a post by Chrysalis:

fair play to the americans making a stand, when labour rushed in similiar legislation before the election we seemed to just passively sit back.

They always have been a bit more militant