DEMO ATTACKED BY POLICE WHO THINK THEY ARE CARABINIERI sat 2.30

IMC-UK | 23.02.2002 15:09

London police think they are Carabinieri as they attack peaceful demo outside the Italian embassy

At 1.55 35 people congrated outside the Italian embassy in Grosvenor Square in London in a peaceful protest with banners saying TELL THE TRUTH and SIAMO TUTTI INDYMEDIA (WE ARE ALL INDYMEDIA), holding video cassettes to symbolise the seizing of film in Italy. Video tape was also strung across the embassy front, and leaflets explaining the demo, the Italian IMC press release and the statement from the Italian legal team (who were also raided) were handed out.

Everything was calm and peaceful for 10 to 15 minutes until one police car turned up and the officers started to attack the crowd, pushing people off the pavement into the road. When people voiced objections and the legal right to protest, they were punched in their faces and batons were drawn.

One officer with number 320 repeatedly attacked peaceful demonstrators even after they had moved off the pavement. Several people have been injured, and 2 arrested.
One police officer was heard to say "I DONT GIVE A FUCK ABOUT THE LAW".
The protestors moved to the square/park and were being trailed by police when this report was coming in. Eventually seven police cars and six vans turned up. More reports later, including stills and video.

IMC-UK

Comments

Hide the following 14 comments

Indymedia Solidarity action

23.02.2002 15:40

The two arrestees are currently being held in the West End police station (Saville Row). Charges have yet to be determined. Members of the collective are waiting to find out and anticipate a wait of some two hours.

Sk1ver
mail e-mail: sk1ver@skive.net

will Globalize Resistance show solidarity ?

23.02.2002 15:53

will they (or the SWP for that matter) offer support and assistance (if required) to help the IMC ? Since they're always happy to use the Indy webpage and talk about being non sectarian, perhaps they can prove it ?

bill bore

Solidarity Pictures

23.02.2002 18:22

Solidarity Pictures

Pictures from today's show of solidarity with Indymedia Italy - the social centres, COBAS trade union and the lawyers who were all raided by the Carabinieri in Italy recently, in a clear act of repression. Everything was fine and peaceful until the police arrived and decided to be violent. In the end there were up to 55/60 people there. People remained calm and tried to diffuse the police violence.

Free Information

No

23.02.2002 19:27

No.

R.B.

Officer 320

26.02.2002 10:32

I was taking a picture standing in the road with other people after the police had begun pushing people into the road. This was shortly after 2pm. Officer 320 came towards me and pushed me back, I continued walking backwards across the road lowering my camera but he came towards me again and deliberatly punched me hard in the side of my face with his walkie talkie which he was holding in his left hand.
Officer 320 was out of control.

When the police arrived - pics

26.02.2002 12:03

When the police arrived - pics

Didn't get any pics of the police in the acts of punching throwing or kicking people, but I think there's clear video of it.

Here you can see clearly (in the fuzzy picture) one of the police threatening people with drums on the pavement.

Solidarity!

GR/SWP solidarity

26.02.2002 13:26

Just to respond to 'Bill Bore'.. I'm sure if the IMC collective asked for GR and/or SWP help, we'd do our best. But surely you're not arguing we should jump in uninvited?

internationalist

fuckin' kickass pictures

26.02.2002 13:39

the title says it all...

these pictures rock!!!!

27.02.2002 01:15

....

world citizen

reply to 'internationalist'

27.02.2002 12:02

your answer gives you away ! so if you see someone in distress, they have to file an official request before you offer help ! fine, mr/s 'internationist', but if i ever get knocked down in the road, i hope i dont have to rely on you to call an ambulance...

silly billy

Ahem

27.02.2002 12:58

Can we at least have one damn story which doesn't get dragged into some discussion on SWP / GR please?? It aint relevant here, and for note there were a couple of swp / gr people on the solidarity demo.

what's the story here?

Show me the videos

07.03.2002 09:45

Please stick up a hyperlink to digitized vids of the poliz attacking the protesters, its so hard persuading folk this happens is our green and sometimes pleasant land,...uk police attack videos would be a great resource...in fact, maybe I or someone else should set up a web site featuring
this "PigBitesMan" scenario that's faced upon descent in our so-called 'free' world.

There is no such thing as authority, only violence and the threat of violence, both economic and physical.

Dismantle the State!

Mr R9

GR/SWP controversy? throw me a bone

13.03.2002 03:24

I'm just a dumb-ass american -- what/who are the GR? and why are the SWP afraid to jump in without an invite? are those darn anarchists at IMC not fitting into SWP's schedule?

Carlos Di Frisco

eintowa banjoko is a child sex fiend

28.03.2002 01:24

Banjoko is a child sex fiend, when i tried to bring this to the attention of the met he called on a member of hackney beat crime unit call D.S Gospage who Banjoko claims to have in his pocket.
Eintowa Banjoko
33 Trelawney Estate
Paragon Road
Hackney
London
E9 6ns

nemo