Blunkett Score In Easton!
by Brenda's Hat 2:56pm Mon Mar 11 '02
 http://bristol.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=401&group=webcast

In true blue New Labour stylee - Home Secretary David Blunkett used Easton for his latest PR stunt. Stapleton Road saw more police in fifteen minutes than it has all year. But it's still the safest place to score smack in town!


Home Secretary David 'On-a-junkett' Blunkett lowered himself to spend an hour on Easton crime-ridden Stapleton Road this morning in order to launch his latest Stop-and-Search PR campaign. Easton's Christian Family Centre was filled with a hand picked, invitation-only, cross section of the 'community'.

Local representatives at the meeting consisted of a handful of well paid community workers (headed by Easton Community Centre's Rupert Daniels, er... a St Andrews resident) and a loan-shark businessman who operates in the area (straight up). The bulk of the well-briefed 'invitees' were pressmen, councillors and local dignatories (including Lord Mayor Brenda Hugill and a fawning Jean Corston MP). Members of two Stapleton road residents groups had their entry barred by the heavy police presence afforded the Home Secretary.

"This street has never seen so many cops," commented one local man. "Though the dealers are still at it." True enough, two heroin deals went down within a hundred yards of Blunkett, in full view of the assembled Trinity road police force, special branch, MI5 and asssorted minions, who seemed more interested in swanning up and down the short section of street for the benefit of the massed TV cameras.

Blunkett was heckled with calls of "Have you come to score?", "It's just another PR stunt" and "Hope you don't get mugged". Weary at the lack of 'genuine' state or police interest that has previously been afforded the problems dogging the area (violent street crime, bad housing, drug dealing, house breaking, racist cops etc), a few local residents took the opportunity to redecorate the walls of a local drug dealing spot (graffitied: 'Heroin Hotspot sponsored by Bristol Council - David Blunkett spend a penny here')and a billboard doctored to read 'Spend Fewer Pennies, Trash More Communities - Easton doesn't need a Home Office stunt'.

A highly choreographeed five minute 'walkabout' followed where Junkett got to shake hands with a couple of local shop keepers - curious residents were kept at bay by the increasingly aggressive security services.

As if to show he bore the hecklers no harm, Blunkett even gave the family box of Quality Street he always travels with to Inspector Jeanette Harris to offer round the faithful media circus. Job Done, bye bye Easton.

............more................

Local MP Jean Corston admits that today's PR exercise was to introduce "street wardens".
 http://bristol.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=409&group=webcast

No new money for Stapleton Road Crime Hotspot!
 http://bristol.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=407&group=webcast

Heroin Hotline BT Bogs
Blunkett Visit Wallpainting Pic II
 http://bristol.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=403&group=webcast