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Aspire Vs Leeds City Council (The plot thickens)

Andy | 24.11.2002 16:20 | Culture | Free Spaces | Repression | Social Struggles

The polics broke in the door to the free-space known as aspire, during a party, using pepper spray against peaceful party goers.

Last night, I decided to go to a party. A free Party, organised by A-spire, who had taken over a grade two listed building that Leeds City Council had been able to afford to "throw away" for the last six years.

Come 1am the party was lively, noisy, but with no trouble, a good friendly atmosphere. Some members of the collective (which has been in existance for around 3 or 4 years now) were dressed as members of the clergy and handing out fruit and fruit juice free of charge.
People were twirling fire, and providing visual entertainment outside.
Cups of tea were free as were the available articles in the shop, there did not appear to be any use of hard drugs, but some of the party goers were smoking marijuana.

Come 3am the main sound system had arrived, and things started getting going, when the rumour spread like wild fire amongst those inside, that the police were outside.
Within five minutes panic ensued as police broke the door in spraying pepper spray onto some of the party goers.
The music was stopped immediately and people were unceremoniously herded outside, where policse had closed off the whole road. Traffic from people coming home from night clubs in the city centre could be seen building up and tailing back to the next traffic lights some 500m away.
There will have been in the region of 100 police officers in attendance, with 10 - 12 police vans.
Some had riot gear, and there were dogs in attendance.
If any one has any more information about how many arrests were made, or the charges brought against those detained please post it.
I had a friend bitten by a police dog, and as mentioned before pepper spray was being used.
What it all amounted to was a massive police operation, costing lots of taxpayer money, which was completely illegal in nature.
Squatting is a civil offence, not a criminal offence, and the collective were due to be evicted on Tuesday anyway.

Andy
- e-mail: mad_andy@breathe.com
- Homepage: http://www.a-spire.org.uk/

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

more info

24.11.2002 18:32

latest -

12 people arrested.
4 have been charged - some with affray and violent disorder.

Witnesses claim that as well as pepper spray, police threw tear gas cannisters into the building - a building which was full of hundreds of party goers.
Luckily the safety procedures stood up to this test and people were able to escape via fire exits without being crushed.

Cleary this was a preplanned, totally unprovked and illegal police operation.

More info to come.

kt


bendrake

24.11.2002 21:43

HIPPIE SCUM

dave


no doubt about it

24.11.2002 21:43

Absolutely no doubt that this police operation was illegal.

I was there, and it all seemed a bit pre miditated, the police though badly behaved were well organised, makes me wonder who called for such an operation to take place?

I'm sure the crew would appreciate any practical solidarity, so if you think you can help, to go to it!!

Long live the a-spirates dream.

Fuck the Police.

better not


Sounds Familar

24.11.2002 23:36

Police brutality used against party-goers? Sounds like a bristol free party. Maybe some of the as-pire people should get in touch with those planning legal action against Avon & Somerset Police.

Don't let the bastards grind you down.

Any solidarity action planned?

ex-bristolian


ironically unjustified

25.11.2002 14:42

terrorists walk the streets. governments are raging war on smaller so called "terrorist nations", that either employ terror,are harbouring terrorists, or in which they dont agree with the government regime (like back in the cold war era when fighting communism was more like a political fashion accessory to presidents and ministers). people starve, die, contract diseases and are slaughtered.
a squat, which was used a social gathering, was smashed to bits, bombarded with tear gas and pepper spray, and "terrorised" the people (as well as maiming and arresting a slected few) in this place, the same place which has been ironically empty for a good few years. i am now asking you to see the justice. can you? no, me niether.

i love morrisons...not!
mail e-mail: the police are wrong
- Homepage: the police are wrong