At approximately 8 o clock the people who had turned out in solidarity with the Picadilly sit in were being pushed from both sides by two columns of police who had surrounded them. Those pushed were trapped in an ever decreasing space, and I found myself, a member of the samba band being pushed agressively by a policeman who had his fists in my kidneys. Scuffles were breaking out as police became violent. The pushing became more severe until people were being crushed, and I got my drum harness caught around my neck, where it began to strangle me. When I tried to explain this I was pushed all the more viciously, until I fainted. While upon the ground I was trampled by the police, and regained consciousness with several of them pulling at me, trying to make me stand up, and saying 'she's just pratting about, make her get up'. They stole my drumsticks by bending my fingers backward, and tried to snatch my drum, not reolising it was attatched to me. When they did, a new group of bullies began unfastning it from my body and one of them lifted it over his head and threw it as hard as he could, then the same treatment was given to me.
I am a healthy and strong person but I'm not under any illusions that if I had stayed unconscious for longer, I would have got broken ribs, rather than a few cuts and bruises. My drum is damaged but mendable - those bastards wont put me out of action at all. I'm not scared of them. Its only since I got home that I've found a perfect imprint of a policemans boot on my leg - I have no idea what happened to me while unconscious. What I do remember was the look of pleasure in the eyes of the copper who got my drum - he'll be having a lovely wank tonight when he remembers attacking me, a 5"4, slightly built woman dressed in carnival costume who could barely stand up straight. What some people do to get their kicks, eh?
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never had any illusions about the police, but I thought I’d share this experience for the benefit of anyone who thinks ‘poor things, theyre only doing their job’. They love their job. They love the chance to beat defenceless women, it gives them hard ons. I cant speak for the motivation of the women, of course, I cant really imagine that.
I have no idea at the moment of what happened to the other people in the cordon, other than a few good mates who called me enquire after me and say they were ok too. I hope everyone escaped ok and that any injuries were minor.