MARCH ON US EMBASSY: Police Threaten to Arrest Anyone Protesting Again Today
peacenow | 05.04.2003 20:50
The demo at the US embassy today ended with an impromptu march to Oxford street.Police violently pushed us towards the square, caging us in with barriers, telling us that IF ANY OF US PROTESTED AGAIN THAT DAY WE WOULD BE ARRESTED. A new police tactic? WE MUST NOT BE INTIMIDATED WE MUST CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE. IT SHOWS THEY ARE SCARED.
The Stop the War demo at the US embassy today ended with an impromptu march to Oxford street for a mass sit down. The bus closest to us unveiled a no oil wars poster and the atmosphere was great.
When people got up to start to move towards parliament square the police surrounded us on all sides and ordered us to disperse. They then violently pushed us back towards grosvner square, hitting many of the people on the edge of the group, pushing them into those in front who were contrained by police from all sides. Some were arrested, I witnessed no physical retaliation by the group. The police seem to be getting much more violent and the chants of 'shame on you' only encouraged the thugs in uniform to get more brutal. For future situations, if we had stayed sitting and didn't get up it wold have been much harder for them to do what they did, or if we had moved on mass in a single direction.
Once back on grosvner square (near US embassy) we were forced into an area surrounded by barriers and more were put in place so that we were completely caged in, with lines of police around the barriers. They did this, we were told, 'for our own safety'. There seemed to be many times more police then there were protesters. The police cameras were out in force as usual, and the cops were looking into their hats to see if any pictures they had their were of any of us. Our spirits were not crushed and an impromptu open mike session began with different speakers taking the megaphone and speaking what was on their mind, including two Iranian refugees, and one slightly tipsy comrade who asked the police to let him go as he was 'dying for a peace'.
Eventually we were let out but only 6 at a time and were told that IF ANY OF US PROTESTED AGAIN THAT DAY WE WOULD BE ARRESTED. The exclusion zones they've been using recently seem to have expanded to the whole world or at least London. They refused to specify what a 'protest' was defined as, whether it included wearing t-shirts/hats and standing in the street. Police followed individuals leaving with 2 police following each group leaving, some quite far.
This seems to be a new police tactic and we need to check if we can challenge them legally on it. Were legal advisors at Stop the War London told about it and are they on the case? At the moment there is a legal action starting against detention of london coaches to fairford.
The important thing is. WE MUST NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY THIS. WE MUST CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE. IT SHOWS THEY ARE SCARED.
PEACE, FREEDOM AND JUSTICE NOW!
When people got up to start to move towards parliament square the police surrounded us on all sides and ordered us to disperse. They then violently pushed us back towards grosvner square, hitting many of the people on the edge of the group, pushing them into those in front who were contrained by police from all sides. Some were arrested, I witnessed no physical retaliation by the group. The police seem to be getting much more violent and the chants of 'shame on you' only encouraged the thugs in uniform to get more brutal. For future situations, if we had stayed sitting and didn't get up it wold have been much harder for them to do what they did, or if we had moved on mass in a single direction.
Once back on grosvner square (near US embassy) we were forced into an area surrounded by barriers and more were put in place so that we were completely caged in, with lines of police around the barriers. They did this, we were told, 'for our own safety'. There seemed to be many times more police then there were protesters. The police cameras were out in force as usual, and the cops were looking into their hats to see if any pictures they had their were of any of us. Our spirits were not crushed and an impromptu open mike session began with different speakers taking the megaphone and speaking what was on their mind, including two Iranian refugees, and one slightly tipsy comrade who asked the police to let him go as he was 'dying for a peace'.
Eventually we were let out but only 6 at a time and were told that IF ANY OF US PROTESTED AGAIN THAT DAY WE WOULD BE ARRESTED. The exclusion zones they've been using recently seem to have expanded to the whole world or at least London. They refused to specify what a 'protest' was defined as, whether it included wearing t-shirts/hats and standing in the street. Police followed individuals leaving with 2 police following each group leaving, some quite far.
This seems to be a new police tactic and we need to check if we can challenge them legally on it. Were legal advisors at Stop the War London told about it and are they on the case? At the moment there is a legal action starting against detention of london coaches to fairford.
The important thing is. WE MUST NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY THIS. WE MUST CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE. IT SHOWS THEY ARE SCARED.
PEACE, FREEDOM AND JUSTICE NOW!
peacenow
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
Arrested and charged
05.04.2003 22:01
"Public assembly participant fail comply with condition
on 05.04.2003 at Duke Street Junction with Oxford Street W1 took part in a public assembly and knowingly failed to comply with the condition imposed by a senior police officer under section 14 of the public order act 1986, namely was given direction by superintendent Plowright that persons were only to protest outside American embassy, this direction was passed onto Mr XXX however he continued to protest at Duke Street W1
contrary to s.14(5) and (9) public order act 1986".
What total rubbish!! Not only are they stopping us in peacefully protesting, they are even charging for offences that never took place! We were making our way back towards the American embassy down Duke Street in accordance with the instructions, we were even being pushed in that direction!
If there are any witnesses or others charged, do send me an email to help my defence in court!
Peace demonstrator
e-mail:
tom_dbu@yahoo.co.uk
don't stand up at a sit-in.
05.04.2003 22:15
With in 5 minuets the police had form a line of officers, 2 deep, between those who were sitting down and those who were standing. The sit-in was now completely encircled by police, with people on both sides of the police line chanting and singing.
Up until this point the whole affair had been completely peaceful, then some kind consensus view led people to think they about to march to parliament square and sit-in stood up, which quickly proved a mistake. Immediately the police pushed the group towards the pavement, those on the fringes suffered allot of pushing and abuse from and any objectors were pushed away or arrested. The tactic seemed to be to separate those involved in the sit-in from those supporting them. By this time the sit-in group, completely and tightly encircled by police, were being bundled back towards Grosvner Square where they held pen (as usual).
The numbers in comparison the to amount of protesters was at best a total waste of money, at one point the group in grosvner square were penned in with barriers and three lines of police, with hundreds more milling around.
After an hour or so police began letting people go in groups five or six after warning them the "if you protest again today in London you maybe arrested" they were then followed around London by police officers checking on their actions. Completely absurd!
anyone
total respect to you all
05.04.2003 23:14
Also to all those who view this as ...wish I could have been there with them...
This shows that they are not sure whether their agents in charge of sabotaging the true protests are really working.
We know we are right. We stand for humanity.
Take care the next time.
ram