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Review: Poll Tax Riots films

Player of Games | 07.04.2011 16:10 | History | Repression | Social Struggles | Oxford

Last Sunday OARC was host to two films that told the story of the Poll Tax riots that happened in Trafalgar Square in 1990.



For those that don't remember the Poll tax, you might want to check out the Wikipedia page at  https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Community_Charge

The first film, and fairly highly polished affair, was in the form of a historical documentary. The second, less polished, was more of a 'view from the streets' and included a lot more background about local protests as well as the events in Trafalgar Square. The two films completed each other very well. As the person that introduced the films said, the second was a lot more empowering - more about making things happen yourself rather that only reacting to events.

I was in Trafalgar Square during the riots, but due to my (then) youth, my memories are somewhat hazy. It was both fascinating and emotionally powerful to be taken back to that time. I came awat from the films with two views - how much things have changed, and how much they have stayed the same.

Things that have changed ...

Did we really have no fashion sense? God, we looked terrible! But more seriously, the biggest change I noticed was the police. Hardly any hi-vis tops, the cop fashion du monde was the thick overcoats with the whistle on a chain. And so little tactical co-ordination - little evidence of cops moving, as they do in demos today, as a 'yellow bloc.' It was more like a load of bobbies without riot gear charging down the street. And no kettling.

Things that have stayed the same ...

This was the most disturbing part. The way that the whole mood of a peaceful demo was changed by aggressive and political motivated police. The testimonials from the film and the footage clearly showed that the police wanted the demo to turn violent. And the cops did all they could to make sure it did. From changing the route of the march half way through, to lashing out at people doing nothing more than standing in the street in a non-threatening manner, the cops were clearly up for a fight that day. Perhaps the most disturbing image was one of a police horse charge trampling a protester. Or perhaps it was the tactic of driving riot vans into densely packed crowds at over 30 mph.

The other thing that has stayed the same if the reaction of the mainstream press and mainstream political parties. All of them grossly misrepresented the events, decried the actions of a small number of anarchists and other trouble-makers for ruining the day for all of the peaceful protesters. Absolutely no mention of how the police managed to turn a peaceful crowd into a riot with baton charging and indiscriminate violence.


This was over 20 years ago. I find it sad that the police are still getting away with it, and are supported still by the media, the politicians, and (most sadly) other protesters (Poll Tax protesters showed solidarity - this seems to be in shorter supply nowadays). You could keep the narrative from the films, and replace it with footage from climate camps, the London G20, and the March for the Alternative, and it would still be true - protests experience gross police violence, followed by the protesters being blamed.

As disturbing as I find this, it also motivates me to stronger solidarity with my fellow protesters. I came away from the film screenings with a renewed determination to make change happen. Protest scrapped the Poll Tax. We won. And, with solidarity, we will again.

Player of Games

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Police Radio Log of 1990 Poll Tax Riot

07.04.2011 16:33

You might be interested in this article I wrote based on the Police Radio Log of the 1990 Poll Tax Riot

 http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/29285

Solomon Hughes
mail e-mail: sol.hughes@btinternet.com
- Homepage: http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/29285


What were the films called?

07.04.2011 17:00

What were the films called?

sounds good


First film was ...

07.04.2011 17:20

Battle of Trafalgar - The UK Poll Tax Riot
 http://www.cultureshop.org/details.php?code=BATT

Not sure on the second. I'll try and find out and post it I do.

Player of Games


Poll Tax riot and all

07.04.2011 22:52

The police may have been up for it on March 31st 1990 but then so were many of the people who attended the march too. In the run up to the demo, there had been large confrontations in Lambeth, Hackney and other places during March. Everybody who wanted a ruck knew it was going to kick off. It's worth remembering that otherwise we always come back to the same liberal story about 'police violence' and our innocence. There was a massive anger on the day and this was borne out by the hours of fighting and destruction and looting.

'The Battle of Trafalgar - The UK Poll Tax Riot' was commisioned for the telly from the Despite TV collective and was much criticised by more radical types for being exactly the kind of argument that denies class anger and violence as outlined above. The 'Poll Tax Revolt' was made by anarchists and is much more lively and unapologetic about the riots. Well worth watching!!

Another thing worth remembering, esp after the recent London demo on March 26th 2011, is that after the Poll Tax riot with 341 arrests, the Trafalgar Square Defendents Campaign spent one year and half supporting those arrested and those imprisoned from the riot. It was a massive effort by defendants and their supporters. In fact it was a textbook case of how to run a defendants campaign that stays the course and makes the wider connections between those arrested on the demos, those jailed for non-payment and the system that creates the conditions for police repression and attacks on the poor through punitive taxation and the creation of poverty.

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