Witness Appeal: Dancing on the Grave of Capitalism

Icon_article Published: November 07, 2008 13:40 by Tim Dalinian Jones

Tagged as: actions_protests canary_wharf dancing halloween police-assault police-violence samba
Neighbourhoods: canary-wharf

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Were you at the Dancing on the Grave of Capitalism! Halloween Street Party at Canary Wharf on Fri 10 Oct 08? Did you witness an assault on a crowd of dancing party goers by a 10-15-cop-strong snatch squad of blue-jacketed City of London (Corporation of London) cops? Were you one of the people with an overview of the assault, atop the West Plaza's west wall, opposite the tube station entrance? Did you photograph or video the assault? If so, we ask that you please get in touch with...

Chris Knight

  • 07 769 695 359 mobile/voicemail/text/multi-media message
  • Chris.Knight@uel.ac.uk email/photo & video attachments
?? <P><STRONG>BACKGROUND</strong></p> <P>Despite the best efforts of we organisers of the Anti-Capitalist Halloween Street Party to ensure a peaceful carnival atmosphere, by liasing with Officer i/c Public Order <STRONG>Samantha Lockwood</strong> of New Scotland Yard, party goers were nevertheless targets of violent police attack on at least two occassions. I caught the first assault at 18:14 ?? by yellow-jacketed cops from the <STRONG>Metropolitan Police</strong> on a peaceful static line of protesters ?? on video:</p> <UL> <LI><STRONG>DotGoC! 8 of 16: Police Attack Students, 18:14</strong></li> <LI><A HREF="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LA6jIKRH7h0">http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LA6jIKRH7h0</a></li> </ul> <P>I didn't have the opportunity to record the second assault, at around 19:25, by a 10-15-cop-strong snatch squad of blue-jacketed <STRONG>City of London</strong> cops. By this time the SWP bosses had decided to quit early and their contingent had left via the Canary Wharf DLR. What was new was that our stewards had arrived on a much delayed coach from Brixton ?? a couple of dozen strong, and <STRONG>predominantly black folks</strong>, in what had been, up till then, a mostly white and partly Asian crowd of party goers. However, they had absolutely no means to be identified as stewards, as the uniform bibs with which they were supposed to be equipped didn't show up at all. And <STRONG>all the cops ?? Met, City, and British Transport ?? were white</strong>.</p> <P>I wasn't fully aware of the significance of this incident in the moment, but I did shoot a not-very-useful 23 second video clip minutes later, time-stamped by my camera as created at 19:28, from which the two stills above are taken. These show the difference in uniform between the Met cops (yellow high visibility jackets, back-&amp;-white checkered cap bands) and the violent trouble-making City of London cops (dark blue jackets, red-&amp;-white checkered cap bands). And they show at least three people atop the West Plaza's west wall, each with a camera in hand, who were well placed to witness, photograph and video the assault.</p> <UL> <LI><STRONG>DotGoC! Witness Appeal: Post-Police Assault Clip</strong></li> <LI><A HREF="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw4mLFfAkm0">http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw4mLFfAkm0</a></li> </ul> <P>??</p> <P><STRONG>VIOLENT ASSAULT</strong></p> <P>So it seems a squad of 10-15 cops charged at full tilt into a non-violent and non-hostile crowd of party goers who were dancing to the infectious Brazillian rhythms of <STRONG>The King's Drums Samba Band</strong>, knocking people flying. They targeted several black men, pinning them against the West Plaza's west wall, before searching and interrogating them. Three of the people caught up in this assault were the daughter, son and 20 month old grandson of Street Party organiser Chris Knight; in their own words...</p> <P>_______________________________________________________________</p> <P><I>"I arrived with my brother and my 20 month old son in his buggy at about 6.30pm. After greeting friends and family the Samba band started up and we stood at the edge of the circle of people watching, listening and dancing to the band. It was a great performance and people were in good spirits.</i></p> <P><I>[We] were standing on the outer ring, with our backs facing the wall of policemen at the tube entrance. My brother was standing holding onto [my son's] buggy, and I was standing at the foot of the buggy, as I was trying to take some photos for my Dad.</i></p> <P><I>Suddenly, and for no apparent reason, a group of uniformed policemen barged into my brother from behind and stormed into the small crowd and into the inner circle of performers, knocking [my son] in his buggy. He would have been tipped upside down, but because I was at his feet I picked up the bottom of his buggy, and my brother and I lifted him up high and carried him to safety. I was obviously shocked and angry at the unnecessary police violence aimed at a peaceful crowd and in particular as, being at the edge, we were the first row of people people the police barged in to. I find it hard to believe the police didn't see the buggy as the police line at the entrance to the station had been standing watching us for the last 20 minutes. And our buggy was clearly visible as it had a flashing pumpkins lantern hanging from it.</i></p> <P><I>I had not intended to stay past 7.30pm as [my son] needed to be home to bed at 8.00pm, and I didn't want to stay in case the peaceful event attracted a different crowd after dark. However I hadn't imagined that it would be the police, the apparent peace keepers organized to protect and provide order, who would create chaos with an unprovoked attack ?? the brunt of which was focused on a child in a buggy.</i></p> <P><I>I was confused and upset although of course relieved that my son was luckily not hurt in any way. With my brother I took my son to a safe distance away from the police disturbance and then left shortly afterwards."</i></p> <P>_______________________________________________________________</p> <P><I>"I was standing with my sister and nephew watching the samba band play and enjoying being part of the carnival like atmosphere. Our evening was cut short when a police charge of around 10-15 officers barged into myself and my nephew in his buggy and very nearly flipped it over.</i></p> <P><I>The samba band were playing in front of me, and there were around 3 or 4 rows of people in front of me enjoying the samba band. I was looking after [my nephew], holding the buggy he was sitting in. As far as I'm aware there were no rows of people directly behind me, as I made a conscious effort to move to the back of the crowd for safety reasons, as I had a buggy to look after.</i></p> <P><I>The police charged from behind me, hitting my right shoulder, and narrowly avoided trampling my nephew and buggy in front of me. The momentum from the charge flipped the buggy onto 2 wheels, but thankfully not right over, as my sister and I tried to protect him.</i>??</p> <P><I>I was shocked and disappointed in the police's action that evening, in what felt to me like a very peaceful event up to that point. I also saw nothing caused by the general public that night that would have instigated a rush o</i> <I>the crowd."</i></p> <P>_______________________________________________________________</p> <P>??</p> <P><STRONG>MEANS, MOTIVE &amp; OPPORTUNITY</strong></p> <P>You might well ask, <I>why were a gang of <STRONG>City of London</strong> cops operating so violently <STRONG>OUTSIDE the City of London on that night?</strong></i> A little historical context may provide some answers.</p> <P>Exactly three weeks earlier, on Fri 10 Oct 08, there was an other anti-capitalist demonstration: 'March on the City', around the Bank of England, INSIDE the City of London. As several folks pointed out, on that occassion the City of London cops were outnumbered and outclassed, to the point where they deployed attack dogs and horses; eg:</p> <UL> <LI><I>"What ensued was an hour-long wrestling match, as City police tried to wear down the protestors and halt the march." [1]</i></li> <LI><I>"With all the swearing and pushing and shoving the police started to get worried." [2]</i></li> </ul> <P>Might it be that <STRONG>the City of London force were out for</strong> <I><STRONG>a little light revenge</strong></i>, but waited for the young and tougher folks the SWSS had mobilised to leave before mounting a race-centric assault on the remaining party goers? You may decide so ?? I couldn't possibly comment.</p> <P>??</p> <P><STRONG>HOLDING VIOLENT UNIFORMED THUGS TO ACCOUNT</strong></p> <P>Much as we might prefer to rely on our strength-of-numbers on the ground, and our fierce practical solidarity and mutual aid on the streets, nevertheless my wizard hat's off to anybody with the resources, tenacity and determination to pursue the State-funded violent thugs who attack our public events through the channels of bourgeois legality. So any and all help you can provide to Chris Knight and his family will be warmly apreciated.</p> <P>Thanks in advance for your time, attention and assistance.</p> <P>Tim Dalinian Jones</p> <P>??</p> <P><STRONG>Footnotes</strong></p> <P>[1]?? From <I>'March On The City: No Banker Bail Out</i>', a photo-led report by Jason N Parkinson ?? <A HREF="http://jasonnparkinson.blogspot.com/2008/10/march-on-city-no-banker-bail-out.html">http://jasonnparkinson.blogspot.com/2008/10/march-on-city-no-banker-bail-out.html</a></p> <P>[2]?? From <I>'photo-report of 'march on the city' demo'</i>, by David Broder - <A HREF="http://thecommune.wordpress.com/2008/10/11/photo-report-of-march-on-the-city-demo/">http://thecommune.wordpress.com/2008/10/11/photo-report-of-march-on-the-city-demo/</a></p> ??