No Solidarity Protest at Greek Embassy on Thursday

The protest in solidarity with the Greek uprising on Thursday, December 11, that had been called for in a posting on Indymedia UK, was well attended - by police. Hardly a protester was to be seen. The first police van was placed right outside Holland Park Station, and in front of the Greek Embassy there were more police cars of both the Met and diplomatic police and fencing had been set up, with what seemed to be one of London's infamous protest pens on the sidewalk opposite the Greek Embassy.

The protest had been called for 12:00 pm, but at 12:30 there were still only about 5 people wandering about. Several individuals were Stopped and Searched under a Section 60 in the whole area between Holland Park Station and the Embassy.

One person got stopped right outside the station, and asked what he was doing in the area. In spite of his reply of being on his way for a job interview, he was informed that he would be searched, as a demonstration was happening in the area. When he asked to be taken to a police station and allowed to call his lawyer as he was embarrassed to be searched on the streets, officers immediately grabbed his arms and handcuffed him. The handcuffes were pulled painfully tight and in spite of the person not resisting and asking the officers to loosen the handcuffes they remained like that. A children's paper scissor was found in his bag and confiscated as potential weapon and his passport was photographed. When asking the officers for their numbers, only one volunteered his number, while other officers tried to evade having their numbers taken down.

Another person was searched at the corner of Holland Park Ave and Holland Park. When officers found a scarf in his bag, he was told that he would be arrested if he would attempt to use the scarf to cover his face as this was illegal.

At the Greek Embassy a Student Journalist was stopped after taking a couple of photos of the, except for the police presence, deserted area. When trying to turn on her camera a police officer immediately grabbed it, saying he would not let go, as she might throw it at him. On seeing her Student NUJ card, officers repeatedly said that this 'piece of plastic' would not proof anything, and it was easy to produce one like it, obviously alleging that it was a fraud. Officers said she was being searched for weapons, explicitly naming knifes and petrol bombs, and later jokingly adding that she might have hidden an AK-47 in her bag.

Everyone searched had their picture taken and was constantly filmed by the police photographer. At about 1pm, 6 people had gathered at the Embassy, but decided to head back to the corner Holland Park Ave, as the police presence was too intimidating. They were followed by two officers, one of them hiding his face when people turned around to take pictures of them. At the corner of Holland Park Ave and Holland Park they were joined by some more people trying to get to the protest. The small group of protesters was soon joined by more officers, again including the police photographer who permanently filmed and photographed. A banner, saying "Alexi, you died, but also gave birth to millions of us" was put up on the sidewalk, in an attempt to inform passers by what was happening there. After 10 minutes the group was approached by an officer, demanding the banner be removed as it was distracting drivers and endangering the traffic.

The policing of this event was way over the top, at no point was there any reason to believe that the small group of less than ten protesters, severely outnumbered by police, could possibly pose a danger to public order, or breach the peace. In a democracy the right to protest should be held high and not eroded by police intimidation and surveillance. A democracy can only possibly work if people are not scared of speaking their minds. On this day, the heavy policing effectively prevented a protest from happening.?