Eyewitness: a cold Saturday spent with Just Stop Oil

Chris Hobbs observes a small Just Stop Oil demonstration outside New Scotland Yard

Two weeks ago, I wrote that Just Stop Oil (JSO) must have been disappointed at their ‘several hundred’ strong turnout for a march around South London, which, the organisers said wouldn’t involve arrests. If they were disappointed then, the miserly gathering outside New Scotland Yard on a freezing but dry Saturday lunch-time could only be seen as a body-blow to their attempt to garner increased public support.

The 150 or so hardy souls were watched by a significant number of officers whose numbers increased as some sort of meeting began. It looked like a sedentary affair but suddenly there was drama and a rugby scrum of officers, activists and photographers gathered around an individual who was stretched out on the floor.

A closer examination revealed that individual to be the man I’ve previously dubbed ‘the General,’ in that he directs the activists during their slow walks and marches and liaises, quite amicably and respectfully, with police.

Some months ago, I did see ‘the General’ directing proceedings during another JSO ‘legitimate’ protest; legitimate in that those participating actually walked on the pavements. Suddenly and to everyone’s bemusement, the General sat down in the road. He was duly arrested in what was a sedate ending to his liberty for that day.

Arrests

This arrest however, was not so sedate; stretched out on the floor, the General had to be bodily lifted up by officers who then had to make their way through a jostling, but not violent crowd, shouting ‘shame on you,’ before depositing him in a police van.

As the hubbub subsided over that incident, it became clear that another arrest was imminent. A smiling female sat with her back against a wall, waiting for the inevitable. Once again, when ‘prisoner transport,’ arrived, the female was carefully lifted off the ground and taken to the police van amidst a jostling crowd.

Just Stop Oil’s SM statement, that two individuals were arrested for merely being ‘on the pavement,’ prompted a near immediate response from the Met who stated that one arrest was for breach of bail while the other was for a racially aggravated public order offence at a previous protest.

During this period there was a third incident which involved a female on the floor and police in attendance. This wasn’t an arrest but an injured lady being carefully tended to and treated by officers who wrapped her in a foil blanket and were utilising a Met first aid kit. It is not known whether she was part of the protest or not.

The assembled protesters, who were told by another organiser, to remain on the footway, duly moved off and, displaying banners and placards, reached the Supreme Court by Parliament Square having been escorted there by police. Outside the court they sat down, listened to speeches and chanted the names of those JSO activists currently languishing in prison for simply ‘walking in the road.’ This confirmed the theme of the march namely the use of legislation to ‘curb peaceful protest,’ and the imprisonment of those who had fallen foul of that legislation.

Speeches concluded, the march set off again with its next destination being the Ministry of Justice. Once again marchers settled down on the pavement and chanted the names of those imprisoned. More police carriers appeared and parked along the road; the clear message appeared to be that if there was any highway obstruction by protesters, it would be speedily dealt with.

Positive engagement

However, the marchers again moved off but remained on the footway. The next destination was Buckingham Palace where, thanks to an absence of vehicles, tourists and day-trippers mingled. They showed only a small degree of interest as the marchers again settled on the pavement and again listened to speeches which were punctuated by chanting of the now familiar names.

Behind the protesters, a line of police officers stood in front of the Palace railings while other officers mingled with the crowds. What was strikingly noticeable was the amount of positive ‘engagement,’ that took place between the public and police officers. The extent of this engagement, considering the deluge of constant unbalanced denigration from just about every section of the MSM and from ‘police haters,’ on social media, was quite remarkable.

Meanwhile, the speeches and chanting concluded; the marchers stood, folded up their banners and an unremarkable afternoon of protest was over.

Officers outside the Palace anticipated being kept in central London in case some of those involved in local pro-Palestinian protests around the capital, decided to gravitate towards the centre. There were, perhaps due to the weather, no reports of any significant later gatherings. In Brixton, however, it would seem police transport for prisoners was blocked for a while, by protesters. This was a tactic seen at a previous protest while in Manchester, a similar incident resulted in the prisoner allegedly being de-arrested.

A further, major pro-Palestinian protest is due this Saturday in central London with ‘mutual aid,’ from other forces again being requested.

Former Special Branch officer Chris Hobbs has been following protests in London as an observer for Police Oracle 

Category: Ops

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