Analysis
Kill the Bill – but peacefully?
Our public order policing observer and former Special Branch officer Chris Hobbs joins the latest on the streets protest against the Police and Crime Bill which took an unusual twist
The man standing in front of the line of police addressing protesters after clashes with those officers, was certainly an imposing figure. Bearded, around 6 foot, 3 ins tall with a commanding voice that had a trace of a foreign accent.
He explained that he too was a protester who was concerned about the Police and Crime Bill. He went on to say that police should not be attacked and that violence was not the solution. Strangely enough, his charisma seemed to ensure that he was not shouted down or abused.
This individual was to play a further part in proceedings later that evening.
Peaceful beginnings
London’s protest against the aforementioned bill began predicably enough at the symbol of democracy and free speech namely Speaker’s Corner.
At the entrance a plethora of tables selling leftist political newspapers, badges, stickers plus giveaway pamphlets; most had a petition against the bill to sign.
The crowd moved from the entrance on to the grassed area for some speeches. Many expected Jeremy Corbyn to appear at this point but the sub-standard sound system would not have done Jeremy justice. To the side of the main gathering was another where the main objective seemed to be the repetitive chanting of ‘Kill, kill, kill the bill.’
The predictable move away from Speakers Corner into Park Lane saw traffic chaos and, in fairness, the beginning of the march was quite colourful with dancers and Extinction Rebellion drummers. As the march moved towards Hyde Park Corner, it became clear that two separate groups were developing. The dancers and drummers were overtaken by a group who seemed eager to ‘get on with it.’ Many were dressed all in black and it became clear as the afternoon progressed that most supported the anarchist cause.
Changing chants at Buckingham Palace
At Hyde Park corner they waited until the much larger group, walking at a snail’s pace, caught up. Within minutes of the march restarting, a significant gap had again developed and by the time Buckingham Palace had been reached, the larger group was several hundred yards adrift.
This didn’t phase the youthful anarchists and their far- left cousins. Less than complimentary chants about Prince Andrew could clearly be heard as the activists waited again for the much larger group, to catch up. Then it was past Wellington Barracks and into Parliament Square. Despite the relatively short distance, another large gap opened up between the activists and the bulk of the protesters.
It took some time for the main group to eventually enter Parliament Square and by this time the anarchists and their allies were milling around Parliament Street at the junction with Bridge Street blocking the traffic. This was to become a flashpoint.
After the bulk of protesters entered Parliament Square, their meeting began. Events meant that I never set foot on the well- worn grass to hear the speakers which presumably included Jeremy Corbyn. Loudspeaker systems were set up at the far ‘Nelson Mandela end’ of the square and the overwhelming majority of protesters, whatever their views of police, listened, applauded and caused no issues for officers.
Anarchist walkabout
At the opposite ‘Winston Churchill end’ of the square the anarchists attempted to organise a march from the middle of the road but saw little interest. Instead, there was a general milling around which nevertheless obstructed the junction and the traffic into Parliament Square.
By 4pm, police officers were moving amongst the anarchists politely suggesting that they might like to clear the road and go home. The result was an increasing level of abuse but the officers persisted.
Half an hour later, the anarchists bolstered by some support from the main meeting decided to march around the corner to New Scotland Yard. Numbering around 100, the sight of a number of TSG carriers may have played a part in their decision to keep on walking. A left turn took them towards Whitehall and another left turn saw them walk past Downing Street where again there was just passing abuse with no prolonged stopover.
The stroll took almost 30 minutes but their arrival back in Parliament Square attracted some additional support from the main meeting. This group were becoming increasingly truculent and more hostility was directed against police who continued ‘engaging’ in an attempt to at least clear the junction.
At this juncture, a lorry arrived clearly linked to McDonalds. Quite how it made it along Bridge Street and into the most contentious area of the protest remains a mystery. Whether it was the vehicle’s link to McDonalds or simply a collective decision to block any vehicle regardless, may never be known. The anarchists decided that the vehicle would go no further.
Police officers attempted to inch the vehicle through the crowd but were met with abuse and obstruction. Once again, as so often happens in British public order situations, the hostile protesters were right in the faces of officers not helped by the so-called legal observers who were part of the pushing, jostling crowd.
City police officers had, by now, joined those around the vehicle and the pushing, jostling and abuse inevitably turned to violence. Not in his wildest dreams, could the unfortunate lorry driver have envisaged that he would be the focal point of disorder within yards of the Houses of Parliament.
It was during this disorder that the above-mentioned charismatic peacemaker made an appearance which resulted in a lull in proceedings. However further skirmishes followed until the lorry and its doubtless, relieved driver, were on their way.
Despite the departure of the lorry, further disorder followed as anarchists again pushed against the line of City and Met officers resulting in missiles being thrown and sticks that had supported banners, being used as weapons. Officers responded with batons.
One aspect of the afternoon’s proceedings was the snatching of police caps as a decision had been made that officers were to perform this particular duty in ‘day’ uniforms. At least three caps were snatched and thrown with the discovery that they moved, frisbee like, through the air.
Met officers guarding the Churchill statue saw one cap flying through space to the cheers of the crowd and were clearly determined to retrieve it; the result was one fleeing protester rugby tackled and pinned to the ground with the cap retrieved.
Enough is enough
Clearly a decision had been made that enough was enough. Kitted out TSG officers but in baseball caps, formed cordons across Bridge Street facing towards the Square. Other ‘kitted’ Level 2 serials waited on the North side of Parliament Square. During this period, the meeting attended by the majority of marchers, continued with most unaware of the problems being created by their fellow protesters.
Further down Whitehall more police serials could be seen changing from their day uniforms. The anarchists and their followers began to realise that police tactics were about to change and leaders started to emerge. The one clear route out of Parliament Square was up along Whitehall and, just after 6pm, the protesters took it.
‘Keep moving’ was the cry and several hundred protesters began walking up Whitehall. A brief sojourn outside Downing street by some was followed by chants of; ‘No justice, no peace; f*ck the police.’
As the protesters reached Trafalgar Square, some of leaders were shouting not to enter the Square itself through fear of being kettled. As the protesters looked back down Whitehall they would have seen large numbers of police taking up the width of the road and walking purposefully in their direction.
When police reached the outskirts of the square, a strange impasse ensued. The protesters, in the main, stayed where they were. Some officers again tried to persuade the protesters to leave others grouped together in formation. Suddenly, there was disorder by Waterstones bookshop and it quickly became clear that officers were in trouble. Serials of officers promptly dashed across the road and a further skirmish ensued as police quickly restored order. This was later described as ‘police brutality’ by Guardian columnist Owen Jones.
Protesters become a mob
The protesters regrouped and about 150 began to march along the Strand, past Charing Cross station where they were watched by BTP officers. As they progressed, they became aware that there was no police escort which enabled them to effectively take over the road. Two police officers managed to stay with them; the so-called legal advisors could be seen running up the road after the crowd despite the fact that their activities could hardly now be construed as protest.
Further along, the bolder elements began knock over litter bins, dragging them into the road. Roadworks provided a further opportunity with barriers and other ‘street furniture’ being strewn about. One youth could be seen placing rocks into a bag before spotting the two officers and promptly unloading them.
As they began to wreck one especially large set of road works, the tall charismatic male appeared and again berated the crowd, who actually stopped and listened before moving off. This time they began running and had by now assumed the characteristics of a mob. The few passers-by were clearly alarmed although they were of no concern to the anarchists and their acolytes.
The situation was about to change however. A line of City police officers stretched across the road, appeared behind me and were closing on the protesters who were now on the borders with the City police area. Suddenly in a blur of activity, Met police carriers appeared and it became clear that a trap was being sprung. Anarchists fled down side streets pursued by City officers as every exit became sealed. Whilst some protesters escaped, others returned from side streets having been corralled by police.
After extricating myself from the kettle, I noticed a few protesters outside the police cordon viewing what was going on. Most, however, had evaporated into the gathering gloom. The event was over other than the processing of those ‘kettled.’ Inevitably this brought adverse comment on twitter in an appeal to Diane Abbott. Alas, one of those trapped by the ‘kettle’ was the tall, charismatic bearded peacemaker. I did have a word with a friendly inspector who I’d been chatting to earlier so I’m hoping he was OK.
It should however be stressed that despite the disorder caused by about 200 anarchists, supported by a similar number of curious hangers on, the vast majority of those who began the march in Hyde Park, despite their contempt for police, were peaceful and on arrival in Parliament Square enthusiastically listened to the speeches.
Whether those orchestrating these demonstrations are able to mirror the scale of protest seen during the poll tax era remains to be seen. In any event, more challenges appear inevitable for the Met, City and other forces from both ‘Kill the Bill’ and anti-Lockdown protests together with block parties, raves and other organised mass gatherings.
Solved: The Mystery of the undercover cop who wasn’t
There was great excitement amongst those on the pollical left when it was thought that an undercover police officer had been spotted during the ‘Kill the Bill’ protest. The ‘officer’ was spotted in a photo posing behind a much commented on, ‘Kill Cops’ banner which, as it turns out was transposed from the original ‘Cops Kill’ by simply tearing the banner in two.
Of course, the conspiracy theorists failed to consider the following;
- His former colleagues (isn’t that Fred our old carrier driver and overtime king?).
- Former crime victims; (isn’t he the nice kind policeman who came to report our burglary, car theft, damage, accident etc?)
- Arrested criminals (Isn’t that the cop wot nicked me?)
The ‘raison d’etre’ behind the actions of the ‘officer’ were supposedly, to discredit those on this ‘peaceful’ protest. Footage then emerged which showed the same individual behind a group of City police officers with drawn batons facing a violent crowd. This further confirmed suspicions in that the officers were clearly ‘protecting’ their undercover colleague.
The narrative changed, but only to the extent that the individual in question was now suspected of being a police ‘spy.’
Such was the level of interest that a ‘conservative’ American journalist identified the individual as a leftist, Antifa activist from the United States. This was confirmed by a British left-wing publication who produced a detailed and reasonably accurate version of events and confirmed the individual’s identity as Barrett Brown
https://www.councilestatemedia.uk/2021/04/was-this-agent-provocateur-lets-look-at.html
This was further confirmed by the individual himself who put out a less than conciliatory statement on his blogging site which also acknowledged that his presence could attract the attention of the Home Office.
Category: Ops
Tags: City of London PoliceClothing and EquipmentLegislationLondonMetropolitan Police ServicePublic Order
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