The kids are alright

Chris Hobbs follows a protest that had all the ingredients to end in a full scale riot but went off peacefully

It was a protest which, I suspect caught the Met (and myself) off-guard. Leaflets had been handed out during the major anti-Lockdown protest the previous day referring to a ‘Freedom to Dance’ march which concerned the damage being done to music venues in particular and the music scene in general by Covid restrictions.

Had I been asked for a ‘threat assessment’ I would have suggested a turnout of perhaps a couple of hundred which, in my Special Branch days, would have resulted in a permanent dog fouling patrol posting on Wanstead flats.

The procession, complete with sound systems set off from outside the BBC in Portland Place and it soon became clear that 200 was a massive underestimate by thousands. By the time I reached Trafalgar Square, the area at the top of Whitehall was populated by an advance guard of hundreds. They were youthful, some very youthful and many were clearly under the influence. Bottles and cans being clutched became a familiar sight as the first sound system, appropriately named the riot van, inched past Trafalgar Square surrounded by a packed crowd of revellers.

Around the corner, a group of anxious supervisors, including one who had clearly been parachuted in from the City of London police, discussed the situation as it became clear that this was a sizeable protest that could potentially present a huge public order challenge.

The ‘riot van’ was now moving slowly down Whitehall, with a lone serial of officers at its head. Beer, wine, spirits and just about every alcoholic beverage known to man was being quaffed while the above- mentioned serial of officers looked as vulnerable as a baby seal amongst a school of killer whales, albeit youthful ones.

Given the numbers and the quantity of alcohol on view, I would have bet my house on the fact that the first meaningful police intervention would result in a serious public order scenario on a par with the poll tax riot.

Outside the gates of Downing Street stood a serial of TSG officers, kitted out with helmets clipped to belts which again suggested that the Met had been caught somewhat off-guard by the sheer volume of protesters.

As the bulk of protesters began to arrive at Downing Street the first of the inevitable police baiting hecklers presented themselves at the barriers. Level 2 officers replaced the TSG and more hecklers arrived hurling abuse at police. These were not, however, those in their teens and twenties, but familiar more mature faces from other anti-Lockdown protests. Other than a chant of f*ck Boris led by one of the DJ’s, little interest was paid to Downing Street as the revellers went past and, perhaps, more importantly, no interest was shown in police behind the barriers. Those Lockdown protest veterans, realising that Armageddon would not be happening at the gates of Downing Street, moved on.

Senior officers monitoring the event, were, as was I, trying to ‘read the crowd’ and moved the serial heading the procession to the Cenotaph in order to protest it. In fact, there was no interest shown as the revellers went past the memorial and probably there was but no chances could be taken.

Whitehall now, in many ways, resembled the still moribund Notting Hill carnival with sound systems and the road clogged with thousands enjoying the music and the approach of the second sound system saw another serial of officers ‘cast adrift’ amidst a sea of revellers yet again relations seemed totally harmonious. A couple of youths climbing a traffic light complied with police requests to come down.

The music was mostly the rave/club variety but then came ‘Tainted Love’ which was unique in that the revellers, myself and the police all seemed to know the lyrics.

Police directed the ‘Riot Van’ left into Bridge Street; a decision having been made that four sound systems and thousands upon thousands of revellers would be too much for Parliament Square. It soon became clear that police were now intending to close down sound systems. The Riot Van, now with a smaller crowd of followers, stopped outside New Scotland Yard and police tried to open the doors which were locked.

The van then set off along the Embankment followed by serial of officers. It was temporarily halted by traffic lights but officers made a move, the lights turned to green and the van sped off.

The officers were both philosophical and amused that the Riot Van had made good its escape and returned to Bridge Street where sound-system number two had been stopped and the driver complied with police instructions to pull over.

Sound-system number three was surrounded by a large crowd and a decision was made to turn off the system when it was in Parliament Street. A serial of officers eased their way through the dense crowd which brought back memories of the well publicised incident in Hyde Park weeks ago when officers were attacked and injured by anti-Lockdown protesters when turning off the sound system there.

On this occasion, there were boos from the millennials but these were good natured. In fairness the drivers and DJ’s from all, apart from the Riot Van, were both smiling and cooperative which eased any tension.

The only abuse came from the hard-core anti-Lockdown protesters but they failed to ignite the crowd into any display of defiance and violence.

The fourth and final sound system was a bendy bus with speakers attached which was directed into Westminster Bridge which was blocked by hundreds of revellers who simply moved when asked to do so. Police then assisted as the DJs struggled with the removal of the speakers from the roof. Again, relations between police, the driver and DJs were amicable.

Back in Bridge Street, there was a minor flare-up when police arrested and led away an individual but there were ample police at the incident and it ended as quickly as it had begun.

PC Rain was now on the scene but a group of revellers danced to a smaller system in Parliament Square. Police went amongst the crowd, ‘engaging’ with them suggesting they leave and……..they did.

As stated above, when I first arrived, I feared the worst, as I’m sure the police commanders did. What could go wrong; thousands of inebriated, loud teens and twenties clutching thousands of bottles and cans?

In fact, other than a couple of minor incidents, there was no hostility towards police, no missiles thrown, despite the abundance of lethal ammunition and there was a willingness to comply with police requests.

Police generally kept a benevolent eye on proceedings, assisting one youth who fell onto his back when climbing down from a bus stop then helping a distressed girl who clearly had ‘overdone’ the alcohol.

A female, whose purse descended to the floor while she walked on, was pursued by a female TSG officer who handed it back to a grateful owner.

Chris Hobbs is a former Special Branch officer with the Met who has been following all the lockdown protests in London as an observer for Police Oracle

Category: Ops

Tags: City of London PoliceForce policyGovernment PolicyLondonMetropolitan Police ServicePublic OrderPublic Protection