brixtonblade
Well-Known Member
I actually had to sign a contract but your point still stands
Reclaim Brixton movement - meetings and April 25th protest planned
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Twattor
Well-Known Member
yeh more action needed or no one will enjoy it.
effing apps cutting a bloke off mid lik...
leaves you wanting more
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
your post was castrated
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
pity the infection not cauterized.
FridgeMagnet
Administrator
cesare
shady's dreams ♥
It might drive their workers wages up though
The Blog are quick to copy this bollocks.
http://www.brixtonblog.com/reclaim-...housands-attend-mostly-peaceful-protest/29829
clandestino
no llevar papel
Is everything OK there now? Some folk on twitter seem to think it's all kicking off again, but I don't know if that's just people getting the wrong end of the stick...
Hope everyone's OK.
Hope everyone's OK.
editor
hiraethified
Windrush Square is still busy - with a chilled out festival kind of vibe - while a sizeable group of protesters matched down Brixton Road. There's LOADS of cops about. I think this will be going on for some time.
clandestino
no llevar papel
Hope it stays chilled.
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Funnily enough they have not been exactly pushing the Brixton office.
It never features in their regular Wednesday Evening Standard advert.
Maybe we might get speedy noodle back with one more push?
story
Changing the facts
As I was walking towards Windrush Square I came upon a march (about 200 people, but I'm not good at counting crowds) travelling down Atlantic Road with placards and loudspeakers etc. so I joined them. Rumour was that they were marching on the police station. Buses and cars were surrounded by the milling crowd. Some of the car people looked annoyed but the bus driver opened his window to high-five everyone who passed by, and the passengers were on their feet and clapping and cheering as we passed.
We stopped outside Stella's hairdresser, where they were holding a banner saying Stella: hair to stay! and there was a cheerful and rowdy few minutes of chanting "Stella! Stella!" and then we were off again, round the corner at M&S. Traffic had to stop for us, including a police van with sirens on. The march offered loud and heartfelt anti-copper chants as it passed the cops. Cops were silent and grim. The march arrived at the police station and broken into two factions. One stopped in the street, holding up traffic, and gave chants and small speeches, mostly about racist cops and police oppression. There were lots of "Hands up! Don't shoot!" 's going on. The other section, about 50 or so, went up the steps of the police station. I stood on the wall to watch. The chant now was "Who killed Mark Duggan? You killed Mark Duggan!" Other names were Ricky Bishop, Sean Rigg, Wayne Douglas, Harry Stanley, etc..... So many, too many....
All the windows on the front of the station were quickly shut fast, as if a storm was approaching. I couldn't see what was happening inside the lobby, but I saw some scuffling at the door, and people started beating on the glass doors. It looked to me as if the police were trying to shut the doors. The shouting changed to cries of protest and I saw that the shutters were being brought down, it looked as if people were being caught in the doors and under the shutter.
Suddenly the protestors surged back away from the doors and a crowd of cops came barrelling out, led by a big burly cop spraying pepper spray at close quarters. One woman was caught right in the face. I later saw her being tended to by friends, washing her face with milk. About four cops baton charged the crowd and beat several protestors with truncheons, pushing them backwards down the stairs while holding their upper arms. I saw one man fall. I'd be surprised if he doesn't sustain some pretty bad bruises. There was also plenty of heavy shoving by the police. They took their stand at the foot of the stairs.
The protest retreated to the perimeter wall and set up anti-cop chanting. Soon after, the riot cops turned up and joined the police cordon. They looked to me as if they'd just had a mainline hit of testosterone, all bulging neck veins wooden-foot walking. They joind the Brixton cops to make a tight cordon all around the outside of the police station.
One young protester, maybe still in her teens, with a skateboard, stood on the wall and berated the cops with eloquence and wit.
Another young woman chided the police about deaths of asylum seekers in custody.
Another came forward and asked the police "Who do you serve?" and the crowd picked this up very fast. It triggered several rounds of loud and angry chanting at the police that included "Whose streets? Our streets? Who pays you? We pay you! Whose community? Our community!" and plenty more.
A woman took the megaphone and asked for calm; she also said that the police are supposed to defend and protect the community, but were here standing against the community, that there were only white faces in the police line, and that it was no wonder that people feel angry at the police when they demonstrate such disrespect for black lives.
A man standing next to me asked if I thought it could go off. I said no, I didn't think so. However, earlier I did feel as if it could. The baton charge and the shoving of people who were already retreating seemed pretty OTT to me, especially as they were pushing people who were already dealing with a face full of pepper spray backwards down the stairs. If someone had been hurt or injured, it could have gone off. If the riot dogs had turned up about three minutes earlier and waded in to the crowd, it could have gone off.
I stayed a little longer and then left to join the party in Windrush Square. As I walked up Brixton Road loads of legal observers passed me going towards the police station. There had been one or two there, handing out bust cards and taking notes.
Was anyone else there at the station?
We stopped outside Stella's hairdresser, where they were holding a banner saying Stella: hair to stay! and there was a cheerful and rowdy few minutes of chanting "Stella! Stella!" and then we were off again, round the corner at M&S. Traffic had to stop for us, including a police van with sirens on. The march offered loud and heartfelt anti-copper chants as it passed the cops. Cops were silent and grim. The march arrived at the police station and broken into two factions. One stopped in the street, holding up traffic, and gave chants and small speeches, mostly about racist cops and police oppression. There were lots of "Hands up! Don't shoot!" 's going on. The other section, about 50 or so, went up the steps of the police station. I stood on the wall to watch. The chant now was "Who killed Mark Duggan? You killed Mark Duggan!" Other names were Ricky Bishop, Sean Rigg, Wayne Douglas, Harry Stanley, etc..... So many, too many....
All the windows on the front of the station were quickly shut fast, as if a storm was approaching. I couldn't see what was happening inside the lobby, but I saw some scuffling at the door, and people started beating on the glass doors. It looked to me as if the police were trying to shut the doors. The shouting changed to cries of protest and I saw that the shutters were being brought down, it looked as if people were being caught in the doors and under the shutter.
Suddenly the protestors surged back away from the doors and a crowd of cops came barrelling out, led by a big burly cop spraying pepper spray at close quarters. One woman was caught right in the face. I later saw her being tended to by friends, washing her face with milk. About four cops baton charged the crowd and beat several protestors with truncheons, pushing them backwards down the stairs while holding their upper arms. I saw one man fall. I'd be surprised if he doesn't sustain some pretty bad bruises. There was also plenty of heavy shoving by the police. They took their stand at the foot of the stairs.
The protest retreated to the perimeter wall and set up anti-cop chanting. Soon after, the riot cops turned up and joined the police cordon. They looked to me as if they'd just had a mainline hit of testosterone, all bulging neck veins wooden-foot walking. They joind the Brixton cops to make a tight cordon all around the outside of the police station.
One young protester, maybe still in her teens, with a skateboard, stood on the wall and berated the cops with eloquence and wit.
Another young woman chided the police about deaths of asylum seekers in custody.
Another came forward and asked the police "Who do you serve?" and the crowd picked this up very fast. It triggered several rounds of loud and angry chanting at the police that included "Whose streets? Our streets? Who pays you? We pay you! Whose community? Our community!" and plenty more.
A woman took the megaphone and asked for calm; she also said that the police are supposed to defend and protect the community, but were here standing against the community, that there were only white faces in the police line, and that it was no wonder that people feel angry at the police when they demonstrate such disrespect for black lives.
A man standing next to me asked if I thought it could go off. I said no, I didn't think so. However, earlier I did feel as if it could. The baton charge and the shoving of people who were already retreating seemed pretty OTT to me, especially as they were pushing people who were already dealing with a face full of pepper spray backwards down the stairs. If someone had been hurt or injured, it could have gone off. If the riot dogs had turned up about three minutes earlier and waded in to the crowd, it could have gone off.
I stayed a little longer and then left to join the party in Windrush Square. As I walked up Brixton Road loads of legal observers passed me going towards the police station. There had been one or two there, handing out bust cards and taking notes.
Was anyone else there at the station?
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editor
hiraethified
I think Windrush Square will be fine - the rambling mob is where the action is going to be.
With the arches being closed for two hours to hold their own protest they were a bit disconnected from the Square, I left the Square briefly just before 2pm and also spoke to some of the traders and they were indeed delighted to know there had been a great turnout in the Square and that that atmosphere was fantastic.
I did post on the Out with the Old... Network Rail tell businesses to vacate Atlantic Road arches
http://www.urban75.net/forums/threa...ntic-road-arches.331912/page-23#post-13856177
that any kind of close down would be difficult to achieve but they did it and it worked and full credit to them; that's community.
editor
hiraethified
And it was wonderful that the bubbly Fromagers decided to really show their support and close down all day long!
I'm like 30 seconds from the cop shop but I have had a drink.......
brixtonblade
Well-Known Member
That blog article is shit - the story here isnt the odd bit of disturbance but the fact that so many people came out together and made a stand. I thought it was a really nice atmosphere - was there with a baby so home already but was a great vibe and a great day.
David Clapson
Well-Known Member
Brief update:
- 10 people rushed the police station and were driven out with pepper spray. Confirmed by legal observers. No windows broken, sadly
- another group got into the town hall and the rumour mill says they cornered 5 coppers and gave them a kicking. Don't know if it was true, but if it was one of the legal observers will be able to confirm it
- as of about 6 pm there'd been 2 arrests, one for the Foxtons window. The bloke who broke it wasn't arrested so perhaps the arrest was for the person who sprayed Yuppies Out on the other window
- a group of 60 or so went down to the police station and many riot officers tried to kettle them. But the only thing kettled was a bicycle soundsystem, which was instantly destroyed. Much chanting of "the only thing you've kettled is a bike.."
- lots of security at BV and Market Row to keep out protesters, but they forgot to guard the Pope's Road entrance and about 40 people waltzed in for a peaceful march. They didn't pass the champagne bar, which was boarded up.
- the helicopter is busy, I suspect because people are running around dodging kettling attempts
All good fun and very well planned and executed by the protesters, who have been keeping the police stretched by popping up at a wide range of thoroughly deserving targets at opposite ends of Brixton. No random violence or looting. Brixton can be proud so far. But I suspect things will carry on for hours yet so I'm off out again.
- 10 people rushed the police station and were driven out with pepper spray. Confirmed by legal observers. No windows broken, sadly
- another group got into the town hall and the rumour mill says they cornered 5 coppers and gave them a kicking. Don't know if it was true, but if it was one of the legal observers will be able to confirm it
- as of about 6 pm there'd been 2 arrests, one for the Foxtons window. The bloke who broke it wasn't arrested so perhaps the arrest was for the person who sprayed Yuppies Out on the other window
- a group of 60 or so went down to the police station and many riot officers tried to kettle them. But the only thing kettled was a bicycle soundsystem, which was instantly destroyed. Much chanting of "the only thing you've kettled is a bike.."
- lots of security at BV and Market Row to keep out protesters, but they forgot to guard the Pope's Road entrance and about 40 people waltzed in for a peaceful march. They didn't pass the champagne bar, which was boarded up.
- the helicopter is busy, I suspect because people are running around dodging kettling attempts
All good fun and very well planned and executed by the protesters, who have been keeping the police stretched by popping up at a wide range of thoroughly deserving targets at opposite ends of Brixton. No random violence or looting. Brixton can be proud so far. But I suspect things will carry on for hours yet so I'm off out again.
In the moment of an election #ReclaimBrixton was organised without trade unions and without any political parties. We showed them how redundant they are.
Crispy
The following psytrance is baṉned: All
If you're on O2 or Giffgaff, Brixton center is a dead zone for reception.
Fantastic atmosphere this afternoon. Brixton ain't dead yet
If you're on O2 or Giffgaff, Brixton center is a dead zone for reception.
Fantastic atmosphere this afternoon. Brixton ain't dead yet
Giffgaff, thanks for that. frogwoman
I'm just going to have a stroll down to the cop shop not to get more beers in the supermarket or anything.
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