At around 3.23 pm a smoke bomb or flare was thrown and landed behind the cop unit behind the gate. There may have been some confusion in the crowd as to what was happening. For five minutes or so, the outside of the gates were guarded by two lone bell helmeted cops. No idea why or when they disappeared. Maybe their forward position became untenable as the crowd became increasingly pushy!

At around 3.30 pm a unit of 20 Bell Helmets with their retractable batons drawn replaced them. The crowd got pushed back by police as smoke plumed from a small placard/shoe fire behind the gates. Some of the marchers were claiming tear gas had been used, but really it was nothing more than the fumes of rubber or plastic shoes burning. The crowd started to push and hem in the cops, who to be fair, gave warning that if any demonstrator failed to keep a certain clear distance between themselves and the cops, they would get whacked.

First came a shower of placards, sticks and some shoes. Some cops lost their rag and made an undisciplined and unordered feint into the crowd with their batons drawn. A number were in danger of being isolated from their main command, resulting in being swallowed and surrounded by an increasingly ever more hostile crowd with all the consequences that would bring upon their heads. Their unit commander however spotted the danger and after a number of minutes barking orders, re-imposed his control pulling them back in good order.

At some point around 3.35 pm red paint was thrown hitting a number of cops in the unit. The unit may have made several more feints into the crowd followed by lulls as each side regrouped, but to tell the truth I really wasn't counting They were pussycats compared to what was about to happen next.

'Another' smoke bomb was thrown landing behind the 'Bell Helmet' unit 'protecting' the gate enveloping them and the gates in thick clouds of smoke. Poof! Just like a Paul Daniel's magic trick the 'Bell Helmets' were gone and who should appear through the smoke cloud but a unit of tooled up TSG's, (identified by the letter U on their shoulder tab) who proceeding with their batons flailing, waded into the crowd whacking any poor sod who was unable to outrun their baton reach. A task which was nigh on impossible to many who were formerly forward in the crowd but now unenviably at the rear. The whole crowd may have been engulfed in smoke that stung the throat, but its wishful thinking to think as some did, that it was some form of police crowd dispersal. It was the smoke bomb/firework that landed behind the gate.

This crew was taking no prisoners. Literally! Some Asian man who found himself unluckily behind the riot squad, was the first to be whacked. The poor sod went out like a light. People were claiming he was dead. Still its nice to know our British riot police have 'specialist' medic units with them. Who after cracking you across the skull, will revive you and send you stumbling, concussed back into the crowd. Indeed they are no mean practitioners with their riot shield skills. A fact I can attest to having got a blow in the gob from one of them as they cleared the area.

The demonstrators regrouped and pushed forward on numerous occasions reoccupying the space that had been cleared by the grunts, only to have to retreat as the TSG made repeated baton charges. Some group hit on the idea of a sit down protest! Unfortunately it didn't save them from the TSG raining batons down upon them despite the protesters bravely raising their fingers up in peace sign gestures.

On one of these retreats I got a whack from a baton on my right shoulder, which though it hurt like billyo didn't put me out of action. Still unsurprisingly it made me keep a slightly more secure distance from the riot police. Bizarrely not long after I got smacked on the shoulder I met a priest or vicar who was hell bent on approaching the regrouped TSG's. I said to him in passing "I wouldn't count on that dog collar saving you from these hyped up goons mate!" He said to me in what I assume was all seriousness, "when you have God looking out for you, It's all the safety you need". I thought God! Any moment now! He's gonna have a rude awakening, as I watched him march straight into the jaws of yet another baton charge. But they just told him to "Fuck off and be on your way!"

At about 4.00pm the battle was over and the TSG withdrew back behind Kensington Palace Gardens Gates.

Damn! You know next time it’s a dog collar, and not a Press Card for me! White washing up liquid bottles I hear makes an excellent dog collar substitute!

Photos copyright Stalingrad O'Neill - permission is required for third party usage