Reclaiming the Streets Of Cardiff
Clint Iguana | 23.08.2004 23:02
On 21st August the police clamped down heavily on a planned Reclaim the Streets Party in Cardiff, but through thier incompetence there was more disruption to the city centre than the organisers had originally planned.
Ten people were arrested in Cardiff on Saturday 21st August, as the police clamped down heavily on an attempt to stage a reclaim the streets party.
The party mood of the 150 or so people gathered at the meeting point was jovial as they moved off led by Anarcho Folkies ‘Kiln@boy’ entertaining the crowd with their own brand of rebel music. The mood soon changed after walking only a hundred yards as the police made it perfectly clear they were not going to allow any roads to be blocked.
Scuffles broke out within minutes and two people were arrested and forced into the back of police vans for looking like they might cause trouble. They were later released without charge.
After standing toe to toe with police for a few minutes it was clear that the protesters were not going to be able to walk out of town to the prearranged secret party location, so a call went out to the sound system van to come to the protestors. When the van arrived, it hardly had time to put the handbrake on before it’s windows were smashed by the police and the occupants dragged out and bundled into the back of the van with the two others previously arrested.
Chaos ruled for a few minutes, and several people needed treatment from paramedics as a result of the actions of the forces of law and order. The crowd then turned around and started to move back into the town centre, completely catching the police off guard, forcing them to run to get in front of the crowd. As the crowd reached the other end of the pedestrianised Queen Street, outside the castle, the police formed a line to prevent anyone getting on to the road. After more scuffles and arrests, the crowd moved down into the pedestrianised Hayes area of the city to the bemusement of the gathered shoppers out for a quiet afternoon of consumerism. After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing about 30 people split off from the main body and managed to bring St Mary Street to a standstill for 10 minutes before getting chased back to join the main body of the crowd.
Back at the Hayes the police started to form a ‘bubble’ around the crowd, then an orderly move on to Bute Park, adjacent to the castle, was negotiated and the day ended with everyone enjoying the sun, listening to an acoustic set from ‘Kiln@Boy’, while 40 or so riot police eating ice cream watched on. The police even offered to remove some of the ‘local lads’ who might have disrupted the party. Bless ‘em.
At the end of the day, the planned disruption to a busy road junction just outside the city centre came no-where near being achieved, but ironically the police tactics (or lack of tactics) led to widespread disruption throughout the centre of Cardiff.
The party mood of the 150 or so people gathered at the meeting point was jovial as they moved off led by Anarcho Folkies ‘Kiln@boy’ entertaining the crowd with their own brand of rebel music. The mood soon changed after walking only a hundred yards as the police made it perfectly clear they were not going to allow any roads to be blocked.
Scuffles broke out within minutes and two people were arrested and forced into the back of police vans for looking like they might cause trouble. They were later released without charge.
After standing toe to toe with police for a few minutes it was clear that the protesters were not going to be able to walk out of town to the prearranged secret party location, so a call went out to the sound system van to come to the protestors. When the van arrived, it hardly had time to put the handbrake on before it’s windows were smashed by the police and the occupants dragged out and bundled into the back of the van with the two others previously arrested.
Chaos ruled for a few minutes, and several people needed treatment from paramedics as a result of the actions of the forces of law and order. The crowd then turned around and started to move back into the town centre, completely catching the police off guard, forcing them to run to get in front of the crowd. As the crowd reached the other end of the pedestrianised Queen Street, outside the castle, the police formed a line to prevent anyone getting on to the road. After more scuffles and arrests, the crowd moved down into the pedestrianised Hayes area of the city to the bemusement of the gathered shoppers out for a quiet afternoon of consumerism. After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing about 30 people split off from the main body and managed to bring St Mary Street to a standstill for 10 minutes before getting chased back to join the main body of the crowd.
Back at the Hayes the police started to form a ‘bubble’ around the crowd, then an orderly move on to Bute Park, adjacent to the castle, was negotiated and the day ended with everyone enjoying the sun, listening to an acoustic set from ‘Kiln@Boy’, while 40 or so riot police eating ice cream watched on. The police even offered to remove some of the ‘local lads’ who might have disrupted the party. Bless ‘em.
At the end of the day, the planned disruption to a busy road junction just outside the city centre came no-where near being achieved, but ironically the police tactics (or lack of tactics) led to widespread disruption throughout the centre of Cardiff.
Clint Iguana
e-mail:
clintiguana@madasafish.com
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
ah lads
27.08.2004 01:42
was going to ask for more links or pics but i found
why aint' cymru listed in the side cardiff is in the uk isn't it?
paul
info from indycymru (not an indymedia site btw)
27.08.2004 08:18
Posted by: cardiffalternativene
Just thought that people might appreciate a short report from the Cardiff RTS that took place today. I would estimate about 150 - 200 people turned up and spent half an hour enjoying some tunes. Wahay - a political action that didn't involved endless paper sellers and boring speakers.
(I love it when you go on a anti-war demo and the speakers tell you, wait for it, they are against the war! Fuck a duck!) The police obviously thought that the dozen officers would suffice to restrain the determination to stop some traffic. As we moved they suddenly realised that we were heading for Newport Road (a major road that goes through the city centre). So cleverly they decided that they would form a line with a mere 6 foot gap between each copper to stop us halfway down a pedestrianised Street (Queen Street). Several conversations went like this: Copper: "You can't walk down ere me old son, right butt?!" Protester: "But I'm just walking around consuming all this overpriced tat, little piggy, please let me through." Copper: "OK then me old china".
Onwards then the brave protesters did plunge, innocently getting cramp half way across Newport Road while most of the police were still on Queen Street harrassing innocent shoppers. (The theme for the day by the way was the less bright protectors of the peace stopping disinterested consumers who looked slightly 'alternative' and telling to get back over yere or risk arrest. Dimwits.)
Anyway back on Newport Road capitalism was momentarily overthrown as the usual rush hour jam started a bit early. Much pushing and shoving with many police officers shaking with sexual excitement as the prospect of a set to was on the card. In the end we were far too polite for such roistering doistering and the police had to miss out on their kicks.
They made up for this by randomly arresting the mouthier sections of the crowd just to show they meant business. Yeah because being nicked and held in a police cell for charges which would only give the CPS a giggle at best is really scary.
At this moment unknown heroes suddenly screeched onto the scene with a hired van (i don't think they will be going back for the deposit) which was parked and locked in the middle of the road. The fools - didn't they realise that this would hold up the traffic? Oh they did. Anyway a few more arrests and a smashed windscreen later we were off!
Confusion reigned as we walked down Queen Street and again they didn't know how to stop us. I must say thet the passers by were very friendly. They looked like coma victims suddenly awoken from the deadening circle of unpayable debt and buying worthless crap that would mean working stupid amounts of overtime. Add your own "protest as spectacle" critique here.
As we hit the open road again things got a bit nastier as the crowd seemed to be swollen by some likely lads and the continuing confusion over who was protesting and who was shoppping. A few more arrests and a bit of excitement and i spotted one of the coppers who had 'forgotten' to put his id number on give someone a good smack, bravely holding his stick thing in his hand (ooh er, missus!!). After remonstrating him (and by God people we were in "staring out the protesters mode" now!!) i was informed that the problem in society was "incivility". Not punching some unarmed protester in the face with a night stick but not saying excuse me as you do it, that is the problem, do you see!!!!
But anyway blimey this demo went on a bit i can tell you. So off we went again back onto more pedestrianised streets which was causing them so many problems. In fact a small victory was had as the police received quite a few reinforcements allowing petty criminals everywhere to increase their productivity tenfold!! It was also nice to be informed by the senior officer in command that not displaying your id number was not illegal but just "a bit untidy."
Anyway after blocking up about thirty buses (you wait ages for one then a rts demo backs up thirty at once!) on St. Mary Street we ended up a bit corralled in after something was 'negotiated' by some anarchist fascist steward type :wink: (only joking it was the right time to retire to a park as people were getting tired off the run around especially the many cute kids, bless.). Myself i got a bit tired of being shoved around by about six coppers because i was walking slightly slower then everybody else (i am 32 ffs!). One copper informed me that he "can do what i want because it is the law, innit!!". I loved the conversation: "one more word and i'll arrest you!" "sod off copper", "one more word and i'll arrest you!" "sod off copper", "one more word and i'll arrest you!" "sod off copper", "one more word and i'll arrest you!" "sod off copper", "one more word and i'll arrest you!" "sod off copper", "one more word and i'll arrest you!" "sod off copper"! Lovely stuff.
Anyhoo i then left for a delighful herbal tea in the organic cafe, which was delightful.
Cheers
Jeff :mrt: :rb:
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more
27.08.2004 08:25
Item 1 - News Piece:
Arrests at capital's reclaim the streets demo
Aug 22 2004
Laura Kemp, Wales on Sunday
TEN protesters were arrested in Cardiff city centre yesterday when a street party turned to chaos.
South Wales Police were called to the Reclaim The Streets demo at lunchtime when a number of the anti-capitalist group members stepped into the roads.
A police spokesman said: "As the protest developed some roads in Cardiff were obstructed for a very short time."
Chief Inspector Andy Morgan said: "The group has been allowed to hold its protest with minimum disruption."
-------------------
Item 2 - South Wales Police Release:
Cardiff Protest: Police Closely Monitoring
21st August 2004 : Last Update: 16:35
South Wales Police can confirm that officers are closely monitoring a protest in Cardiff, held by the Reclaim the Streets group.
The protest, named as a ‘street party’ by the group, started at 2 pm, Saturday, 21st August 2004 with a number of their members gathered in some streets in Cardiff. As the protest went on, some roads in Cardiff were obstructed and the police were called to protect public safety.
Officers are now working with both the protesters and members of the public, in order to both protect the group’s rights to protest and make sure members of the public can continue their normal activities.
During the protest, 10 people were arrested for minor public order offences.
South Wales Police would like to thank both members of the public and the protesters of their co-operation and will remain at the scene to maintain the peace of the protest.
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