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Home   |   The Socialist 23 - 29 June 2005   |   Join the Socialist Party

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G8 forces occupy Sheffield

They came to the G8 in-Justice Ministers meeting in Sheffield on 15-17 June from all over the country. From West Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Manchester, Newcastle, West Midlands and even London.

Alistair Tice

The invading police from eight forces came in buses, vans and cars, on motorcycles and horses, and by air in helicopters. For three days, the city centre was a virtual police state: blocked roads; 'sterile' areas; buses and trams stopped; riot police.

This huge operation costing millions has been a training exercise for Gleneagles. Perhaps that's what the council leader meant by "showcasing the city".

Older workers recalled the miners' strike. But younger protesters weren't intimidated. The Samba Band drummed resistance, the anti-privatisation Pirates chanted defiance and the Insurgent Clowns Rebel Army (don't ask!) just took the piss!

Following the 1,000 strong Peace and Justice demo, hundreds hit the streets on successive evenings to protest against our unwelcome visitors' wining and dining.

Right to protest

The right to protest was reduced to the right of 100 people to be penned behind police barricades hundreds of yards away from the politicians. Even so, the brass band playing at the civic reception was drowned out by chants of "G8, IMF. How many kids have you starved to death?"

Socialist Party (SP) members Edd and Steve were interviewed and broadcast by TV news but said, "the media were only interested in the violence, not what the protests were about." Later on the second night, SP members got a text message from Devonshire Green where earlier there had been 'Rice for Dinner' (billions exist on daily rice contrasted to the 5-course meals the G8 ministers were feeding on), reading "police preparing a massacre"!

Most Sheffield people were outraged by not being able to walk their own streets. SP member Wendy said that this gave her a great opportunity at work to explain what the G8 and the protests were really about. Reflecting this, over 200 copies of the socialist were sold in the week.

One home-made placard read: "Newsflash - G8 wear Hoodies!" Well they certainly operate in gangs, are threatening, and go around mugging and robbing people. We need to put a giant ASBO on them - "A Socialist Behaviour Order"!

We made our voices heard

We made our voices heard, despite the restrictions, with anti-poverty, anti-war and anti-G8 chants, as well as holding our placards high (one that said Make socialism our future appeared in two local papers). Our efforts hopefully put a damper on the extravagant welcome given by the obedient politicians in Sheffield.

Lucy Morrissey

Police fencing and lines of personnel separate us from the ministers - one police officer informed us of the necessity of these 'sterile zones' even though our protest was entirely peaceful.

At the 'Rice for dinner' protest, a good spirited assembly with a rendition of the Internationale by the Socialist Choir turned into a mass show of police force. A splinter of demonstrators including the Samba Band and some trade unionists marched down a street off the green. A frantic operation by the police closed them in, raising defensive lines all around.

Riot vans descended upon the surrounding streets and police fronted up to protesters confused as to the necessity of the excess of police action. Snatch squad riot police were deployed from behind one end of the police lines, comrades witnessed the overly aggressive arrest of one man by seven officers, mounted police also backed up the operation.

The police are using Sheffield as a precursor to the security operations in Edinburgh and the G8 summit - protesters can expect an intimidating police presence.

South Yorkshire has not seen such a large-scale police operation since the miners' strike. This show of force by the capitalist state must give momentum to the struggle for socialism and the campaign for a mass workers' party.

G8 protest: other news

Home   |   The Socialist 23 - 29 June 2005  |   Join the Socialist Party

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