The confusion over the Spaghetti House siege proved to be a turning point exposing the messy realities of revolutionary politics. ibid.
CND has its biggest rally ever: two hundred thousand marched in London; another six hundred thousand in Germany. 1983: The Brink of Apocalypse, Channel 4 2008
On 7th May 1939 one amateur film-maker recorded a more menacing event: a march through the streets of London by the British Union of Fascists – a party led by former Labour MP cabinet member Oswald Mosley. They claimed to have over 50,000 members. Lost Films of WW2 I, BBC 2020
‘Kennington was a very racist area, yeah: ‘Niggers Go Home’, ‘NF’ on the Wall’ … ‘Blacks Stink’ [graffiti] …’ Uprising III: The Front Line, BBC 2021
‘[Rozzers] round and round and round antagonising people endlessly.’ ibid. ex-rozzer whistleblower
Operation Swamp: ‘One day I was stopped three times.’ ibid. old suss law victim
‘We saw the police surround a guy who had been stabbed.’ ibid.
When we got to the high street [after victim dragged to police van] it was one of the proudest moments of our lives. Hundreds of us. ibid.
There was like a cinema playing in my mind of all the indignities I had suffered with the police. ibid.
A lot of chaos. A lot of coppers getting hurt. ibid. ex-whistleblower
You know what? They were good fires. They were fires of freedom. People were breaking the chains. ibid. dude
‘The unprecedented outbreak of violence on the streets of mainland Britain.’ ibid. BBC news
In 2003 Tony Blair and George Bush started to spread this freedom to Iraq. Three coaches of day trippers set off for the US military base in Fairford, Gloucester, to protest against the war. On the way there they were pulled over for a routine traffic stop by over a hundred police in riot gear. The officers held them for two hours and searched every nook and cranny. The operation unearthed some paper masks, scissors, and several toy soldiers. Taking Liberties, 2007
New Labour started to pass more laws than any other government in history … To protect the nation from terror the Blair government passed a series of laws that also undermined our basic liberties. ibid.
Freedom of Speech means sometimes having to listen to things you don’t want to hear. Tony Blair got round this problem at the Labour Party conference by banning any mention of the Iraq war. ibid.
You can now be fined for disagreeing with the government anywhere in the country. You don’t even have to voice your concerns if you are the long arm of the law. ibid.
It is now illegal to demonstration within a kilometre of parliament unless you get an authorisation from the police. ibid.
Mia and Milan held a memorial service outside Downing Street. They were reading out the names of Iraqi civilians and British soldiers who had died since the invasion of Iraq. Luckily, fourteen policemen were on hand. ibid.
In June 2001 Brian Haw started his peaceful protest against sanctions placed on Iraq. Over the next four years the government repeatedly arrested Brian and took him to court. But Brian won every time. So the Home Secretary David Blunkett changed the law ... 78 police paid Brian a visit. ibid.
The Home Secretary now has the power to make anywhere in Britain a protest free zone … The first people to be arrested under the new law were two grandmothers. ibid.
The police have used the Terrorism Act to stop and search over 100,000 people. ibid.
The Suffragettes felt that Civil Disobedience was the only way to get their message across. And it worked. ibid.
For the first time since he came to power Tony Blair lost a vote in the House of Commons. But he still managed to increase the pre-charge detention to twenty-eight days. ibid.
Tony Blair’s most expensive legacy will have been to turn over the entire country into a perfect prison. ibid.
The War on Terror kept David Blunkett very busy. In 2003 he got to fly to the USA and signed an extradition treaty which puts your liberty at the mercy of American justice. ibid.
The British prime minister who helped to destroy the one liberty that is supposed to be non-negotiable: the ban on torture. ibid.
The policeman who frames a black man is doing so with a confidence that the system is going to give him a conviction. Small Axe I: Mangrove, Darcus Howe, BBC 2020
I am here as a member of the Black Panther movement. I have been invited here by your trade union to talk to you about your workers’ rights and your power as a collective force. ibid. Altheia
The Mangrove is now a focus point for black people to come and sit, talk and exchange views. That is a rare and precious gift. ibid.
Go back to wherever you come from. ibid. rozzer
But a demonstration is the right thing to do. Self movement. ibid. victim
Self-representing means being able to cross-examine witnesses … It allows you to speak directly to the jury. ibid. white representative
There is evidence of racial prejudice on both sides. ibid. judge
The Mangrove restaurant and Frank Crichlow continued to be harassed for a further eighteen years. In 1989 his name was finally cleared at the High Court. He accepted a settlement of £50,000, which was the highest sun ever paid in damages by the Metropolitan police at that time. In all Frank Critchlow faced three trials and was acquitted three times. He pressed for an apology from the police but never received one. He closed the Mangrove for good in 1992. ibid. captions
The Mangrove Nine: Barbara Beese, Rupert Boyce, Frank Crichlow, Rhodan Gordon, Darcus Howe, Elton Anthony Carlisle Inniss, Altheia Jones-Lecointe, Rothwell Kentish, Godfrey Millett. ibid.
The march of Washington … that was the moment of recognition of what people could do to change history. No Direction Home II, Peter Yarrow, 2005
These peaceful demonstrations continue. They become known as the Orange Revolution. The Ukrainian Supreme Court declares the result [election] invalid, and orders a new election. On 23 January 2005 to the dismay of Vladimir Putin, [Viktor] Yushchenko finally wins the presidency of Ukraine. Secret Wars Uncovered s1e1: Coup in Crimea, Sky History 2020
Towards the end of August Chicago would erupt in violence as anti-war and anti-establishment demonstrations clashed with police at the Democratic Convention. 1968: A Year of War, Turmoil and Beyond, Kate Williams, Sky Arts 2018
‘I don’t think any Hongkonger would’ve imagined having to throw a Molotov cocktail in their lifetime but we really didn’t have a choice. This World: Hong Kong’s Fight for Freedom, BBC 2022
‘One day we will see our Hong Kong gain democracy and freedom.’ ibid.
‘Organisers claims that one million people plus took part in today’s march.’ ibid. news
‘They have stormed the government building.’ This World: Hong Kong’s Fight for Freedom II, news
The protesters in this film could be imprisoned for what they tell us. ibid.
Fight for Freedom! Stand with Hong Kong! ibid. protest
Chanting slogans cannot liberate Hong Kong. ibid. protester
‘This is urban warfare’ … ‘The police in return were firing rubber bullets’ … ‘The protests were spreading across the city and no-one knew what the rules were any more.’ ibid. reporters
Later that day they started using the water cannon trucks. ibid. protester
He sentenced me to one year in prison. ibid. protester
Major demonstrations continue to rock Haiti as protesters demand that US-backed president Jovenel Moise step down from office … Inside of holding new elections or stepping down he is just staying put. Abby Martin & The Empire Files: Haiti’s Century of US Coups, Invasions & Puppets, Youtube 8.47, Abby Martin online 2021