Monthly Archives: March 2021

‘FUCK SARAH EVERARD’ SHOUT POLICE BEFORE KNOCKING MOURNER UNCONSCIOUS

Everard

People gathered at College Green last week to protest a part of the ‘Police Crackdown Bill’ that targets the Gypsy, Traveller, and Roma community. The bill gives the Police new powers to fine and imprison people, simply for residing in a vehicle at the side of the road. It also gives Police the power to confiscate the homes of people they ‘suspect’ will commit trespass at some point in the future. The bill effectively bans and criminalises anyone who lives nomadically – whether through culture, choice, or necessity.  

The protest began peacefully with people sat on the grass around tents and placards. The atmosphere was relaxed and calm as speeches were made, people danced, and others laid flowers and lit candles for Sarah Everard at the memorial to her. From here, ‘Chloe’ takes up the story. This is her full statement:  

My name is Chloe. I was at the ‘Kill the Bill’ peaceful protest on College Green last Tuesday. My grandad was part of the Traveller community. I wanted to go along to show my support for the Gypsy, Traveller, and Roma communities threatened by the bill. I also wanted to take flowers to the Sarah Everard memorial. I have been working so much lately, I haven’t had the chance to go. I went with my friend Sophie. We are both shop workers from Knowle, Bristol. I am 25, Sophie is 22. 

We placed our flowers and stood there reading the messages. Although it was sad, I felt so moved by the memorial and all the flowers and messages people had left there.  

We had been there for about 20 minutes when a gang of riot Police ran up to us from behind. They started smashing up the memorial. They were kicking and stomping on the flowers and teddy bears. They were so angry. It looked like they were trying to make a point.  

My friend Sophie took a step towards them and said: ‘Please don’t… this is a memorial for Sarah Everard’. The Police Officer said: ‘F*ck Sarah Everard’, and hit her over the head with his baton. The force knocked her off her feet, and her head hit the ground with a thud. As she was laying on the ground, he kicked her in the stomach. I started screaming and a second Police Officer hit me in the face with his riot shield and I fell to the ground. Blood was pouring from my nose

I couldn’t see Sophie at this point, there were too many legs in the way. I struggled to get to my feet. The last thing I saw was Sophie being dragged off by her hair – completely unresponsive. 

I was hysterical and crying at this point. Everything seemed a blur. I eventually found Sophie and she was conscious, but very confused about where we were and what we were doing there. 

The next day, we phoned the Police to report what happened. The Officer told us we were lying, and said: ”You’re lucky we’re not arresting you for criminal damage”. 

My view of the Police has completely changed. They acted like terrorists. The Officers should be punished for what they did to us, but I don’t think they will”. [Statement Ends] 

We showed this statement to Bristol Mayor – Marvin Rees. He has refused to condemn the violence meted out to Chloe and Sophie, and said in a statement: ‘Police in Bristol have shown they are capable of managing protests well and with sensitivity’.  

We also sent Chloe’s statement to all four Labour MP’s in Bristol; Kerry McCarthy, Thangam Debbonaire, Karin Smyth, and Darren Jones. Each one refused to criticise or condemn the actions of the Police. Not one of them offered any kind of sympathy or regret at the way Chloe and Sophie were treated. 

An unelected, unaccountable group of corporate chancers calling themselves the ‘Bristol City Leaders group’ have heaped praise on the Police saying: ‘We have complete confidence in the way Police have acted’. Despite many not actually living in Bristol, they have taken it upon themselves to speak for all of Bristol, as they proclaim: ‘The protestors are nothing but thugs who demean us all’. 

We showed Chloe’s statement to five members of the shady ‘Bristol City Leaders group’, who some say is just a rebrand of the Merchant Venturers. These include: Ben Lowndes (Social – Communications Consultancy), Oona Goldsworthy (Brunel Care), Professor Steve West (Vice Chancellor – UWE), the Bishop of Bristol – Vivienne Faull, and Andy Forbes (Principal of City of Bristol College). We asked if they would consider retracting and disowning the group statement. They all declined. They also refused to add their names to growing calls for an independent inquiry. 

Bristol City Council’s ‘Women’s Commission’ recently led a campaign called ‘Bristol, a zero-tolerance city’ which encouraged bystanders to ‘report violence against women, and raise awareness of gender-based violence through staff training’. We showed Chloe’s statement to several members including Vice-Chair Anna Smith, who is also CEO of women’s charity ‘One25’. Shockingly, Anna Smith declined to condemn the Police, and refused to include ‘One25’ in a list of organisations calling for an independent inquiry. 

We showed Chloe’s statement to a serving Police officer in the Avon & Somerset Police. This is his reply:

”I can honestly say, in over 30 years service I have never witnessed such violence and brutality as this week. The total lack of professionalism and disregard for rules and procedure is astounding. Chloe’s statement is sickening to read. I am amazed she isn’t seriously injured. Their actions were deplorable. I watched the footage from that night. I saw a Police officer punch a woman in the face without any provocation. He was twice her size and strength. There is no justification in the way she was hit. Just mindless thuggery. 

I watched the footage of a man taking repeated blows to the head. Even as he lay on the ground dazed, the officer continued to reign down blows of his riot shield. That is what would be classed as inappropriate use of the shield. He was out of control. 

It sounds hard to believe right now, but there are some good people in the Police. Our job is extremely difficult at the best of times. We rely on the consent of the public. It’s not just a phrase, our job would be impossible without it. What makes me angry, is the fact that in the 80’s, the Police had a very toxic relationship with some parts, and some communities in this city. Since then we have worked bloody hard to repair that relationship and gain the trust and good will of those communities. Now it seems all that hard work has gone down the drain in the space of 7 days. I think there needs to be a proper inquiry, and Superintendent Mark Runacres needs to go

The Police officers responsible for violent conduct should be sacked and prosecuted for assault. Some serving officers are a danger to the public. They should not have been recruited in the first place. Senior Police at the A&S are well aware of this”.  [Reply ends] 

Cleo Lake – Candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner, led calls for an independent inquiry into Police conduct. Via social media she said: ”I advocate the need for an urgent meeting & dialogue between Police and protestors to find a way forward if possible, in addition to the independent inquiry into the latest Bristol Protest. We must absolutely condemn the level of unnecessary Police violence witnessed in our city. We must have policing by consent. To all those peaceful protesters battered, I’m sorry this has happened to you. It is not, and will never be ok”. A link to Cleo Lake and Sandy Hore-Ruthven’s official statement is below. 

Bristol Lib Dems defended the right to peaceful protest, and called for an inquiry into how the policing was handled. Their statement reads: ”We have seen violence from a minority of protestors. However, the response by Police officers was disproportionate and excessive, which is also unacceptable”. This is an excerpt. Link to full statement below.  

A group of 16 Labour council candidates published an open letter saying: ”We are deeply concerned about the videos circulating on social media which appear to show police using excessive force against protestors. Of particular concern are the reports of multiple journalists being intimidated and in some cases assaulted by the police. We condemn all violence. We absolutely condemn uses of excessive force. These incidents need to be fully, independently investigated and those responsible held to account”. This is an excerpt. Link to full statement below. 

Bristol Women’s Voice have added their name to calls for an independent inquiry, saying in a statement: ”BWV are deeply concerned by the images of violence at the protests over the last week and horrified by the experiences of aggression we have heard about from women who have contacted us directly. 

We condemn all violence – this is never the way – and we support the call for an independent inquiry into police behaviour”.   

Discrimination and prejudice experienced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities has been called ‘the last acceptable form of racism’. Possibly the most sinister part of the ‘Police Crackdown Bill’ empowers the Police to confiscate GRT homes at the mere suspicion of future wrong doing. If GRT families are suddenly made homeless, the state has a legal obligation to remove their children and place them into care.  People who remember ‘Dale Farm’ know it is not simply a case of buying some land and setting up camp. England has some of the strictest planning laws in the world. With GRT people unlikely to satisfy Local Authority criteria to get a Council house – they could be in for a long wait for housing and the return of their children.

 

Links… 

Cleo Lake and Sandy Hore-Ruthven’s official statement:  

Sandy Hore-Ruthven’s official statement:  

Bristol Lib Dems official statement:  

Labour council candidates open letter:  

The Burning of a Police Van is the Lighting Up of a Beacon of Hope

By John Serpico

Rioy  Van

In a country that every month lurches ever further into Right-wing authoritarianism with nary a whisper being raised, where queues at foodbanks become ever longer, where homelessness is accepted as being normal, where huge swathes of workers are one pay day from destitution, where nurses are clapped then slapped, where foreign aid is slashed and spending on nuclear defense multiplied, where police attack and kill women, where protest is criminalised, and where its government presides over 127,000 Covid-19 deaths – with nary a whisper being raised and all with the tacit support of Labour – for people then to express shock and outrage at the “horrendous and disgusting” scenes in Bristol is fucking lamentable.

The burning of a police van is the lighting up of a beacon of hope that’s going to be seen all over the world. Welcome back, Bristol, it’s been a long time.

TOP TEN BRISTOL RIOTS: THE OFFICIAL LIST

THE LIST THEY DON’T WANT YOU TO READ!!!

To celebrate last night’s small riot, here’s one list the local media will not print. Lovingly compiled by our Violent Disorder Correspondent, we give you Bristol’s Top Ten Riots

Riot - skater

Now, next time you hear some poncey local liberal politician pronouncing on a local riot and claiming that “This isn’t Bristol” or “We don’t don’t do this” you can tell ’em, “Oh yes this is us. This is exactly what we do. The problem is that you are not us”.

10. 1090 Slave Riots

First reported rising of the ‘Bristol mob’ led by anti-slavery ‘outside agitator’ Saint Wulfstan. Inspired by Wulfstan’s opposition to trading in slaves with the Vikings in Dublin, the mob put out the eyes of a slave-trading merchant and cast him out of the city.

9: 2011 Stokes Croft Riot

In one of the dumbest police operations in living memory, on a warm evening before the first Easter bank holiday police shut down the Gloucester Road and raided a squat near the new Tescos. With young women leading the way, hundreds of people out drinking on the Croft attack police lines eventually driving them out of the area in the early hours of the morning.

8: 1986 St Pauls II

Police launch Operation Delivery with 600 officers swamping St Pauls after a series of pointless raids. Seen by many as attempted payback for the Police defeat in 1980, residents respond with their fists, bricks and petrol bombs for several nights.

7: 1936 Melvin Square Riot

Mosley’s fascist blackshirts attempt to hold a meeting in Melvin Square, Knowle West with an armoured van protected by police. Five thousand residents turn out to heckle them and pelt them with stones and turf. After a Blackshirt struck a resident the fascists and the police are violently driven out of the area.

6: The 1700s – one long riot

The riotous century. With the vast majority of the population having no political representation, riots were common. In Bristol there were uprisings over turnpikes, food prices, wages and enclosures. Top of the riotous league were the KIngswood Colliers, the weavers and Bristolian women who often led food riots.

5: 1992 Hartcliffe Riot

Police kill two Hartcliffe residents who were joy riding on a police motorbike. Hundreds of people attack police for several nights, with south Bristol estates uniting to teach them a lesson.

4: 1932 Old Market Riots

At the height of the Great Depression police launch an ambush to batter and arrest the leaders of a march of the unemployed in Old Market. Baton charges of the crowd of thousands are met by determined resistance with protestors ransacking market stalls and a coal lorry for weapons and missiles to chuck at police.

3: 1980 St Pauls Riot

Police carry out one racist raid too many when they have a go at the popular Black and White cafe in St Pauls. Large crowds of black and white residents attack the police, drive them out of the area and then have a street party. Anti-police disturbances follow in Southmead and Knowle West.

2: 1793 Bristol Bridge Riots

The widespread corruption of the Bristol Corporation comes home to roost when hundreds of Bristolians repeatedly protest about the continuing tolls on Bristol Bridge. After Bristolians repeatedly destroy the toll gates the leaders of the Corporation send in the Hereford Militia who open fire indiscriminately on the protesting crowds, killing 14 and wounding more than 40.

1: 1831 Queen Square Riot

The ‘mother of all riots’ is kicked off by Tories and Bishops who oppose expansion of the democratic franchise. Crowds of Bristolians attack four prisons, the Bishops Palace, Mansion House, Custom House, Toll Houses and burn down half of Queen Square, the lair of the hated merchants who ran the corrupt Corporation.

BRISTOL LABOUR PRE-ELECTION MELTDOWN IS ON!

LOckleaze councilliors and new candidates (2)
‘Disappeared’ Labour candidates

At the end of last week Labour Councillor for Avonmouth Jo “Hippy” Sergeant quit the Labour Party. Before running for the hills she fired off a letter revealing the Reverend and his council’s Labour Group as a misogynistic bullying hell.

Now, this week an entire ward committee has quit the party. Here’s what they say:

To members of Lockleaze Labour Party

We are writing to you to let you know that we, the committee of Lockleaze Labour Party, have taken the decision to resign. We feel that we have no other choice.

In October 2020, a meeting was to held to select two candidates to stand as councillors in elections to be held in May 2021 as both our longstanding councillors Gill Kirk and Estella Tincknell were retiring. The process was overseen and approved by the Bristol Labour Party Campaign Forum which was responsible for the selection of candidates.

There were six excellent local candidates. The two candidates selected by due process were Alfie Thomas and Anna Lart Greene (see attached photo). Both are in their twenties, committed to the local area and able to speak up for local people on Bristol City Council. However, our chosen candidates were blocked by the South West Labour Party Regional Director and no one from Regional Office has talked to us about reasons for doing so.

Instead, Regional Office took over the selection process. They have not met their timetable for the selection of candidates which means that we still do not have Labour Party candidates in place for May’s election, despite campaigning officially starting on March 15th. Therefore, our position as committee members is not tenable.

We regret the decision we have had to take but have been given no alternative.

Lockleaze Labour Party Committee,

Do Rees and his right wing regional office cronies think Bristolians will vote for any old crap put up by the disorganised bent shambles that now passes for our local Labour Party?

TUPE TRANSFER WATCH #3: IS IT RACIST (SLIGHT RETURN)?

Further analysis of the Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA) for the transfer of Bristol City Council cleaners and security to Bristol Waste reveals that over 36 per cent of the staff involved are black, not 34 per cent as we claimed last week. The increase is because we didn’t include groups such as Pakistani and Black Caribbean/White who are underrepresented among cleaners and security.

It is also noteworthy that, despite allegedly running a ‘comprehensive’ consultation with these staff, the council does not know the ethnicity of 42 out of 215 of them. That’s 19.5 per cent of this workforce. This is over double the ‘unknown’ figure for the whole city council workforce, which stands at 9 per cent. Could more work have gone into the council’s ‘comprehensive’ consultation of cleaners and security?

The EqIA is also unfinished. Here’s what we find at the end of the report:

EqIA

Will Bristol City Council go ahead and outsource staff on the basis of an unfinished EqIA and a one page ‘comprehensive’ consultation that fails to state what staff said about the transfer? Is such a set of circumstances even policy compliant?

Meanwhile, the council’s Equality and Inclusion Progress Report 2019-20  tells us ,“a review of our Equality and Diversity Function in 2018 identified that equality impact assessments were often undertaken after, rather than before, service design or service changes have been proposed.”

Nothing’s changed since 2018 then.

Maybe proper EqIA’s are only needed for jazzy management and professional  job changes at Bristol City Council?