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The Affair in the Square - 16.12.02 Nearly a week on since the second reading and there has been time to reflect. This page contains first hand accounts, most of which were written within 48 hours of the events they describe. Since then it has been possible to analyse the events and consider where they stand in this long battle that faces us to save hunting in all of its forms. The newsgroups and e-mail systems have been heated by the post mortem. There have been accusations and counter accusations. Most who were there agreed on one thing - the policing was heavy handed. The debate has considered whether the Alliance did the right thing or whether CAN with UCSW were right. Much of the press took the opportunity to label the event a riot. So what do we learn? Most importantly we learn that events were used in an attempt to divide the pro-hunting movement between the talkers (CA and the doers (UCSW and CAN). Such a division serves only one group and that is the anti-hunt lobby. The Action for Hunting list was set up for those who support the Countryside Alliance but feel that sometimes we should do a little more. The aims are not exclusive but complimentary. We must now be on our guard against the fifth columnists who would seek to put words into our mouths to try and achieve a rift. We are allies in a war for rural liberty. This is a campaign that transcends personal differences and will be fought in many theatres. The protagonists may be considered to be the regulars, militia and diplomats some of us will play a part in each wing but all of us must support each other and recognise the strengths that each wing brings. |
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How the East Kent lost its banner Two of us arrived Charing Cross shortly before 5pm having monitored the BBC Parliament Square Traffic Cam from 1pm until 2:15pm. Walked, unimpeded along Whitehall and became increasingly conscious of blue police beacons as we approached Parliament Square. Arrived at about 5pm to join the back of a small group on the Westminster Bridge crossroads. The road was effectively blocked to the North by police vehicles. Joined by fellow East Kent Supporters - about 14 in number - when we raised the banner. It was then that we learned that the CA march had been diverted, our presumption being that we would be arriving in the Square on the back of the march from Hyde Park. After exchanging niceties we decided to walk onto Westminster Bridge to view the Albert Embankment. A squadron of Police horses had passed that way five minutes before. As we were walking across the bridge a platoon of PCs came through us in a line and joined the horses to the south end of the bridge. They then drove us back - others had, by then, joined us but no more than 100. The horses passed back to the North end of the bridge and cut of our retreat. The foot PCs then formed up across the bridge and pushed us (in many cases literally) towards the horse where we remained briefly as a sandwich. When we were pushed North the police were impatient and several took to pushing hard against backs - this was effectively striking us - not placing hands on backs and pushing but hitting and following through with flat palms - this was done without heed of the age or frailty of the victim. We stood facing the horses for some minutes with some of our number slipping through. At one point the horses were repeatedly and energetically wheeled around making safe passage impossible. During this 'stand-off' the foot PCs stopped pushing but prevented movement to the south. We all eventually made our way through or around the horse cordon and rejoined the main body in Parliament Square - once again standing in the road opposite Churchill's statue. During this time the horse were regrouped outside of and to the East of the main gate. General but unconcerted movement brought us towards the front and acing the horses. At one point and this was shortly after being joined by Len the foot police formed up, for no apparent reason, line abreast with batons raised. It was at around this time that someone attempted to address the crowd from the top of a police vehicle at the Western end of the demonstration. Once again without planned action we found ourselves moved and facing the House/Big Ben. Now at the front of the demonstration the police formed up in front of us and clearly intended to take action. The mounted police charged until we were unable to retreat further. but we were told, in a most aggressive manner to go back. Those of us at the front explained that we had barriers behind us and could not move. As an illustration of the still co-operative mood at this end of the demo police were allowed to move into our group and remove a barrier. They then repeated their aggressive orders but failed to understand that there was another barrier directly behind me. The Mounted Sergeant issued a style of formal warning through his megaphone and then made it clear that as we had been warned then he and his squadron were entitled to do as they wished. At this point a demonstrator reached forward and in an attempt to grab the bit and thus render us safer from the advance of the horses grabbed the centre of the banner we were carrying. The sergeant reached forward and snatched at the pole at my end of the banner and wrested from my grasp. It was immediately released but the horse had moved forward and a member of our party was at grave risk of going under the horses hooves. Richard (holding the other end of the banner released his pole (broom handle) to rescue the girl at risk. The Sergeant's attitude became increasingly aggressive even though at this stage we were standing on the pavement (at about the point where the vigil had been held) and he was made aware of this. At no time was an audible, sensible or reasonable request issued for our return from the road to the Square It was at this point that we witnessed the only counter action - some 10 yards to the West a policeman's hat was flicked back into the crowd. The perpetrator was set upon by the nearest foot police. Our difficulties with the horses prevented us from seeing the outcome. At that time (6:20) it was necessary for me to leave the scene and return to my carer's duties in Kent. It was just about possible to move to the East and pause briefly to greet some members of the OSBWK. before we walked, unimpeded back along Whitehall. At that point the Eastern flank of the police line, guarding the ground that they had gained across St Margaret's Street(? - the road across the front of the Palace of Westminster) was clearly very thin. |
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Four demonstrators from RA Country TOP However our groom, an ex-groom (both female and both 17), one of our Livery owners here and her 16 yr old daughter all went on their and our behalf. With them went groom's boyfriend, 'C' a second whip. I had told them of the C.A.N. Advice to go direct to Parliament Square and to avoid the CA Ring of Fire (which in any case sounded like the after effects of an over-hot curry) which they did and arrived there about 1.45. There were at that time around 150-200 people quietly walking around the square with placards etc. They hung their the Hunt banner over a barrier facing the Palace of Westminster and waited. A few activists were milling around, slipping smoke bombs to those who wanted to play with the instructions to use them at 3 pm. At 2.45 (our livery owner happened to look at her watch) about 12 people tried to cross the road from the Westminster Bridge side, the police wouldn't let them and started pushing them around and telling them to move on, which they refused to do and started to cross the road, the police started to get heavy about this so they sat down where they were. From the square side 'C' and others leapt the barrier to join them, the barriers came down and many more flooded forwards. The 16 yr old daughter started to get quite frightened and tried to get out of the Square but the police wouldn't let her cross the road and get away. From this point on the police became very confrontational, and according to our lot quite unnecessarily so - pushing and shoving at people regardless of age and condition. There were old people there, kiddies in push chairs and in back packs. Our groom was pushed over so hard that she slammed her shoulder into the road, hurting her quite badly. As our Livery owner put it, "Yes, we were being noisy and trying to make our point but it wasn't as if we were trying to storm the Bastille and kill people." At around 4, the horses were brought into play. This of course didn't frighten anyone there, quite the opposite, our lot found it quite fun, there was poor Mr Plod kicking away with his spurs to make progress, and our lot just put their hands on the horses' chests and got them to rein back much to the fury and frustration of the riders! They had thought of running a hand down the back of a fore leg and holding up a front foot but then thought better of it. As to smoke bombs and thunder flashes, they tell me that all the ones they saw used were thrown onto the grass in the centre of the square where there were no people. I don't know if the police were in the pay of CAN but all our participants at Parliament Square who used to be happy towing the non-confrontational CA party line are now queuing up to join C.A.N. and even the Real CA (if they knew where to find them). The talk is now of what to do next time. Our lot are saying that if the Police want to play horses, so shall they. Anyway that is how Monday the 16th was related to me. No doubt you will get differing accounts, but that is the version from here in RA country. |
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A lighter moment TOP Being buttoned up with gloves and coat, I asked my friend Johnny (who we bumped into by accident!) what the time was.....he looked at me for a moment ...and said ... there's a big clock over there- I was standing underneath Big Ben |
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Noisy but peaceful TOP I attended the rally in Hyde Park arriving at 2.30. I left with the crowd about 3.30. It was obvious that we were being taken a very long way round to reach Parliament Square which I understood to be the aim. In Horseferry Road the word was spread that we were to be confined to Lambeth Bridge. A friend with me knew his London so we were able to break away and made it to the square about 4.15. There was only a small crowd, noisy but peaceful, in the square and others the other side of the road. I had a letter to deliver to an MP and planned to then do the "circle of noise and fire" but both ambitions were frustrated. In my opinion the police actions were inappropriate for crowd control in that they provoked and worsened the potentially explosive situation. Some of them seemed panicky and others bent on aggression. Truncheons were brandished by both mounted and foot police. The former, commanded by a very unpleasant sergeant, charged the crowd who could not retreat as they had barriers behind them. |
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Coursing - lobbying an anti MP TOP Well folks I managed to avoid being arrested, the police were rather heavy handed yesterday, in fact, some of them appeared to be trying to incite trouble from the C.A. members. The C.A.N. had been around for most of the day, they were corralled on the grassed area of the square, that is until some of them broke out. I arrived in London at 11:30 had a stroll down Knightsbridge, decided it was boring and went back to Hyde Park, more hunting supporters were arriving. The general mood was pretty upbeat but with underlying anger at what the politicians were trying to do to our respective country pursuits. I joined one group to find out what they were finding amusing, only to discover that someone had brought along a couple of battery operated toys - hares or rabbits which were hopping happily around within the circle of onlookers. A mob of "bloodthirsty savages" were being entranced by the awwwwe factor of two cuddly toys ;-) About 2 o'clock when one of our party grabbed me and said there's a coach leaving here going to the House of Parliament to lobby MP's... so I thought in for a penny in for a pound and went. On arrival at Westminster we were escorted through the small group of demonstrators to the queue for the lobby. Bit of a culture shock seeing so many armed police officers... Nothing to do with the protest but part of the prevention of terrorism. Lots of noise and letting off of fireworks, smoke flares etc from the C.A.N. people. Police dashing everywhere, lots of police vans etc. I eventually made it into the Lobby at 3.30 after passing through airport like security checks - even more stringent, including checking that we weren't carrying any concealed weapons. They kept my whistle at the security check point, plus I'd had to leave my poster "Damn the Ban" with the police officer on the door, however I was allowed to keep my hip flask of rum. I filled in a request to see David Crausby (an anti) and then had to wait for about 30 minutes. I saw DC approach the desk and was on my way to him when my name was called. He opened the conversation by saying "You want to see me about the hunting with dogs". I asked him if he'd ever been to watch the Waterloo Cup. He hasn't! I suggested that he should go and watch it in Feb. I explained that I was anti coursing until 2000 when I went to see it for myself. He kept on about it being cruel and that it shouldn't be a spectator sport. BTW he doesn't have a problem with me going ferreting and taking my two lurchers along to catch rabbits.... duh. I'm out to catch and kill rabbits with my lurchers and the greyhounds are just chasing a hare with the object of not catching it. ??? Apparently it might be OK to catch a hare with greyhounds provided you are going to kill it... where the hell are these people coming from? If we are going to work on this premise perhaps all coarse anglers had better start killing the fish they catch instead of returning them to the water. We talked for about 5 minutes as he had another appointment and was rather busy. At least I did see him and did my best to put forward the case for not banning coursing but I know he voted to ban it :-( I will be writing to him to have another go at him, won't do any good... I reckon he's looking towards the front benches and doesn't want to rock the boat too much by going against orders. My parting words to him were "please go and watch the Waterloo Cup before you condemn it - go and see it for yourself like I did". I didn't bring up the subject of stag hunting... I don't know anything about it so I didn't express an opinion one way or another. Interesting to see the different styles of reporting the events of the day in the various newspapers. Telegraph and Mail OK but the Mirror wow.... "Pro-Hunt 'bully boys' on rampage" typical of the rag. The C.A. contingent were certainly more 'law abiding' - just noisy. Some of the younger members had climbed up on traffic lights and lamp posts were stood on railing. One young lad - probably about 12 y.o. was really good on the hunting horn. The C.A. people from Hyde Park were prevented from joining the rest of us in Parliament Square but some of them eventually broke through the police cordon and came marching up the road with banners flying and blowing whistles and hunting horns to be greeted with cheers, clapping and whistles of those already in the square. Scores of police seemed to appear from nowhere... One chap - don't know if he was connected with the C.A. in an official capacity but he wasn't happy about the whole affair, said it had got out of hand - we were all breaking the law by demonstrating outside Parliament - and that it wouldn't do our case any good what so ever. What about the hunt sabs and the way they carry on... very rarely do they get arrested. Someone put forward the theory that if all coursing supporters and participants were black and gay there would be no talk of banning Hare Coursing. Makes you stop and think doesn't it? I've heard from a friend of mine who works for the RAC in their Manchester call centre that a number of motorists who had broken down in the central London area were waiting up to 4 hours for patrols to reach them. Sounds like the traffic was rather cocked up. If they townies and city folk want to mess with us country bumpkins they must expect some delays, learn to take life at a slower pace... go back to the 'orse 'n' cart. I believe that the Countryside Action Network will get more active now. Even coming back home on the coach members of the C.A. were discussing how things can be stepped up. Tractors stalled in town and city centres etc. I reckon the House of Lords will vote agin the ban and then I guess the commons will invoke the Parliament Act. |
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Antagonise us. TOP The police handling was bad. I was thrown to the ground by three of them at one stage (just after we went through the barriers). They certainly did everything they could to antagonise us. |
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Picture Gallery TOP |
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Thank you Julia Click on the thumbnail to see the full sized picture |
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Note the
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Thank you Ginni TOP Click on the thumbnail to see the full sized picture |
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Thank you Roger TOP Click on the thumbnail to see the full sized picture |
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Thank you Sally TOP Click on the thumbnail to see the full sized picture |
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Nick's Pictures TOP Click on the thumbnail to see the full sized picture |
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Click on the thumbnail to see the full sized picture |
More pictures HERE (Isle of Wight Beagles) HERE (Countryside Alliance) |
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Press Coverage TOP |
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The AFP story which had a basic fact wrong (which was repeated earlier in the Telegraph and Sky News): "He said two tests for
allowing such hunting would be whether it was cruel and
whether an alternative method of pest control was
available. The AP story (AP-NY-12-16-02 1452EST) recognises it's class war: "Opponents see fox hunting, in which riders on horses with packs of dogs tear across the countryside in pursuit of foxes, as both cruel and an unacceptable symbol of upper-class privilege." Similar in Reuters: "The battle, seemingly
obscure, symbolises crucial fault lines in British society,
pitting rich versus poor, town versus country." "It is the kind of priority which helps make a mockery of our democratic system at home and which makes this nation an anachronistic laughing-stock abroad." One would think Tony would be concerned about that.... Most Americans read the AP and/or Reuters stories - and most Americans hate class war and division of the public on arbitrary lines (as Trent Lott has learned). Up until now, TB has had high approval ratings in the US for his international work - that could change. |
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AUSTRALIA |
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BRUNEI |
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CANADA |
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IRELAND (all three stories got it mixed up with the fishing quotas story - perhaps on purpose!) |
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SINGAPORE |
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SOUTH AFRICA |
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UNITED STATES |
ABC News |
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New York Times |
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Newsday |
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Alabama |
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California |
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Florida |
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Georgia |
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North Carolina |
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Tennessee |
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Texas: |
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Washington (state) |
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UK GOVERNMENT The government's press briefing (note: you can sign up for emails on Countryside topics HERE): HUNTING Asked if the Prime Minister had a view about the behaviour the pro-hunting protesters last night, the PMOS said the Prime Minister believed that the place to resolve this issue was in Parliament through the normal democratic process. |
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THE STAR - An almighty fox up - Jill Ashford Article HERE The PM has achieved some
objectives and failed to reach others since he and his
cohorts became the Government. |
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