ORGREAVE PICKET

Battling for the truth

It was a gloriously sunny day. Many The village of Orgreave became famous during the of the 10,000 picketing miners at the British Steel Corporation’s 1984 coal miners’ strike, when a mass picket was met coke works in Orgreave, near Rotherham, had taken their shirts with shocking police brutality. Almost three decades off to sunbathe; some were playing football. There was, at the start, a on, former miners and their supporters are fighting a jovial atmosphere. new battle – to uncover what really happened that day. But the mood soon turned sour and 18 June 1984 went down in history Frances Perraudin finds out more as the Battle of Orgreave – a day of confrontation and violence which would cost South Yorkshire Police Around 5,000 police officers were strikes. But the worst thing he saw dear. A police horseback charge there, called in from ten counties. “It was a man in his late 40s who was and the subsequent carnage left 51 was the first time I’d ever seen full so overcome with fear that he wet picketers and 72 officers injured and riot gear,” remembers Paul Winter, himself. “That’s something I won’t 93 arrested. then a 20-year-old miner. “They were forget. A man the age I am now.” An aftermath of lies and police dressed like Roman centurions.” After the battle, 95 picketers were collusion ended up costing the force When lorries began to leave the charged with riot, unlawful assembly more than half a million pounds in plant to transport coke to the steel and related offences – at the time, compensation and legal costs. Now – works, picketers began to ‘push’ – a the charge of riot carried a maximum almost three decades on – Orgreave normal practice on a picket line sentence of life in prison. Three years veterans are campaigning for a full – attempting to break the lines of later some were put on trial, but all inquiry to finally find out what really police and stop the lorries leaving. cases collapsed after evidence of happened that day. On about the third push, the police police collusion on statements came The miners’ strike had begun ranks suddenly parted and a team to light. three months previously, when the of officers on horseback charged at Lawsuits were then brought against government of Margaret Thatcher and the picketers. The miners turned the police for assault, unlawful arrest the National Coal Board announced and fled. and malicious prosecution. South the closure of 20 pits, with a loss of “It was absolutely terrifying,” says Yorkshire Police agreed to settle 20,000 jobs, in northern England, Winter. “It was like being 20 yards out of court and paid £425,000 in Scotland and Wales. It formally down the racecourse at the Grand compensation and £100,000 in legal ended in March 1985. Police had National when they open the gates. costs to 39 picketers. been cracking down on people They hit absolutely everybody, Despite what was seen by many as picketing away from their own whether you were standing still or proof of wrongdoing by the police, place of work, by blocking access to crouched down, whether you ran or no officers were ever disciplined the pits and making arrests. But at didn’t run. Villagers opened up their for misconduct and no apology was Orgreave – a mass picket organised houses to shelter miners because issued. by Arthur Scargill’s National Union they could see what the police were Now, three decades on, the of Miners – the day started well, doing.” Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign with the picketers directed in by the Winter says he saw many people is calling for a full police inquiry into police and shown where to park. bleeding heavily from truncheon what happened that day. Following

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BITN 998_14,15,17 (orgreave).indd 14 27/09/2013 12:18 the broadcast of a BBC Inside Out may take some time to consider fully Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign Police attack report about Orgreave, a group of ex- whether any investigation is required are focused on the mass picket and women from a miners and their supporters decided and, if so, any terms of reference.” the broader miners’ strike, they miners’ support the events of that day could not be Campaigners see similarities say their cause provides yet more group during the buried in history. With the support of between police conduct at Orgreave evidence of a corrupt culture within 1984 mass picket human rights solicitor Gareth Peirce and their behaviour after the the police at the time. at Orgreave coke – famous for her representation of Hillsborough “In that era, South Yorkshire works the Guildford Four – they formed “Villagers football stadium Police were given carte blanche Photo: John Harris/ their campaign group and started sheltered disaster five years to write whatever they wanted in reportdigital.co.uk holding awareness-raising events and later, on 15 April statements, provided they got a lobbying MPs in advance of the 30 miners 1989. After a successful arrest,” says Winter, who year anniversary. because they lengthy campaign is now premises manager at Northern South Yorkshire Police told The could see what by relatives of the College, an adult education centre Big Issue in the North that following the police 96 fans who died in Barnsley. media reports about its handling of in that tragedy for Richard Vivian, a campaign the miners’ strike and specifically were doing” an inquiry into member who has worked for events at Orgreave, it had voluntarily police conduct, miners’ charities and community referred matters to the Independent the Hillsborough Independent Panel organisations through most of his Police Complaints Commission. reported last September, concluding career, believes Orgreave marked A spokesman said: “The force that 116 police statements relating to a turning point in the attitudes of anticipates that, due to these matters the disaster had been altered. mining communities towards the being nearly 30 years old, the IPCC Although campaigners for the police. The police are supposed to

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involved in the year-long miners’ files of the Cabinet Office and Home strike – is the feeling that the Office will be placed in the national reputations of their communities archives – and campaigners hope were destroyed by the media and the they will be revealing. government. Rollin, who says his group Winter recalls seeing footage on has taken inspiration from the television news reports of miners Hillsborough campaign, says: “I want throwing stones and sods of earth there to be a full public inquiry into at police before the cavalry charges the strike and the behaviour of the – but he, like his colleagues, insists police. Although I’m quite sceptical the images were spliced together about what a public inquiry would in the wrong order to discredit the reveal in practice, it’s about exposing protestors in the eyes of the public. the issue to the public and showing Thatcher’s description of the them that we’re not just a bunch of striking miners as “the enemy raving lefties. within” also still rankles. Winter “You just need to keep chipping says: “Thatcher’s government tried away at them and eventually the Three decades on, Orgreave campaigners want answers to make out that we were evil truth will come out.” conspirators, that we were trying to bring down the country from the A gig is taking place on Saturday to keep people safe, he says, but the “Miners insist inside. We were just fighting for our raise money for the Orgreave Truth miners became targets on 18 June. the television jobs.” and Justice Campaign. Bands Thee “Before the strike there was a sense Although group members are Faction, Quiet Loner, John Lennon that the state would look after you images were realistic about what they can achieve, McCullagh and The Hurriers will and that the police weren’t all that in the wrong they want the truth to come out about play at Barnsley’s Club Retro from bad,” he says. “Police behaviour order to how far up the police ranks decisions 7pm. Tickets cost £5 or £3 for the at Orgreave came as such a shock. discredit the went that day. unwaged. More information is People thought they were just In December, papers from the 1984 available at http://otjc.org.uk there to make sure the lorries went protestors” through, but they actually attacked MINERS’ STRIKE – KEY EVENTS the pickets.” Thirty years on, many people 1984 living in the former mining 1 March National Coal Board announces 26 October The High Court orders total communities still have many the closure of Cortonwood pit in Yorkshire seizure of NUM funds grievances. The decline and and miners at the pit stage a walkout widespread mass unemployment 21 November The government reduces which followed the pit closures 6 March The coal board announces plans supplementary benefits to strikers’ left a legacy of social problems in to close 20 mines, with a loss of 20,000 families to £16 per week many former mining areas. Once- jobs. Scottish and Yorkshire areas of thriving communities now struggle the National Union of Miners make the 30 November Taxi driver David Wilkie is with drugs, vandalism and social strike official killed taking a strike-breaking miner to dislocation, particularly among work, when two picketers drop concrete the young. 12 March NUM president Arthur Scargill from a footbridge Joe Rollin, North East regional declares a national strike. Over 80 per community co-ordinator for the Unite cent of miners end up taking part 5 December The National Coal Board union, was born in Barnsley and announces plans to privatise some pits knows this area of South Yorkshire 15 March Miner David Jones, 24, well. “Orgreave and the miners’ collapses from an injury he receives on a 1985 strike left a deep scar and people picket line in Ollerton, Nottinghamshire, 3 March NUM conference votes 98 to 91 want closure,” he says. and later dies to return to work He adds that the scenes of unrestrained jubilation in the city’s 15 June Miner Joe Green is crushed to 5 March Miners march back to work to centre when Thatcher died showed death by a truck while picketing at Ferry music from brass bands. Around 11,000 that the young have inherited the Bridge power station miners were arrested in the course of sense of injustice from their parents. the strike A source of bitterness for the men 18 June Battle of Orgreave who were at Orgreave – and others

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