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Wapping Dispute

behemoth said:
Ah yes, that old chestnut. The same story did the rounds during the miner's strike (I heard two different versions of it at meetings), but somehow there was never any proof.

Some of the people claiming it was all the police need to drop the victim mentality. We were there to stop lorries, by force if necessary. They were there to get them through, by force if necessary. Both sides gave as good as they got.
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So they were just doing their job were they.

After the Wapping dispute Murdoch admitted that the role of the police was crucial and, more so, that the police wouldn't have cooperated in Sydney or New York like the way they did in London.
 
newbie said:
Miners pickets were a long way from London and tended to involve a long coach journey and more time spent in a pub/Miners Welfare than actually picketing (ime), except for the ones at that place in Willesden.
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You should have come down to the Kent ones. Two pits, two ports, and a power station running on oil imported via France.
 
behemoth said:
Ah yes, that old chestnut. The same story did the rounds during the miner's strike (I heard two different versions of it at meetings), but somehow there was never any proof.
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Well I suggest you find out about the story in the Sheffield Star of the picture of a young man in police uniform on a miners picket line who was identified by his dad..... He was a serving soldier, his dad was a tad confused as to why he was in the picture..

I was a squaddie during the Miners Strike, the police got both logistical help and support from the army, I saw it.
 
behemoth said:
Ah yes, that old chestnut. The same story did the rounds during the miner's strike (I heard two different versions of it at meetings), but somehow there was never any proof.

Some of the people claiming it was all the police need to drop the victim mentality. We were there to stop lorries, by force if necessary. They were there to get them through, by force if necessary. Both sides gave as good as they got.
Click to expand...

both sides? - the coppers won on body count alone

there were coppers dressed up as miners - there was the famous 'the miner' cover with the suspects circled
 
behemoth said:
Ah yes, that old chestnut. The same story did the rounds during the miner's strike (I heard two different versions of it at meetings), but somehow there was never any proof.

Some of the people claiming it was all the police need to drop the victim mentality. We were there to stop lorries, by force if necessary. They were there to get them through, by force if necessary. Both sides gave as good as they got.
Click to expand...

Who has actually claimed "it was all the police"?
 
newbie said:
you might be right, we always went to wales, at this distance I don't remember why.
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Bloody hell that's a haul and a half.

I remember at one point being at Ramsgate harbour supporting the picket against Jentex bringing in the French oil. At least 200 old bill versus just four miners and me at one point, all limited to little more than shouting and hand gestures.

Very typical though, being in a Tory heartland you couldn't expect too much support. Disgustingly short memories IMHO, aside from any other or more modern considerations the miners were essential during the second world war. Something our Tory cousins would have done well to remember.
 
Divisive Cotton said:
So they were just doing their job were they.

After the Wapping dispute Murdoch admitted that the role of the police was crucial and, more so, that the police wouldn't have cooperated in Sydney or New York like the way they did in London.
Click to expand...
I don't dispute a word of what you say. They were there to get the lorries through, we were there to stop them. We only came remotely close on one occasion, but yes, they did their job.
 
Fedayn said:
Well I suggest you find out about the story in the Sheffield Star of the picture of a young man in police uniform on a miners picket line who was identified by his dad..... He was a serving soldier, his dad was a tad confused as to why he was in the picture.
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Would love to see a link, or his name. Don't recall any of these apocryphal ex-squaddies coming forward now to tell their story.
 
dennisr said:
there were coppers dressed up as miners - there was the famous 'the miner' cover with the suspects circled
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Cops pretending to be pickets at Grunwick, too. They were the ones lobbing stones to provide pretext for a major police attack on one of the big days. Right in front of me. I gave evidence in support of some people charged for it, with descriptions of those who really did it. Not believed, of course.

Same stuff on several occasions since. Look who's around you. Challenge anyone who doesn't seem quite "right". Usually very small group of 2-4. Mostly, they're quite innocent and don't mind being checked. But when the response is iffy -IDENTIFY! Watch them scuttle! Get pics if possible.

Best time I saw it done (Torness) was when someone actually recognised one of them as a cop, knew his name, and shouted it out.
That resulted in a row with the local cops who hadn't been told Edinburgh cops were there under (not very good) cover and were pissed off.
 
I was there for quite a lot of the pickets. There was very little use of video by the police, no cctv cameras on every street corner either. Some of the actions taken against the lorries away from the plant were mental!!
 
Stroppyoldgit said:
Cops pretending to be pickets at Grunwick, too. They were the ones lobbing stones to provide pretext for a major police attack on one of the big days. Right in front of me. I gave evidence in support of some people charged for it, with descriptions of those who really did it. Not believed, of course.
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'The miner' (tabloid strikers paper) was circulated too all striking miners and plenty of supporters the 4 ringed individuals (as with those you mention - provocators) were never indentified as miners by any lodge or individual. All looked exactly the same in terms of dress - flat cap with a 'support the miners' sticker in the middle.

Its a classic cop tactic
 
No mobile phones either.All by word of mouth. It werent just Wapping.....everyone came out.....but the strain was on the small printers...I vaguely remember industrial action in the halls...Olympia, Earls Court, NEC......haulage companies. It rippled everywhere. In them days unions were strong...we stuck together.

Strange just a mobile call + a female rep call from Sky. Creepy that theyve got my postcode + mobile as a nonsubscriber. The cloak of Murdoch continues to cover.
 
dennisr said:
'The miner' (tabloid strikers paper) was circulated too all striking miners and plenty of supporters the 4 ringed individuals (as with those you mention - provocators) were never indentified as miners by any lodge or individual. All looked exactly the same in terms of dress - flat cap with a 'support the miners' sticker in the middle.

Its a classic cop tactic
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At the end of a huge demonstration in Mansfield I remember one provocateur running from coach to coach to try and get people involved in an all too obvious set-up ruck with the police.

It was the flat cap he was wearing that raised my suspicions. :D
 
Dhimmi said:
Bloody hell that's a haul and a half.

I remember at one point being at Ramsgate harbour supporting the picket against Jentex bringing in the French oil. At least 200 old bill versus just four miners and me at one point, all limited to little more than shouting and hand gestures.

Very typical though, being in a Tory heartland you couldn't expect too much support. Disgustingly short memories IMHO, aside from any other or more modern considerations the miners were essential during the second world war. Something our Tory cousins would have done well to remember.
Click to expand...

they would probaly point out the miners went on strike during the war .Not short memories just selective.
 
I was on the big May 86 demo that was systematically attacked by riot police who had blocked off all routes out. I recall Brenda Dean of the print union SOGAT in tears saying she couldn't believe that British police would behave like that, and she would be raising the issue through all evenues.
An old chap who was ruffed up by the cops had a heart attack and police for some time would not let the ambulance through. A five year old was lost amidst the police cavalry charges (it was a family demonstration that day) and the mother was hysterical.
Tone Benn made a speech but was pushed from the platform mid sentence by riot police.
A comrade of mine was arrested when he went behind a pile of breaze blocks for a slash - for 'possession of an offensive weapon' and released without charge in the early hours of the morning. Many were injured.
The papers the next day reported picket line violence describing the demonstration as a 'mass picket' and Brenda Dean publically withdrew official support for the pickets citing 'violence'.

I returned for the 1987 anniversary march which the police also attacked. This time they didn't block off exits and it was possible to leave. However, the police were spraying people (pretty indiscrimately) with red paint so they could be picked up from pubs and public transport and arrested for being there.
The riot police wore anonymous uniforms with no identifying numbers.
 
Groucho said:
I was on the big May 86 demo that was systematically attacked by riot police who had blocked off all routes out. I recall Brenda Dean of the print union SOGAT in tears saying she couldn't believe that British police would behave like that, and she would be raising the issue through all evenues.
An old chap who was ruffed up by the cops had a heart attack and police for some time would not let the ambulance through. A five year old was lost amidst the police cavalry charges (it was a family demonstration that day) and the mother was hysterical.
Tone Benn made a speech but was pushed from the platform mid sentence by riot police.
A comrade of mine was arrested when he went behind a pile of breaze blocks for a slash - for 'possession of an offensive weapon' and released without charge in the early hours of the morning. Many were injured.
The papers the next day reported picket line violence describing the demonstration as a 'mass picket' and Brenda Dean publically withdrew official support for the pickets citing 'violence'.

I returned for the 1987 anniversary march which the police also attacked. This time they didn't block off exits and it was possible to leave. However, the police were spraying people (pretty indiscrimately) with red paint so they could be picked up from pubs and public transport and arrested for being there.
The riot police wore anonymous uniforms with no identifying numbers.
Click to expand...

Same old same old that happened during anti-NF demos in the 1970s, anti-BNP demos, with protests during the miners' strike, etc etc. Always the aggro, always the cunts with no shoulder tabs. The upside being that someone without tabs was not identifying themselves as a Police officer unless they showed you a warrant card. ;)
 
I'm reading "Killing for Britain" at the mo. The politics are shite, but the information is very interesting.

It's a civil rights demo and 'loyalists', who have been given weapons training at the local army barracks, by British military intelligence officers, are on the streets taking part in the deliberate killing of unarmed civilians, who in the words of the author: "were in the wrong place at wrong time".

This all sanctioned at the highest level in the British government.

It should be added that the masters in power then didn't want too many unarmed civilians shot dead, as this would give a wrong impression to the worlds press.
 
We were fighting for our jobs....we were willing to change, adapt .....its all a bit weird suddenly thinking back about it all. In a way we lost everything.
 
Event coming up. Some prick called Andy Walpole will be speaking, whoever the fuck he is. My contact in the old print union is off sick at the moment so if anybody has any ideas about a possible speaker then let me know.

EASTSIDE COMMUNITY HERITAGE in partnership with TOYNBEE HALL:

Do you remember the Wapping Dispute?

Share memories of the 1986 – 87 strike against the sacking of over 5,000 print workers by News International. The strike was pivotal for both the printing industry and the British union movement. The event will provide a chance for discussion around what lessons can be learnt and in what ways we should remember the dispute.

Were you a print worker, a News International employee, a trade unionist, a demonstrator or a resident of Wapping?

Do you remember the days of Fortress Wapping or do you want to find out more?

Thursday the 26th of February 2009 from 6.30 – 8pm in the Lecture Hall at Toynbee Hall, 28 Commercial Street, London E1 6LS. Close to Aldgate East underground station.

Speakers include:

Andy Walpole giving a historical introduction

Jeremy Corbyn MP speaking about his memories of the dispute

Former Print Workers sharing their memories

If you were involved in the dispute either as a striker, supporter, local resident or unionist and would like to share your memories on the night please contact Rosa Vilbr on 0207 538 4545 or [email protected]

There will be an exhibition to view and refreshments will be provided free of charge. The event is free. There is full access for wheelchair users. Please contact us for any further information.

This event is being organised by Eastside Community Heritage, a community history charity as part of the project Working Lives of the Thames Gateway that is recording the memories of East and South East London’s industrial workers.

To find out more please see www.hidden-histories.org.uk.
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This event is being organised by Eastside Community Heritage, a community history charity as part of the project Working Lives of the Thames Gateway that is recording the memories of East and South East London’s industrial workers.

seems a bit odd to describe the person fronting up this meeting as a prick, based on no evidence.
 
newbie said:
This event is being organised by Eastside Community Heritage, a community history charity as part of the project Working Lives of the Thames Gateway that is recording the memories of East and South East London’s industrial workers.

seems a bit odd to describe the person fronting up this meeting as a prick, based on no evidence.
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it's me ;)
 
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