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At Orgreave, I cannot comment on what happened on the front lines by the gates, because I never got that far. We were stopped and grouped together, so that we could not join the other pickets.
We were isolated from the others and were kept in a very large group on the road. We had been there a few hours, some lads playing football others just chatting, some chanting at the police. There was no trouble from us whatsoever, some were even chatting and laughing with the police.
Then in the early afternoon, without warning, we were surrounded and herded into a field.
The mood had totally changed, it was no longer friendly and they would not say why we were being moved. I noticed others were being forced into the same field, very roughly and tempers were beginning to flare. It was obvious we were being provoked into retaliating but we were unsure why because up till then we had not shown any hostility or gave them any problems.
Then there was a break in the police ranks and the Horse's came charging at us. It was totally un-provoked and hideously frightening. We ran in all directions, some miners were injured by other miners, simply trying to escape. Others fled leaving cloths and belongings behind, never going back; some were injured by the horses, by the police and by falling down trying to escape.
Fortunately, I was not injured and I made my way back to my car and left.
Leaving without knowing what had happened to my friends and knowing that we had not provoked this violence, has scared me for life.
I have put the strike behind me and moved on but I cannot put that day behind me and never will.
It was not confined to Yorkshire police during the strike. Kent Miners were stopped at the Dartford tunnel and turned away. This action was challenged in court but deemed to be legal; however the senior officer who ordered the stoppage, has now retired and stated on air that he was acting under orders and he believed his actions were illegal.
I spent most of the strike in an office, giving talks at meetings but I did attend a picket at Wivenhoe, Essex. I was stood at the front near the gates of a coal yard where we were waiting to talk to the lorry drivers moving coal. I was alarmed that we were getting pushed from behind and that stones were being thrown from behind. I was told that they were not miners; just trouble makers and that they were always there. I could not make my way back, so I asked to speak to a senior officer. After being ignored for ages and made to plead, I was eventually frog marched to a senior officer. I explained that we wanted no part in or was responsible for, the throwing of stones and the pushing. I asked for 2 men, me and another to be allowed to talk to incoming lorry drivers and in return I would move the pickets further back away from the gates. He turned round to my escort and told him to make sure that I was the first one arrested when the first lorry arrived. I was put back in the front of the line and as the first lorry arrived, we were shoved from behind and I hit the ground in seconds. I was then dragged by my b_lls to a van screaming and swearing.
About 30 were arrested that day and when it came to court, I was eagerly waiting to have my say to the judge about the pc who arrested me(I could identify him today) but stood in the dock claiming to be the arresting officer was most definitely, not the one who arrested me. I informed my solicitor, the judge insisted the pc in the dock refer to his book and when he could not, my case was dismissed, as were most, if not all, of the other cases. I wanted to pursue it further back then but i was told it would not happen.
Perhaps now is the time?