In ‘stop the coup’ demos, police arrest protesters while protecting some from the far right
On 31 August, thousands of people took to the streets to protest against Boris Johnson’s proroguing of parliament. Protesters gathered in many major cities across the UK and shared updates and images on social media using the hashtag #stopthecoup.
However, the police presence was a cause for concern. Some tried to convince protesters in London to ‘clear the streets’:
The police have been sent in to persuade the protesters to clear the streets. But it’s cat & mouse.
“You shut down our Parliament, we shut down the streets” #stopthecoup pic.twitter.com/7xcp5JgxeY
— Dr Lindsay Maxwell 💙 [email protected] (@ParisDaguerre) August 31, 2019
Kettling and arrests
The police also ‘kettled’ protesters by surrounding and confining them to a small area:
16.020 Trafalgar Sq. #stopthecoup – kettling as police move in pic.twitter.com/1NIr9mEGQc
— Walter Menteth (@WalterMenteth) August 31, 2019
https://twitter.com/jaredjeya/status/1167826772181827584?s=20
Many protesters in London have since been arrested. Among them is London Assembly Member and Councillor, Caroline Russell:
Here is my own video of the moment @CarolineRussell was arrested for her non violent protest #StopTheCoup #DefendDemocracy pic.twitter.com/TFVkH3GiTH
— Ben P (@ChaBennyG) August 31, 2019
https://twitter.com/stevelwTeacher/status/1167896019469651969?s=20
Support for those arrested
A protest to support arrestees took place at Charing Cross Station later in the evening on 31 August:
Chants of "no borders, no nations, no racist deportations" in front of Charing Cross police station where we're demonstrating in solidarity with #StopTheCoup arrestees ✊ pic.twitter.com/PGCf5bD5Fb
— Another Europe is Possible 🧡 (@Another_Europe) August 31, 2019
Protecting the far right
While the kettling and arrests are concerning in their own right, they are made worse by the fact that police actively protected counter-protesters. In other words, the police arrested people protesting against the government, while protecting those who support it:
“Bye bye EU, bye bye” – police protection for counter protestors, met with boos and chants of “fascist scum, off our streets” #StopTheCoup pic.twitter.com/aOjJX8vmPs
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) August 31, 2019
https://twitter.com/Arn__Stiles/status/1167806801473089536?s=20
3000 pro-democracy Brummies on the street protesting. Barely a Bobby in sight #StopTheCoup #DefendDemocracy
Less than 30 pro-Brexit agitators on the street corner outside a pub, with almost as many police keeping watch
Pick a side 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/dA2oWQBmB3
— Jane 🌱💙🇺🇦💚 (@localnotail) August 31, 2019
Among the counter-protesters was convicted far-right leader James Goddard:
https://twitter.com/mikeh_pr/status/1167825246860337152?s=21
Democracy?
Many people have expressed concerns over the arrests, highlighting the implications for democracy:
People are being arrested for protesting the suspension of parliament.
This isn’t meant to happen in democracies.
— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) August 31, 2019
Police have just arrested Green Party London Assembly member @CarolineRussell.
This is an elected member of the Assembly sitting down in the street defending our democracy against Johnson & Cummings coup.
We are at breaking point. We need an actual Democracy.#StopTheCoup https://t.co/akK3M8P81v
— Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) August 31, 2019
First the queen then the Chancellor now the police-democracy is being slowly strangled Cummings is tainting everything the normal establishment stands for #StopTheCoup
— Aaron is wearing a mask again (@Logical1966) August 31, 2019
However, as some pointed out, the police working with the state to protect its interests is nothing new:
Greater Manchester Police has admitted that it has a written agreement to share information about disabled people and other activists who take part in protests with the DWP. And yet we're supposed to be scared of communism under #Labour#DefendOurDemocracy https://t.co/4xeVIgzZck
— Helen (@willhel) August 31, 2019
Not only has arresting people for protesting have a long history in our democracy. But the very same democracy has been progressively making it harder to assemble and protest. Today’s arrests are a feature of our democracy not a bug. https://t.co/rdm9zyx0xq
— The Trashies (@TheTrashiesUK) August 31, 2019
Despite this apparent criminalisation of dissent, the people have made their will abundantly clear through widespread protests. And if Boris Johnson’s government truly wishes to uphold democracy, it must now listen to the will of the people, and act accordingly.
Featured image via Twitter/ PoliticsJOE
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The Metropolitan Police should take a leaf out the Manchester police’s book. As Paul Mason pointed out, the police had to set up a little cordon round James Goddard who was trying, in vain, to attract attention. I suspect they were doing it for his safety, though he wasn’t in danger. The protest was peaceful and no one was looking for a punch-up. Only he was trying to stir up trouble. Most people in the crowd laughed at his futile attempt to make himself important.
By and large, the police were low-key in Manchester. We marched at our own initiative and they didn’t intervene.
Arresting people for sitting in the road to defend democracy: bad, bad, bad. There was no violence, no criminal damage. The police need democracy too.