Man arrested under terror laws as police accused of violence at Sheffield rally

Police have been accused of violence at a rally in Sheffield supporting Kurdish people in Iraq, which saw a man arrested under anti-terrorism laws.
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Both the South Yorkshire Migrant and Asylum Action Group (SYMAAG) and Sheffield Trades Union Council (TUC) have made complaints after claims that officers hit and used pepper spray at the demonstration outside the Town Hall, in which some protestors carried flags depicting the jailed leaded of the banned PKK, Abdullah Öcalan.

Police say video footage of the policing will be reviewed at chief officer level, and a man had been arrested and released under investigation. They said they were aware of community concern over circumstances surrounding the arrest.

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A policeman aims pepper spray after trouble broke out at the rally at the Town Hall on SundayA policeman aims pepper spray after trouble broke out at the rally at the Town Hall on Sunday
A policeman aims pepper spray after trouble broke out at the rally at the Town Hall on Sunday
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SYMAAG has issued a statement saying it had written to Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, to raise a formal complaint about ‘unprovoked violent police behaviour against a peaceful demonstration’

PKK flags

They claimed officers hurled people to the ground and hit them around the head, while a woman and some men were pepper sprayed, with some protesters reported to have held flags of the banned PKK, which is covered by terrorism laws. The law treats the PKK as a terrorist organisation.

John Grayson, a member of SYMAAG who was present at the protest, said some people were left vomiting due to pepper spray. He said: “It was absolute disgrace – there was no justification for that sort of tactics.”

Police on the steps of Town Hall in Sheffield during the Kurdish protest on Sunday afternoon. A man was arrestedPolice on the steps of Town Hall in Sheffield during the Kurdish protest on Sunday afternoon. A man was arrested
Police on the steps of Town Hall in Sheffield during the Kurdish protest on Sunday afternoon. A man was arrested

He said police had taken flags from people who had been at the protest, and they had approached officers at the end to ask for them back. Some had tried to wrestle them back off officers, and that was when the atmosphere changed, he said.

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The protest was held on Sunday afternoon, and those present say the atmosphere was initially peaceful, until the protesters started to ask officers to return flags that had been seized.

SYMAAG say their demonstration, in conjunction with Sheffield Kurdish groups, attracted around 100 people including a number of Kurdish families with small children.

Protestes on the steps of Sheffield Town Hall on Sunday afternoon. A man was arrested under anti terror lawsProtestes on the steps of Sheffield Town Hall on Sunday afternoon. A man was arrested under anti terror laws
Protestes on the steps of Sheffield Town Hall on Sunday afternoon. A man was arrested under anti terror laws

A spokesman said: “The demonstration was peaceful and good humoured listening to a series of Kurdish and Sheffield speakers for over an hour. It was observed by police filming from across the road.

“Kurdish flags, posters, and placards demanded that Erdogan’s Turkish army should withdraw from Kurdistan. Many of the Kurdish flags were held and waved by children.

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“From 1.30pm the mood shifted as the police decided that they wanted to seize some of the flags and refused to return them to families. One family asked me to try and get their flag back from the police. The police officer point blank refused saying that they would retain flags as part of an investigation looking at whether they 'supported any proscribed organisation’.

Pepper spray

"Other individuals and families tried to get back their flags and the police responded on the town hall steps with real violence hurling people to the ground and hitting people around their heads. A woman and some Kurdish men were pepper sprayed by the police.

“Eventually some of the flags were wrestled back from the police and a Kurdish man, one of our speakers was arrested

"SYMAAG has, over the years, organised hundreds of peaceful demonstrations outside Sheffield Town Hall. This is the first to be systematically violently broken up by South Yorkshire police

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“SYMAAG demands an immediate investigation by the Chief Constable and Police Commissioner into the tactics and violence of the South Yorkshire police. It is intolerable that a peaceful crowd with families with tiny children gathering on a sunny Sunday afternoon to celebrate their Kurdish identity and to protest the invasion of their country were assaulted by their own local Sheffield police.”

Martin Mayer, secretary of Sheffield TUC said: “This is the first example of police violently interrupting a peaceful demonstration in our city for many years. We do not want it repeated.”

He was not at the protest but said: “In recent years Sheffield TUC has enjoyed a very good working relationship with South Yorkshire Police who have cooperated with us to ensure all our protests and demonstrations in the city have passed off peacefully and safely. We are therefore extremely shocked and angry at this sudden turn of events which exhibited all the worst examples of state repression of the peaceful right to protest.

Man arrested under Terrorism Act 2000

South Yorkshire Police said in a statement officers arrested a 44-year-old man from Sheffield at approximately 13.50pm on Sunday, (April 24) during protests outside Sheffield Town Hall.

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They said he was arrested on suspicion of displaying articles suggesting membership/support for a proscribed organisation, contrary to section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000. A residential property in Sheffield has been searched in connection with this activity.

The man was detained for questioning and has since been released under investigation. Enquiries continue in conjunction with Counter Terrorism Policing North East (CTPNE).

Sheffield Superintendent Benn Kemp said: “The right to lawful protest is a key part of any democracy, and here at SYP we strive to uphold and facilitate this right while ensuring those involved, and those who are going about their daily lives nearby, are safe.

“We know there has been some community concern regarding the circumstances surrounding yesterday’s arrest.

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“Footage of the incident and the events leading up to the arrest is currently being reviewed at Chief Officer level.

“Meanwhile, we are continuing to work closely with our colleagues at CTPNE in relation to the ongoing investigation.”

The Police and Crime Commissioner’s office has been approached for comment.

What is the PKK?

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) was formed in the late 1970s and launched an armed struggle against the Turkish government in 1984, calling for an independent Kurdish state within Turkey.

The PKK is also listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU and US. Its leader, Abdullah Ocalan, was arrested and jailed for treason in 1999.