Scores attend Sheffield Orgreave rally as ex-miners remember strike's most notorious day
Former miners gather outside City Hall
Former miners gathered outside Sheffield City Hall to remember the notorious ‘Battle of Orgreave’, 42 years ago.
Scores of people attended, many with banners, standing at Barkers Pool to hear the speakers who addressed them from the steps of the landmark 1930s building. The banners referred to NUM branches as well as other well known trade unions.
The ex-NUM members took part in what is an annual rally, in memory of what is regarded the most violent day in the year-long miners strike, amid praise for the Government’s decision to launch an inquiry into the events of 42 years ago.
Campaigners said they were relieved that work had begun to discover the involvement of the Conservative Government and police conduct at Orgreave in South Yorkshire on June 18, 1984, during the strike by miners that lasted from 1984 to 1985.
A total of 95 striking miners were arrested but their trial later collapsed.
Kate Flannery, secretary of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign said: “Our recent report describes how the Conservative government was politically involved in the 1984/5 miners’ strike and how they lied to Parliament and used the courts, violent policing and the media to give the police confidence to act violently and tell lies with impunity.
“The 1985 Orgreave trial revealed police lies and abusive conduct.
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“The prosecution had no option but to abandon the trial and all the 95 miners arrested were acquitted.
“The Orgreave Inquiry should be exposing all this and much more.”
Campaigners and union officials were among the speakers at Saturday’s rally in Sheffield.
The Right Reverend Pete Wilcox, Bishop of Sheffield, who is chairing the official inquiry, has called for evidence from those involved.