[lbo-talk] When Cops Protest

[Joseph Catron]

In some respects, it was like most demos in Britain: the weather was
depressing and the march set off late. But in other ways, it was very
different. There was little in the way of chanting, few banners and no
brass band.

At the start of the march on Park Lane, some West Midlands officers
hopefully distributed lyrics for a version of Maggie May: "Wake up,
Jacqui, I think we've got something to say to you/ It was early
September and I think you'll find our pay rise due ... You made a
first class fool out of yourself/ Don't try to push us on a shelf/
We're not giving up, now you've really picked a fight." . . .

One of the few banners on display read: "Jacqui, as we are passing, do
you want an escort to the kebab shop?" . . .

What did Police Federation chief Jan Berry think about the BNP
presence? "No comment," was her reply. . . .

The big issue at the end of every march is always how many were
actually there. The organisers estimated 25,000 and the Met police
estimated 22,500.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,2245696,00.html