It's now over 30 years since The Miners Strike and the 'Battle of Orgreave' - a major confrontation between the pickets of The National Union of Miners trying to save their jobs and their communities and the combined forces of the State led by Margaret Thatcher and her allies, determined to close down the industry for good.
By the end of the day, hundreds of miners were injured, and 95 were to be charged with 'Riot', an offence carrying up to life imprisonment.
Those charges collapsed when they were defended in court - the police statements had been doctored and altered. But the damage was done - at this set piece battle the State showed that it was prepared to use any force to defeat The Miners.
In the years that have followed, The Miners and their supporters have made repeated efforts to get the hidden files released, to have the whole affair investigated.
At the same time, the famous Liverpool campaign to properly investigate The Hillsborough Tragedy finally achieved many of its objectives; it showed that there was a culture of violence and perjury which had developed amongst South Yorkshire Police during the 1980's and in particular around the policing of The Miner's Strike.
However, The Miner's demands have been ignored because many of todays Tories were involved in the policing of The Miners Strike and have too much to lose by the truth coming out.
So, on Monday 13 March 2017, The North will be coming down to London for the day to picket the Home Office and if I'm well enough I hope to be with them.
We hope to be there with some noise making instruments of our own!
Come and join us.
I hope to be there and if I am I'll be wearing a badge from the strike.
Come and say hallo.
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
Hope you get to go you rebel you.
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