LONDON: Britain said on Monday it would hold an inquiry into the “Battle of Orgreave,” a violent confrontation between police and striking coal miners in 1984 at the height of a year-long industrial dispute with Margaret Thatcher’s government.
More than 5,000 striking miners clashed with a similar number of riot police who had been drafted in from across the country at the Orgreave coking plant near Sheffield in northern England.
It was one of the most violent scenes witnessed during a British industrial dispute, and also a pivotal moment in the strike, launched against Thatcher’s moves to close money-losing pits. The miners ultimately lost the broader fight to save their industry.
The police have long faced accusations of brutality and using excessive violence at Orgreave on June 18, 1984. TV footage showed charges by officers on horseback and one miner being repeatedly struck on the head with a baton.
More than 120 people were injured and 95 miners initially arrested and charged with riot and violent disorder. Those charges were all later dropped after the evidence was dismissed.
Campaigners have for years demanded to know who was responsible for the deployment of the large number of police and their tactics, as well as what happened to some official documents.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper — Britain’s interior minister whose Labour party was in opposition at the time of the strike — said an inquiry headed by Pete Wilcox, the Bishop of Sheffield, would be held to find out the truth.
“The violent scenes and subsequent prosecutions raised concerns that have been left unanswered for decades, and we must now establish what happened,” she said.
Kate Flannery, the Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign Secretary, said they needed to be sure that the inquiry had the powers to have unrestricted access to all government and police papers.
“We have waited a long time for this day and this is really positive news,” she said.
UK to hold inquiry into miners strike ‘Battle of Orgreave’ four decades on
https://arab.news/zm5ac
UK to hold inquiry into miners strike ‘Battle of Orgreave’ four decades on
- More than 120 people were injured and 95 miners initially arrested and charged with riot and violent disorder
- Campaigners have for years demanded to know who was responsible for the deployment of the large number of police
Most of Iranian women’s soccer team leave Australia
GOLD COAST: The Iranian women’s soccer team left Australia without seven squad members after tearful protests of their departure outside Sydney Airport and frantic final efforts inside the terminal by Australian officials, who sought to ensure the women understood they were being offered asylum.
As the team’s flight time drew nearer and they passed through security late on Tuesday, each woman was taken aside to meet alone with officials who explained through interpreters that they could choose not to return to Iran.
Before the team traveled to the airport, seven women had accepted humanitarian visas allowing them to remain permanently in Australia and were ushered to a safe location by Australian police officers.
One has since changed her mind, underscoring the tense and precarious nature of their decisions.
“In Australia, people are able to change their mind,” said Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who had hours earlier posted photos of the seven women granted humanitarian visas to his social media accounts, their identities clearly visible.
After what Burke described as “emotional” meetings between the remaining women who reached the airport and Australian officials, the rest of the team declined offers of asylum and boarded their flight.
It was a dramatic conclusion to an episode that had gripped Australia since the Iranian team’s first game at the Asian Cup soccer tournament, when they remained silent during their national anthem.
