TAMSIN'S BLOG: Relations turn sour
Post 4: At 2am the peaceful Climate Camp on Bishopsgate was quashed by police. Though relations had been good throughout the day riot police were sent to move the protesters and their tents so the road could be reopened….. This morning they broke the c
Post 4: At 2am the peaceful Climate Camp on Bishopsgate was quashed by police.
Though relations had been good throughout the day riot police were sent to move the protesters and their tents so the road could be reopened.....
"This morning they broke the camp at around 2am. We were all sitting down and the police started picking people off and dragging them out and arresting them. Then the riot police rushed us. A lot of us were trampled and lots of us are seriously bruised.
"As we were walking away we were chanting, "this is not a riot" and they were trying to hurry us along. A police officer then lifted me up and threw me to the ground. "Someone started shouting, "how dare you do that to a woman?" It took me a while to realise I was on the floor and they were talking about me."
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We obviously didn't want to give the camp up but I had never seen something so aggressive before and I have been in lots of protest situations.
You could see the aggression in their eyes through balaclavas under their helmets.
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"It had been a peaceful protest all day long.
"I was feeling really sad but someone reminded me we had achieved so much. It is difficult to tell whether we've had any impact on the G20 leaders but it is important our message was visible on the streets.
"There were huge numbers beyond expectations - people want to be heard."
Protests are ongoing outside the summit venue the ExCel centre today. 86 arrests had been made by this morning.