Special Report SUBJECT: NEWS INTERNATIONAL DISPUTE Reference to Papers 6th day of May 1986 1. This report deals with the events of Saturday, 3rd May 1986, in connection with the News International dispute centred upon the printworks at Wapping. 2. The day began with a march and rally in support of the sacked printworhers who had marched from Glasgow and Newcastle. This attracted some 70 persons and was peaceful throughout. The evening's events, however, reached a level of violence that had not previously been witnessed in connection with this dispute. About 7,000 demonstrators attended the scene in three different marches and launched an obviously pre-planned and well co-ordinated attack upon the police lines which was met by mounted officers and other serials of police equipped with short shields and truncheons. By the end of the night 175 police officers had been injured with 9 detained in hospital and 81 persons arrested. Ten of the prisoners were injured and 38 other demonstrators required treatment. 3. Official pickets The pickets at Gray's Inn Road and Bouverie Street, the other sites for print union action in this dispute, remained peaceful throughout the day and evening with no more than ten persons ever being present at either location. 4. Morning march A march in support of the sacked print workers who have been marching from Glasgow and Newcastle was organised as part of the trade union campaign against News International. The march assembled at Camberwell Green, SE5, and at 10.45 am set off to the Labour Party Headquarters at 150 Walworth Road, SE17. About 70 persons took part, with 38 marchers from the north and the remainder being members and supporters of Southwark Trades Council. The extreme left groups were represented by roving paper-sellers for the 'Morning Star' and 'Newsline' and two others carrying the banner of the Brixton Young Socialists.5. The participants were good humoured and in good voice, singing a number of political ditties obviously rehearsed many times over on their march. A passing lorry, owned by TNT International Ltd, attracted derisory jeers and cries of 'scab' though no attempt was made to stop or damage the lorry. 6. On arriving outside the Labour Party headquarters the introductions and speeches were almost incomprehensible due to the poor quality of the sound equipment and the background traffic noise. The speakers all stuck to the familiar pattern of calling for union solidarity to stop News International printing at their Wapping works, criticism of police and their tactics and the resinstatement of all sacked workers. Those identified as speaking were XXXXX. The event had been organised by XXX of Southwark Trades Council. 7. The speeches, which had begun at 11.30 am, ended at noon whereupon the marchers re-grouped and went, via the Elephant and Castle, to luncheon at the John MARSHALL Hall, Blackfriars Road, SE1. The demonstrators arrived at 12.30 pm and dispersed in good humour. There were no arrests or other incidents during this march. 8. Evening demonstration The two trade unions principally involved in this dispute, SOGAT ?82 and the NGA, had called for national support for their demonstration which was due to assemble at 7.30 pm at the Embankment. In the event some 3,000 persons assembled together and moved off promptly at 8.30 pm led by the NGA van and the printworkers who had marched from the north. Many left wing groups were present though most were more involved in selling their journals than participating. As the march progressed, however, many others joined and by the time it had reached East Smithfield the number of participants had risen to about 5,000. The general atmosphere was still lighthearted with a brass band playing and slogans being chanted. 9. XXXX By 8.40 pm about 1,000 demonstrators had arrived which grew to a maximum of 2,000 by 8.55 pm when they moved off. This secondary demonstration was dominated by the NGA with no extreme left wing activists present. This march was stopped on several occasions by the organisers who explained that 'they werewaiting for the other march to get to Wapping'. No further details were given though it was stated that the reason for this co-ordination would become clear upon their arrival at the plant. 10. It is of interest to note that the organisers were again equipped with two-way radios and were well aware of the position of each of the marches. Further to this, the timing was extremely accurate and the need to pause on this second march may have been due to police officers slowing down the main march in order to prolong the period of free access to the plant. ll. By 9.15 pm the second march had arrived at the junction of the Highway and Glamis Road. After ten minutes the majority set off again along the Highway but one element, numbering approximately 500, turned up Glamis Place into Cable Street and eventually into Dock Street. 12. At 10pm precisely all the marchers met at the Highway junction with Virginia Street. Almost immediately smoke bombs, thunderflashes and a variety of other missiles were thrown at police. The response was immediate, strong and effective. Mounted officers rode deep into Wellclose Square and were met with yet more missiles. As they re-formed on the Highway they were followed by demonstrators hurling wood, bricks, and other similar items. An attempt was made to block the road in Wellclose square with an empty builder's skip but officers equipped with short shields moved in swiftly to prevent any further movement. 13. It was at this stage that the most violent confrontations were taking place with injuries being inflicted upon both sides. Significantly, many of the demonstrators were injured by objects which had been aimed at the police but had overshot their target. Uniformed officers were deployed in several places in an attempt to prevent demonstrators from obtaining any more ammunition. The corrugated sheeting around a building site at the rear of Wellclose Square was breached and this provided access to more weaponry for the aggressors. 14. Throughout this time the organisers on the platform were calling for police to withdraw and claiming that this was another example of the 'Police State in Thatcher's Britain'. By 11 pm some semblance of order had been established though there were still some sporadic violent outbursts. The physical confrontation persisted for some three hours and was always bitter and aggressive.15. The speakers then launched their most vitriolic attacks on the police. These included XXX who stated that no matter what happened her union, SOGAT 82, would never give up. Tony BENN MP commented upon the 'butchery' practised by police and claimed that he had complained to the local Chief Superintendent about it. Further to this he stated that he would raise the issue in the House of Commons on Tuesday 6th May. XXXXX likened the British police to those operating in Soweto, Belfast or Santiago. This speech was aimless and was without any direction, save the expression of disgust against police. 16. XXXX (FOC Unattached Casuals) continued in the same tone as the previous speakers and stated that he intended to call out all of the casual workers in Fleet Street and bring them down to Wapping. This suggestion was not greeted with any great enthusiasm by the crowd who had not yet received any support from these other newspaper workers. 17. The Chairman of the meeting was XXX who, in between the other speakers, repeated the comments made about police and called upon them to withdraw. He also led the singing and chanting and announced that another march would take place next Saturday but gave no further details. XXXX, the miners' leader, as may have been expected, made a strong anti-police speech and warned the officers present to treat the Glasgow marchers banner with respect. Other persons identified on the platform were XXX XXX SOGAT 82 official and Tony BANKS MP. 18. Those taking part in the demonstration had been drifting away all evening and though a hard core remained it was deemed safe to allow the lorries and private motor vehicles to leave the plant at 1.30 am. The distribution of newspapers was not significantly affected. Comment 19. At this stage it is dificult to assess the effects of the evening's violence upon the dispute. A large number of participants were indignant at the tactics employed by the police which, coupled with the frustration of the lack of success in stopping the newspapers being printed, may lead to more aggressive picketing in the future. However, many others did not wish to be involved in such direct action and will presumably not take part in future demonstrations. The mood will be gauged over the next few days and included in future assessments.20. It was clear from the outset that many groups were determined to confront the police. Various large bands of demonstrators had been seen wandering about the area with no intention of joining the march. When the violence was at its highest level it was clear that the participants were not the middle-aged printworhers normally seen on a Saturday evening, but were younger, hooligan types which included both trotskyists and anarchists, though no extremist organisation was responsible for orchestrating the violence. Such persons taking advantage of the situation to attack the police. Observation of the more rowdy elements revealed that many were from outside the MPD with several Liverpool accents being heard. 21. One incident which occurred earlier in the evening caused some confusion as one demonstrator, XXXX XXXX, was arrested for causing grevious bodily harm to another, XXXX XXXX. The issue was resolved when it became clear that XXX had, at one time, been the owner of a Land Rover. He lent his car to the Socialist Workers Party about a year ago and had now changed his allegiance and was attempting to reclaim the vehicle. XXX, claiming that the Party considered the car to be a gift, resisted XXX claim with venom and assaulted XXX. The incident is being dealt with by the Leman Street CID XXX 22. As may have been anticipated in view of the extent of the violence, the number of injuries inflicted upon the police was high with 175 officers reporting injured, nine of whom were detained overnight in hospital. One police coach had its windows broken. 23. Two demonstrators were arrested for entering the printworhs. Details of these persons, together with information concerning their method of entering the site, is being collated and will be the subject of a further report. Similarly, full details of the other 79 persons arrested will be submitted in due course. Submitted CHIEF SUPERINTENDENTAPPENDIX  APPENDIX A Banners, persons mentioned and organisations involved in the morning demonstration APPENDIX B Banners and posters seen on the evening demonstration (Main March}. APPENDIX C Banners and posters seen on the evening demonstration (Secondary March}. APPENDIX D Chants heard during the evening marches. APPENDIX E Persons identified as being present during the evening demonstration.APPENDIX A To Special Branch report dated 6th May 1986 concerning the march to Labour Party headquarters in support of sacked print workers on the morning of Saturday 3rd May 1986. Banners seen on the march Southwark Trades Council SOGAT London Machine Group Brixton Young Socialists Clerical Gate Takers 86 Special Branch references to persons and organisations mentioned in the report XXXXAPPENDIX B TO Special Branch report of 6th May 1986 - Banners and Posters Seen during the print workers march (main contingent) from Temple EC4 to Wapping '6000 SACKED PRINTWORKERS' {unions involved displayed on front} OBSERVER NIGHT MACHINE CHAPEL SOGAT '82 GLASGOW AND WEST OF SCOTLAND SOGAT SOGAT CLERICAL CHAPEL GOVAN AND GLASGOW MORNING STAR SOGAT '82 MACHINE CHAPEL A.U.E.W FLEET STREET BRANCH CAMDEN LABOUR COUNCILLORS MORNING STAR N.G.A LIVERPOOL BRANCH N.U.J FREELANCE BRANCH SUPPORT PRINT NORRERS EXPEL E.E.T.P.U BRIXTON YOUNG SOCIALISTS SOUTH WALES BRANCH WOMENS SUPPORT GROUP PORT OF LONDON DOCKERS OXFORD ANARCHISTS SOCIETY NEW WORKER SUPPORTS THE PRINTERS CAMDEN TENANTS ASSOCIATION SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY S.W.P NATIONAL COMMITTEE A.S.T.M.STo Special Branch report of 6th May 1986 Banners and seen during the print workers march (subsidiary march} from Butchers Row to Wapping WH SMITH - KINGS CROSS BRANCH - SOGAT '82 JOHN MENXIES DEPTFORD - SOGAT 82 SUN PUBLISHING CHAPEL TIMES NIGHT PUBLISHING CHAPEL SOGAT '82 N.G.A LONDON BRANCH N.G.A GUARDIAN CHAPEL LONDON STANDARD CHAPEL JOHNSONS WHOLESALE SOGAT '82 CHAPEL SUN N.A.T.S.O.P.A EXPRESS NIGHT MACHINE CHAPEL SOGAT '32 DAILY MIRROR WAREHOUSE CHAPELAPPENDIX D Appendix to Special Branch Report concerning events that took place on the evening of 3.5.86 in The Highway, E1. Chants heard on the march "TUC get off your knees, call a general strike" "I'd rather be a cow-pat than a cop" "I'd rather be a picket than a scab" "The Met are the biggest scabs of all"APPENDIX E  Appendix to Special Branch Report concerning the News International dispute at Wapping on the evening cf Saturday 3.5.86. Persons identified as being present: Mentions XXX XXX Tony BANKS MP Tony BENN MP XXX XXX XXX Brenda DEAN  XXX U/I