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To: "SchNEWS Subscribers"
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 16:58:13 +0000
Subject: SchNEWS 171, 12 June 1998
Reply-to: schnews@brighton.co.uk

RECLAIM THE STREETS

Report backs from North and South London

BRIXTON: An orange flare signalled to the gathered 1000's the start of another sucessful 'avin-it' historic street party. Having turned up in relatively small force 'The Old Bill' seemed content to stand back and let it happen. Perhaps this had something to do with the sensitive nature of the locale!

Although the main police CCTV had been skillfully covered-up, by an activist shimmying up a 60-80 foot pole and placing a plastic bag over it, the CCTV unit on McMuck's frenetically swivelled around filming anything it could. McMoney were also forced to shut their toilets as the celebrants took the piss big stylee. For hours a largish swathe of Brixton's streets were given over to fun, jollity and car free space as the RTS red, black and green 'flag'on top of McMurder fluttered in the cooling breeze, making their (McMuck's) Union Jack look grey tattered and from a bygone age. Of course the usual PC Plod 'snatch-squad' lurking about in Brixton tube station made a determined effort to ruin someone's day by arresting people getting on the trains to go home.

Meanwhile a concurrent NORTH LONDON street party was in full swing in Tottenham, closing down every single road junction at some point during the day, between Euston and Seven Sisters as 2,000 made their way to the party. Euston tube was closed , so 1,500 people left for Kings Cross and a pig was overheard saying "We're doomed!" ha ha ha. Greater London Radio advised people not to enter north-east London as the Reclaim the Streets movement had taken control of it!!! 5,000 people well and truly reclaimed Tottenham High Road to the tunes of 3 soundsystems which entered and left the party without being pulled. Critical Mass cyclists initially took the site whilst party-goers following multi-coloured flags came forth in their thousands to celebrate the reclaimation of what is rightfully theirs, "Freedom is there for the taking...so let's take it!" Local people joyfully joined in the festivities as the high road was taken over with music, laughter, performance, football and kids playing. Local residents said, "I saw this van pull up with lots of people running after it....the next thing we knew they had blocked the road, started playing music and thousands of people started arriving!" Another said "It's great! When we came out of the tube and saw all these people we were completely entranced...I think it's fantastic!" At the end of the day two cars used for barricades were set alight and the police baton charged the remaining people making 11 arrests for public order offences. The police were totally out-witted all day.

P.S. Thanks to the intelligent bods who erected toilets over the drains and the litterpickers. Nicely done!!

[from SchNEWS]

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