Tag: orgreave truth and justice
ORGREAVE TRUTH AND JUSTICE CAMPAIGN
The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign (OTJC) is holding a rally at Orgreave on 18 June, the 31st anniversary of the Battle of Orgreave that took place during the year long miners’ strike in 1984-85.
Recollections of 18 June 1984 will be combined with an update on the struggle by the OTJC for a public inquiry.
Speakers to include:-
- Tosh MacDonald – ASLEF President
- Barbara Jackson – OTJC Secretary
- Chris Skidmore – Yorkshire Area NUM President
- Kevin Horne & Arthur Critchelow – miners arrested at Orgreave in 1984
- Craig and Mick Oldham, who will be reading from ‘In Loving Memory of Work.’
- Juztine Jenkinson – daughter of photographer Martin Jenkinson
The IPCC took 2.5 years to conduct a scoping (initial investigation) but last week announced that due to the historical nature of the allegations it would not be conducting a full investigation. The IPCC had failed to locate a series of important documents including the policing operational orders drawn up for 18 June. The police watchdog’s report did though identify a cover up by SYP of malpractice it knew had taken place and largely conceded that only a public inquiry can eventually get to the truth.
OTJC was not surprised at the IPCC’s decision and is buoyed by the news that the Home Secretary Theresa May has subsequently stated she would consider any request to set up a public inquiry into Orgreave. OTJC is currently taking some legal advice about how best to proceed and meanwhile there are plans for a Parliamentary meeting with MPs. The struggle for a public inquiry will therefore be reaffirmed at the 31st anniversary rally this Thursday.
The rally at the Old Bridge, Top End, just off Handsworth Road, S13 9NA will commence at 5.30pm on Thursday 18 June.
For more details please contact:- Barbara Jackson on 0114 250 9510 or 07504 413829 or Mark Metcalf on 07952 801783 http://otjc.org.uk
Labour Party Regional Conference
Barbara Jackson, Unite Community member and secretary to the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, will be speaking at fringe meeting at the Regional Labour Party Conference on February 28th. Please see the flyer below for details.
With Banners Held High
Unity Works Wakefield, Saturday 7 March 2015
Celebrate the courage, strength and spirit of the miners and their communities on the 30th anniversary of the return to work after the year-long strike.
A day packed full of events, plus an evening fundraiser featuring New Model Army.
For more details, view the poster: WBHH-poster-lo-res
IPCC 2nd Year Anniversary
The OTJC has called for a demonstration outside the London IPCC HQ. We have already put on transport from South Yorkshire, please get in touch to book your seat and lend your support! No Justice! No Peace!
Orgreave Picket of the IPCC
Over one hundred protesters from the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, gathered today outside the Wakefield IPCC offices to call for more urgent action on their “scoping exercise”. Campaigners have grown frustrated by the slow progress from the IPCC, as we are now seventeen months into their investigation.
Wakefield protest at delay into inquiry decision on ‘Orgreave’
However, the OTJC welcomes the decision by the Labour party to launch its Justice for the Coalfields campaign and calls on Ed Miliband to confirm that a Labour government will order a full public inquiry into events at Orgreave.
Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign
Photographs from Saturday night’s gig in Barnsley. We raised over £500 for the campaign and as you can see the bands (Thee Faction (London), The Hurriers (Barnsley) and Quiet Loner (Liverpool) ) all stopped off to have a guided tour of the NUM Building and the Unite Community Centre.