Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
Rachel Russell, David Spereall & James Vincent reporting for BBC News out of Yorkshire revealed that the government has confirmed a national inquiry regarding the violent clash that occurred during the year-long miners’ strike back in the 1980s. The showdown took place outside the Orgreave coking plant in Rotherham on June 18, 1984, and became notoriously known as the Battle of Orgreave, where miners faced off against police forces.
The announcement of the inquiry has been met with cautious optimism by Joe Rollin, an advocate from the Orgreave Justice Campaign, who has been campaigning for this inquiry for over a decade. The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced that the investigation would delve into the events that unfolded that day, including the subsequent failed criminal prosecutions of 95 miners and the perceived flawed evidence against them.
The genesis of the clash between the miners and police can be traced back to the National Coal Board’s decision to shut down 20 non-profitable collieries in March 1984, resulting in the loss of around 20,000 jobs. Amidst this backdrop, over three-quarters of the country’s miners went on strike, and the clash at the Orgreave plant was a desperate attempt by the miners to hinder deliveries in a bid to bolster their fight against the closures and job cuts. The skirmish led to more than 100 casualties on both sides, with the subsequent arrest and trial of 95 picketers, which later fell apart due to alleged tampering of evidence by the police.
Despite the passage of 40 years, many involved in the Battle of Orgreave are still seeking answers and closure. South Yorkshire Police has pledged full cooperation with the inquiry to assist those affected in uncovering the truth. This announcement has been lauded as a landmark moment for justice and accountability by local officials, signaling a significant step towards revealing the full extent of the events that transpired during one of the darkest chapters in British industrial history
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.