Independent review of the impact of policing on Scottish communities

The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign welcomes the independent review of the impact of policing on Scottish communities during the miners’ strike announced by Justice Secretary Michael Matheson MSP in the Scottish Parliament today. We send our thanks to all the people who have worked so hard in making this happen. 

In October 2016 the ex Home Secretary Amber Rudd ruled out any inquiry into police brutality used against striking miners at the Orgreave coking plant on 18th June 1984. Michael Matheson told MSPs today he thought this was the wrong decision which had convinced him that a ‘do nothing approach’ was not the way forward.

Kevin Horne, ex Miner arrested at Orgreave said “This is a great step forward. We only hope the Home Secretary Sajid Javid will now see some sense regarding our request for an inquiry into what happened at Orgreave. This would also help the police as well as Miners and mining communities to move forward”

Kate Flannery, Secretary of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign said “Striking Miners were brutalised by the police throughout Britain and this announcement in the Scottish Parliament today gives us immense hope that an inquiry will be conducted into police brutality at Orgreave and the Miners and our communities will get justice”