Halton Council to support call for Public Inquiry into Orgreave
Councillors are calling for an inquiry into the policing of picket lines at the Orgreave coking plant during the miners’ strike in 1984. A motion has been tabled by Cllrs Lauren Cassidy and Geoff Zygadllo for discussion at Halton Borough Councils full council meeting on Wednesday, October 16th.
Halton Council will join a growing number of Local Authorities who are calling for an inquiry into the events of Ogreave and condemning the decision of successive Home Secretaries, including Theresa May and Amber Rudd, not to call an inquiry. As reported by the IPCC in 2015, the events at Orgreave saw evidence of excessive Police violence. 95 Miners were wrongly prosecuted and later acquitted.
Kevin Horne, a miner arrested at Orgreave and member of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, said: “What happened on 18th June 1984 at Orgreave represents one of the most serious miscarriages of justice in this country’s history, the legacy of which can still be seen in today’s former mining communities and all over Britain. We have received magnificent support from a number of Councils throughout the country and this motion from Halton Borough Council to support an Orgreave Inquiry is another real boost for our campaign for truth and justice”.
Cllr Lauren Cassidy, Halton, said: “The events at Orgreave are not an isolated incident, instead it is part of a wider pattern of appalling Police tactics and miscarriages of justice that took place over the same period of time. Since that day, police tactics continue to cause concern across our working class communities. I have seen fellow peaceful protestors hit with batons, and I have been in crowds charged by horses. We have to have a public inquiry and learn the lessons of Orgreave”.
Notes:
– The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign includes ex-miners, Trades Unionists, activists and others who are determined to get justice for miners who were victims of police lies and cover ups at Orgreave in June 1984.
– Halton Borough Council is a Unitary Authority in the North West of England
– Halton Councils meeting of the full council is a public meeting taking place at Runcorn town hall at 6.30pm
– More information about the OTJC can be found here: https://otjc.org.uk/about/
For more information about the campaign please contact: Orgreavejustice@hotmail.com
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