from the frontline: (sheffield g20 protesters speak out)

I was not present at the detah of this man, however I was at the G20 protests all day yesterday and witnessed unprovoked police brutality like nothing I have ever seen before.

At Bank I witnessed people being beaten around with batons being ordered to move when they had nowhere to go - We were already being crushed in a police kettle. This was the kettle were we had been pushed by police into the RBS building and held there, assaulted and then the police stood and watched while a small number of people reacted by breaking RBS's windows. The police allowed this to happen for a good hour before stepping in to move the crowd on.

In the evening outside Climate camp the police were again being excessively heavy handed and a large group of protestors outside the kettled Climate Camp (of which I was part) decided to sit on the ground to show that we were none threatening and not give them any excuse. The police then proceeded to kick people who were sat down in the face. (It is worth noting that the polce had already blocked that road off so at this point the protestors were not even stopping traffic).

The group were then chased by Riot Police the length of Bishopsgate as far as Kingsland Road (a good 20 minute brisk walk). We ran through complete fear, anyone in their way was being beaten. Some people attempted pulling barriers etc into the road to try and slow police down but with no avail.

At the point they stopped chasing us a number of people dispersed. Some of us returned to the Camp to try and check if people there were ok. Some people had been let out, the camp had been cleared and those unnaccounted for we assumed were in police cells of hospital beds.

By contrast a large protest took place yesterday afternoon at trafalgar square with several thousand people from the same groups / organisations as the other demos, but with one exception, virtually no police presence. At this demo, there was no violence, no damage. The demo took place, the speakers said there piece then everyone went home. Coincidence ?

There were headlines of Violence Sweeps City and Protestors Clash with Police etc yesterday morning before any demos had even started. I guess the police had to justify their £7m bill somehow which they couldn't if all was peaceful so provoking a few clashes to jusify their presence seemed to be the order of the day. . .

images from the day  http://www.flickr.com/photos/0742/sets/72157616144255829/
more at  http://london.indymedia.org.uk/

our blog  http://projectsheffield.wordpress.com/ allso twitter ur32aurt #imcg20