Tube Workers Support Action
On 7th August, London Reclaim The Streets had two actions in support of the striking tube workers demands for shorter continuous driving shifts and more notice in regard to shift changes and holidays. This was not about money, it was, as one tube worker said, that strikers “want their lives back”.
The morning started with four Critical Masses heading into Central London from North, East, South and West. After the 500 cyclists had assembled in Trafalgar Square they paid a visit to Parliament Square and Downing Street before heading back to Trafalgar Square and the heavy handed police, who then penned everyone into a bus lane before starting to push people and bikes around. They then wouldn’t let more than one cyclist at a time leave the area.
Meanwhile another group of people from Reclaim The Streets decided to ‘Take it to the Top’ by visiting the London Underground Offices, in St. James Park. A group of about 40 people rushed into the reception area. Two people were grabbed by security while ten ran straight past and up to the 7th floor and the Chairman’s office. There they introduced themselves to Peter Ford, who was, at the time, expecting other visitors from the BBC, but instead found himself being interviewed by protesters about the working conditions of the tube drivers. They then talked together about their ideas for a sustainable transport system for London and he at least agreed that public transport was underfunded.
Care was taken not to cause criminal damage to the office as a banner was hung out the window reading ‘Squeeze the Car not the Tube’ and someone handcuffed themselves to a piece of furniture.
Minutes later around fifteen police stormed into the office completely over-reacting, scattering everything on the floor from the desk of Peter Ford. Laughable, as they then arrested everyone on suspicion of not only assault on a police officer and breach of the peace, but criminal damage also.
On release from police custody that evening the protesters discovered that their bikes had all been impounded. Apparently they were a security risk! According to police, no notices have to be in view for this to be legal. Not very clever of the police really to use hydraulic bolt-cutters on bikes that could, by their reckoning, have contained bombs! Even the police at the pound said it was strange to get a request to remove bikes from the place they had been locked up, as they had never removed them from there before. For more details of forthcoming actions contact London Reclaim The Streets on: 0171 281 4621.