M77 Opens

On 6th December Scottish Secretary Michael Forsyth came to Glasgow to open the tarmac monstrosity that is the M77. Dreading the possibility of ex-Pollok Free Staters causing a disruption of the opening ceremony the exact location of it was kept secret, even the press didn’t know until the last minute.

Despite this setback the road had only been opened a few minutes when six people crossed to the central reservation and formed a pipe-linked human chain intertwined with the central barrier, in front of assembled press, a large police presence and Corkerhill (the worst affected community).

After trying and failing to separate the protesters, the police called in the contractors and the central barrier was dismantled. Eventually the protesters were led away, still connected, and with some difficulty they were folded into the waiting police van. All were charged with Breach of the Peace and held for seventy-two hours in Govan Police Station.

The camp at Pollok Free State may have been dismantled, but what remains is a beautiful place where tarmac would have been, a shrine to the love and energy of those who were there.