Bristol Street Party

The Reclaim the Streets Party in Bristol, this July, saw a failed attempt by police to stop it happening. To begin with the police attempted to stop the march leaving the meeting point, where attempts by protesters to break through the lines resulted in several arrests being made. The police also seized the sound system, the food and drink and the volleyball net!

Eventually however the crowd pushed the police back, and while the planned location was not reached, the crowd did manage to have a party, on the M32 in the centre of Bristol, completely closing it for 3 or 4 hours. Acoustic music made up for the lack of a sound system and, for 15 hours that day, a pirate radio station broad cast a variety of comedy sketches, propaganda, music and adverts for the street party. Police harassment continued with party goers and other passers by being allowed through police lines in to the party but not back out again.

The organisers of the event described it as ‘not just against the traffic but against the whole system, supported by the police, the politicians and the media.’

Contact Kebele Community Centre 0117 939 9469