Norwich Reclaim The Streets

It began at around midday, as the police helicopter circled overhead. It was on loan, as Norfolk police don't have their own.

"It was mad, I've never seen so many cops in Norwich. They were situated on virtually every street corner about a quarter of a mile around the meeting point, basically harassing people. There were vans everywhere. Several were hire vans, with the word 'police' sellotaped over the name of the hire company".

Barricades had already been set up to try and force the party into a nearby park. Luckily as the banners unfurled, the party masks went on and about 200 - 300 party goers were having none of it.

Clearly foiled, the cops sealed off the area (thus shutting down the Shell garage!), as small children smashed TV's, the Realitea cafe crew served free tea and cake and men dressed in the large array of nasty frocks that had arrived.

Around 2.30pm fully tooled up riot cops started blocking off side roads, but then they went away again.

With the crowd escorting it, the sound system managed to make a safe getaway at about 6pm, and the party continued in the park. However a punk band attempting to set up a live stage had their equipment confiscated.

An explanation for the policing appeared later in the local paper. Upon being questioned about the rather high police expenditure by a local councillor, Deputy Chief Constable John Bligh replied "The group is run by anarchists (how did he know?) They do not ask for permission..." Purely political - well that's alright then.

There were two arrests. On going web site http://get.to/carfreenorwich