Police play it dirty, time to take the gloves off...Jim Thomas.

The met police did everything in their power to disrupt the effect of the demo in Whitehall. They arrived early, put cones and ribbons down the middle of the road and diverge cabs away from Whitehall. 

Four days prior to our protest, wearing masks, carrying weapons and daubing graffiti over public buildings, the police allowed the anti-austerity anonymous group to run a mock for many hours. A peaceful demo by London Taxis drivers and they decide to use heavy handed tactics. 

This is the respect we get, for playing by the rules and letting the authorities know our plans in advance....

Just after 2 pm more cones were strategically placed, cutting off access from Parliament Square. At the same time this aggressive Traffic a Cop (recognise him*) and his team were diverting unsuspecting drivers away from entering Whitehall from Trafalgar Square. 

*Same aggressive traffic cop trying to divert cabs away from the demo.

After Marshals complained, the police relented and within minutes, the demonstrators achieved complete gridlock. 

Outside the gates of Downing Street, Trevor Merralls, vice chair of the UCG gave an emotional speech, before leading a delegation down to number 10, where they handed in a letter to the PM calling for an inquiry into TfL.

We were informed that the tactics employed by the police had actually backfired as the knock on effect from Taxis redirected, had caused chaos reaching back to Kensington in the West and the City in the east. 

Members from the GLA turned up and spoke to the organisers in front of Downing Street. 

Many drivers are now calling for future demos to be unofficial with multiple hits at various locations. 

This isn't the first time the police have not kept to their agreement to let drivers demonstrate peacefully. 

 Support again from the Cabstop and Knowledge students 

 

We have been informed that the Met Police have agreed to meet with the UCG to talk about the continued plying for hire and the use of fog lights by Prius drivers 

One thing that saddened me yesterday was the amount of Taxis I saw with jobs in as I made my way in towards the protest. 

These drivers who carried on working, now have no right to complain about the situation the trade finds itself in. Station ranks were well attended and so was Heathrow. 

Time to take the gloves off. 

  

from Taxi Leaks http://taxileaks.blogspot.com/2016/11/police-play-it-dirty-time-to-take.html
via IFTTT