May Day protests face 'zero tolerance'

Special report: globalisation

Nick Hopkins, crime correspondent
Friday April 13, 2001
The Guardian

Anti-capitalist demonstrators who break the law during the May Day protests will face a "zero tolerance, in your face" approach from police, who are determined to avoid last year's chaotic scenes in Westminster, Scotland Yard said yesterday.

Senior officers estimate that a core of 1,000 demonstrators from all over the country are intending to cause trouble, and that their strategy will involve injuring police officers and damaging up to 200 businesses and banks, with a focus on Oxford Street.

Rather than standing back to see if trouble starts, officers will be briefed to act immediately, police said.

"It will be a more robust approach this year," said Mike Todd, a Metropolitan police assistant commissioner."We will be very, very positive."

The change of tactics reflects the frustration of Sir John Stevens, the Met commissioner, and the home secretary, Jack Straw, that demonstrators managed to daub graffiti on the Cenotaph, deface a statue of Winston Churchill and dig up the grass in Parliament Square during last year's protests.

After last year's protests Tony Blair declared that such behaviour must never happen again. Sir John is known to have been involved in reformulating the Met's strategy, and has decided to run the risk that a more aggressive approach could lead to claims of stifling peaceful protest and inciting violence.

The civil rights group Liberty said yesterday that an aggressive stance could encourage overreaction from officers.

"We don't have a problem with the police preventing criminality," said a spokesman. "But we would be concerned if zero tolerance in any way curbed the right to peaceful protest. That is a real danger."

A series of demonstrations are planned on Tuesday May 1, entirely separate from the official TUC May Day march.

Police believe that around 5,000 people will come to the capital to take part in unofficial events scheduled to start at 7.30am with a cycle ride to Kings Cross station, culminating in a gathering in Oxford Street at 4pm.

"Our intelligence suggests that this could be the main flashpoint," said Mr Todd. "We don't want to prevent lawful protest. It's a basic right and we police demonstrations all the time. But we are not going to allow people to commit criminal offences.

"There will be a zero tolerance of criminality. If you allow a certain amount of it, then it will escalate. We are going to do all we can to ensure that people working, living and shopping in London are safe. We don't want London closed."

Mr Todd admitted that the ringleaders of last year's trouble had not been caught - even though more than 100 people were arrested - and said it had been difficult to gather intelligence on those planning this year's protests.

A website and a glossy pamphlet produced to support anti-capitalist action on May 1 invite protesters to play "May Day Monopoly", using the format of the board game to tell people where to go in London. Under headings such as Park Lane, Bond Street and Mayfair, they describe buildings, companies and banks that are legitimate targets for demonstration. It also offers "Don't Go to Jail" advice.

The pamphlet says: "So you want to change the world? Fight the forces of globalising darkness? Not a bad ambition, but you'll need help. Activism, like playing Monopoly or having sex, can be a bit embarrassing if you do it alone. If you are going to play May Day Monopoly, you best do it with people you like and trust. It should be the start of an ongoing career of activism, agitation and generally making a nuisance of yourself."