Channel 4, tonight 9pm. The miners strike

Orgreave.

 

Weren’t that on last week? Sure I watched it

 

You must have binge watched it.

 

Watched it last night on C4s streaming service. Christ there needs to be a public enquiry. Shocking what happened to innocent miners.

 

I was there mate, scariest moment I’ve ever had in my life, not mentally scared or anything but was bloody frightening being chased by those police horses I can tell you, I was one of those who ran up someone’s garden path to avoid being battened by coppers. The lies that were told by Thatchers gang were horrendous mate and painted us mineworkers in a bad light that was never deserved. I also later took part in a film re-enactment of the “Battle of Orgreave”, that was good, only a small budget film but worth a look

 

I had a lot of mates who were miners at the time and told the same stories. To actually hear those speak who so very nearly went to jail though was pretty moving. Innocent blokes who were just set up as scapegoats….terrible. The footage inside the village too of police just lashing out at anybody. No one in this day and age would believe it could happen here.

 

Tory Batsrads
Met Batstards
Media Batstards.

 

Must have pal without realising, i missed first one then watched it on catch up thought they were on consecutive night. Get ready to have thi blood boiled absolute disgrace.

 

That quote at the end absolutely blew my mind !

 

3 parter all available to download or stream. Well worth a watch.

 

My other half isn't arsed about history local or otherwise but I thought I'd chance my arm and stick it on because I knew I'd want to watch something that is ingrained in our community and every family who lives here, including mine due to my grandad being on the picket lines and being one of those who was arrested at Orgreave.

About half way into the second episode my partner is looking at her phone so I stop the programme and ask her what's up? She basically answered back its a bit boring this isn't it? It's just the same as the last episode and will be the same as the next episode? Just miners striking for their jobs and the police battering them.

She'd inadvertently hit the nail on the head without even realising it, the heavy handed, bent coppers beating up miners who were just trying to protect their jobs and our communities for their generation and future generations.

There are people even on this board who say why can't people from round here just move on and let the past be the past? But when you hear stories about the beatings and the arrests, how police searched door to door looking for miners and how they left those houses in pieces just because they could. How they killed families pets with their dogs and how they scared kids and knocked their fathers senseless. All of that is unforgiveable but to top it off to have not one of these policemen prosecuted, that's what makes it unforgiveable and unforgettable for these communities.

 

It’s the first time I’ve seen this. I was at Orgreave that day and previous days, but that day was all about Govt/Police luring us all into a giant trap. That Clements the Assistant SY Police Gaffer should’ve been the one charged with riot the two hat. Saw colleagues get battered, arrested. Quite lucky in that I evaded this because I sure was in the thick of it. Seeing that footage of Thatcher sickens me more now than ever. Those around here who talk about her with affection sicken me more

 

Totally agree, how Thatcher could talk about "mob rule" and do that, as well as illegally stopping cars and arresting people on suspicion of picketing is mind blowing. I wasn't there, but I know many that were. I was working at Yorkshire Bank, New Street at the time and I spoke to striking miners on a daily basis. My ex wife's brother was there & many of my mates. One of my footie mates is involved in running the Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign. The TV coverage was even worse TBH.

 

Wasn’t it ironic that our marvellous ‘free thinking’ press and media can place cameras and personnel in the most dangerous places in the world in horrific conditions but the only cameras and reporting amongst the pickets were NUM people themselves. The national press and media all stayed behind police lines

 

Haven't watched tonight's yet but I admit I was disappointed with last week's.
I wasn't a miner, but came from a mining family and background, so last week I would have liked to see the lead up as to what brought about the strike. Instead the programme went straight into the strike and the first engagements between the miners, the police and the government.
I know what happened but the first programme could have led into the matter far better than it did.
My opinion, sorry.

 

Nothing to be sorry about, I agree with quite a bit of it. I particularly didn’t like that they mentioned about having local ballots, but never mentioned the previous National ballot.

 

Me too ,we could Ave been in E group together.
Was a laugh on that occasion and we got paid too.
Pity about Hamlet our leader.
Wasn't he going to country and western later as yoki shouted to him.

 

We had an overtime ban that was killing them.
They shut Cortonwood knowing we would strike.
We could have won that strike ,but she had a bottomless purse, the police and troops to smash us into submission.
She did that and more.
Orgreave was planned ,get us all in one place and bang.
Trumped up charges ,that were thrown out of court.Bail conditions while awaiting court hearing was not to go near a picket line or you had broke bail conditions and would be locked up.
All for fighting for the right to save the industry.
Heartbreaking when you reflect back

 

Seem to remember you having a starring role pal lol

 

That is quite true ,I got invited to London, to watch it on the big screen ,in the London film festival at Leicester Square.
Got to meet an old legend Tony Ben.