Tag: police violence

State Neglect and Police Violence: The Forgotten Refugee Crisis in Calais and Dunkirk
In northern France hundreds of refugees are being neglected by the state, abused by the police and exploited by smugglers. With large charities refusing to get involved and journalists staying away, grassroots groups are still trying to plug the aid gap. But volunteers say there is only so much they can do without adequate resources – and when the only real solutions are political.
How the Gilets Jaunes Launched a Movement Against Police Violence
Flashballs and teargas grenades have left hundreds of French protesters with severe injuries, but resistance to state-sanctioned violence is building by the day.
Ten Years Since the Death of Ian Tomlinson, the Police Have Done Nothing to Regain Public Trust
Ten years ago today during the G20 protests in London, newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson died after being violently assaulted by a Metropolitan police officer. Sam Walton, who was at the protests, reflects on the events around Tomlinson’s death and argues that when it comes to the police’s priorities, maintaining public order still trumps trust and justice.
5 Reasons I’m Not Joining the ‘Extinction Rebellion’
New environmental group Extinction Rebellion are gaining significant media attention for staging mass acts of non-violent 'civil disobedience’ in opposition to climate change. Climate justice activist Chris Saltmarsh explains why he won't be joining the movement.
“Our queerness never dies”: The Battle Against Far-Right Violence in Greece
The murder of prominent LGBTQI+ activist Zak Kostopoulos in September has reignited fears that the battle against far-right violence is being lost. Alex King takes a look at what the response to recent murders in Greece can teach those confronting fascism across Europe.
Deaths in State Custody 2: INQUEST
Oonagh Ryder and Sam Swann speak to Deborah Coles, Director of the charity INQUEST.
“If a Career Is All That Matters to You, Then Why the Hell Would You Choose Politics?”
Max Shanly and Matt Zarb-Cousin are joined by journalist, commentator and socialist firebrand Ellie O’Hagan, whose insights on political matters du jour fizz like a Lush bath bomb
New Face at the Home Office, But No New Answers to Knife Crime
Sajid Javid is now at the helm of the government’s ‘serious violence strategy’, launched in March to address the UK's knife crime epidemic. But just because he’s the first BME home secretary it doesn’t mean he’ll implement the multi-agency reforms needed to tackle the problem, argues Huda Elmi.
Defending the Red City: Why the Fight for Làbas is a Fight for the Future of Bologna
Bologna, with its history of urban activism and network of autonomous political spaces, has long held a reputation as a 'Red City'. But with the recent violent and unexpected eviction of the Làbas social centre, this reputation is under threat.
Welcome to Hell: A Report From the Front Line of G20
"The police don’t make arrests. They are happy to just beat anyone they can get their hands on, and then let them stumble away. Crowds gather around the paramedics. They are worried the police will attack them too. The floor is slippery with blood and phlegm."
Long Read: Playing the Whore: Police Work vs Sex Work
The violence and prurience characterising police attitudes towards sex workers reveal that efforts to curtail prostitution aren't about charity, or about 'rescuing' workers from situations of dire need. They are about control.
Long Read: A Brief Theory of Queer Violence
Queer oppression is underwritten by structural violence. Sophie Monk and Joni (Pitt) Cohen write that we must find ways of transforming that violence into a force for change.
Long Read: On the Frontlines of Neoliberalism: Resource Extraction and Popular Resistance in Colombia
Colombia's programme of neoliberal reforms is wreaking social and environmental havoc, channeling the profits from the country's natural resources into the coffers of private companies. A diverse coalition of residents, activists and unionists is fighting back, in defiance of the state's violent attempts to silence them.
I was locked in a police cell for 36 hours while I had a psychotic episode

This personal account reflects on the author's first-hand experience of psychosis, police involvement with mental health services, and being sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Content warning.
I was arrested 75 times: How violent policing destroys mental health
Mental Health Week on NovaraWire: We often talk about the physical damage caused by police violence, but with 'disruptive' and 'deterrent'-focused policing on the rise it is time we talked about the psychological impact of such tactics.
Protest, Police Violence and Mental Health Care: 7 Things You Need to Know
Mental Health Week on NovaraWire: Struggling to change the world can take its toll on our mental health, especially if it brings us into contact with the police. Here are some ideas for incorporating (self-)care for our mental health into those struggles.
4 Things I Learnt from Arguing with University Management
Provoked by the outcry over a police attack on a student sit-in last December, the Centre for Human Rights in Practice at the University of Warwick held a 'protest summit'. Free education activists and university bosses were invited onto the panel, making for a revealing - and sometimes heated - exchange of views.
“WTF is happening?!” – Warwick, the police and the new student movement
Scenes of CS spray and a Taser being pulled on a British university campus have shocked thousands, but if the new student movement is to dig its heels in, it can expect more where that came from, writes Craig McVegas.