Anti-war group accuses police

From the The Argus, first published Wednesday 6th Sep 2006.

Anti-war protesters have written to the Independent Police Complaints Commission over Sussex Police's handling of a peace demonstration.

Brighton and Hove Unemployed Workers issued the complaint, claiming heavy-handed policing at the march on August 19 which started at Palmeira Square, Hove.

Among the most serious allegations is that "psyched-up, out-of-control" police officers assaulted demonstrators.

The complaint comes after an internal review by Sussex Police into its own actions at the demonstration, which found officers' actions were lawful.

BHUW secretary Tony Greenstein said the complaint had been lodged with the IPCC because the response from Sussex Police so far was "wholly unsatisfactory".

He said: "If Sussex Police are allowed to continue to behave in this way, demonstrations which senior officers object to will continue to be subject to harassment and intimidation."

Chief Superintendent Kevin Moore has denied any wrongdoing by his officers and claimed no individual or group approached Sussex Police before the demonstration took place - a legal requirement for demonstration organisers.

He said a Jewish man was assaulted during a previous, similar demonstration in the city and the large number of officers on duty on August 19 was in response to that incident.

Chief Supt Moore said the protest may have been a deliberate attempt to "provoke and incite" Jewish people in and around Palmeira Square .

He said: "It is always our intention in such cases to allow for peaceful and lawful protest to take place and indeed this latest event passed off with no arrests being made and no disruption caused to the city.

"The reason we brought in orders under the existing legislation was to assist us in achieving these aims as well as providing reassurance to the local Jewish community who felt intimidated as a result of the events in July.

"I can only assume the intention of the demonstration in an area where there is a large Jewish population was a deliberate attempt to provoke and incite."

Demonstration organiser Glenn Williams and others at the August 19 event have denied any racist motives or anti-semitism.

Mr Williams said: "There was no racism or anti-semitism on either march to my knowledge.

"If there was then I would be deeply concerned and certainly would condemn it. But I simply do not believe it happened."

The IPCC confirmed yesterday it had received the complaint from Mr Greenstein and said it would begin an investigation.

It could not confirm a timescale for dealing with the complaint.

A spokesman said any investigation into the complaint could be carried out on several levels ranging from a further internal review by Sussex Police to a full independent inquiry.

He said: "It is too early to tell how the complaint will be dealt with and staff will look at it in more detail over the coming days."

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