Huge police presence to maintain peace as demonstrations return to city

A huge police presence in Newcastle city centre meant any risk of disorder would have been quickly dealt with.

Riot vans and mounted officers in protective headgear patrolled a peaceful Black Lives Matter event in Times Square, which was attended by several hundred people.

Across the city, at what some officers described as a counter demonstration, a handful of people gathered at The Response 1914, a war memorial in the public gardens near the Church of St Thomas the Martyr in Barras Bridge.

Former servicemen Kenny Hope, from Newcastle, said the purpose was protect the memorial from potential vandals.

Not that there was much chance of that, or of any disorder.

There were more police vehicles than there were demonstrators, or ‘protectors’.

Police vehicles on standby in case of trouble

“We are slightly better prepared this week,” said one officer on duty near the scene.

“Let’s hope it is not needed.”

Those gathered chatted, seemingly amicably, to community support officers, completely outnumbered if anyone was even thinking of ‘getting a bit mouthy’.

But there were no chants, no singing, no placards. No nothing.

Different scenes entirely from the vitriol that bubbled over last weekend at Grey’s Monument when bottles and missiles were thrown at police from yobs who squared up to officers separating them from an anti-racist demo nearby.

War veteran Kenny Hope

Mr Hope said he and friends from the Veterans group were there, but had tried to calm things down and were not part of the so-called Defenders of Newcastle organisation.

He said: “We have turned up at the memorials to create a human shield, to not allow anybody to desecrate our history.

“Our history is important. We are here peacefully and we want to stop anybody from graffitiing or desecrating the memorials.

“It is as simple as that.”

After Mr Hope spoke to The Northern Echo a young man walked past playing music audibly on a bluetooth speaker.

Perhaps provocatively, but certainly ironically, it was that anthemic Kaiser Chiefs number I Predict A Riot.

Not today sunshine.

Back across the city several hundred people were enjoying a carnival atmosphere with civil rights speakers and music on a loudspeaker.

Young, Gifted and Black and Get Up, Stand Up set the tone for a good-natured afternoon with a serious message.

People held up signs and banners with slogans such as In unity There Is Strength and People Should Not Have To Fight For The Right To Exist.

Ellie Lloyd and Alice Durkin, both 17, have travelled from Darlington to be at the Black Lives Matter event.

Ellie said: “We came to show our support and solidarity.”

Organisers tried to encourage social distancing and offered free face masks and hand gel to the crowd.

Many though had brought there own and it is fair to say most people were covering their mouths and keeping apart from each other.

Yanus Bakhsh

Organiser, Yanus Bakhsh, from North-East Against Racism, said: “It is a peaceful event, unlike last week when the far right turned up and made it a violent event.

“We want to get our voices heard and get our message across.

“We want people to stand together in unity.

“We have got very important issues here such as injustice and racism, which is why you have seen millions of people around the world getting involved.”

Last Saturday police made 14 arrests and further five men were taken in for questioning in relation to the violence in the city on Thursday.

Assistant Chief Constable, of Northumbria police Scott Hall said: “The violent disorder we saw last Saturday was completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

“We have made it abundantly clear that anyone found to have been involved will be brought to justice.

“The right to lawful protest is a key part of any democracy which the police uphold and facilitate.

“However, we will not accept people using them as a means to commit crime.”