The Tory Party Conference

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Bristol Class War attended the Tory Party Conference in Birmingham yesterday (October the 3rd) joining other Class War groups,the IWW and Whitechapel Anarchist Group. On the march we quickly formed alongside a well numbered Black Bloc (#1) which at first seemed well fired up. One copper came over to try and remove a banner off a the group which read "Fuck the big society" a point he obviously disagreed with. But he changed his tune very quickly when he found himself surrounded by 20 of the Black Block.

At one point the march got close to the Conference center. There was military style blockades and a fair few coppers. Instead of following the march, the Black Block thought they'd have ago. But once they got to the Police line it seems the majority of people we happy with just standing in front of the Police. After a couple of minutes of nothing the Block rejoined the march.

What started as a tight Block essentially got split from this point onwards. There were a few attempts to kettle the Block which were evaded. We then got to a point where the road split from the designated march route. So the Block moved away from the march off a junction. The Police were very quick to respond, cordoning the front of the block. At this point some members escaped as there was no Police line at the back. The rest of the Block was then kettled. An attempt was made to break the kettle but only half of the block were involved in this. The Police line could have been broken if the whole block combined their efforts. The block was held as more coppers came in, the block was then marched slowly over the fly over, where it was met by a sea of high vis.The block was then Section 60'ed (#2) where people were searched and photographed. Some resisted but were drag out of the Block.
After the Section 60 the Block were slowly released into the Trot car park where people were getting their buses home.We then regrouped in a local boozer.

Bristol Class War heard that the evening events held a bit more action. With many Conference attendees proudly walking around Birmingham with their Conservative Party lanyards round their necks. Someone was heard telling one of them they had to remove their lanyard before entering the building. When the Tory asked why? They were told ''Cause it's fucking disgusting.''

1# A black bloc is a tactic for protests and marches, whereby individuals wear black clothing, scarfs and ski masks. The clothing is used to avoid being identified.
2# Section 60 of the Public Order Act. When this is in place you can be stoped, searched and photographed.