Anti-war activists have called for solidarity as over 20 people face charges following the demonstration against George W Bush’s UK visit in June.
In recent weeks the Metropolitan Police have arrested several people identified from video footage taken on the day, house raids have taken place, and charges brought including for “violent disorder”. The police have a special operation dedicated to the demonstration called “Operation Spring Brook”.
A police appeal was printed in the London Paper in September showing images of four men wanted in connection with the demonstration, alleging that people “thought to be anarchists” tried to “push through police lines”, poking sharpened sticks into the eyes of police officers.
Reports from the demonstration itself describe police attacking protestors with batons, hospitalising several people, following the police decision to block off Whitehall. “Operation Spring Brook” appears to be a politically-motivated police operation aimed at clamping down on protest.