Carrington [power station picketing report]

Arrived at Bold Miners’ Welfare with five other anarchist comrades to be told our destination. The convenor adds that 2 Bold pickets have just been jailed at Bolton Court the previous Friday and urges that we keep it peaceful.

A red dawn over the refineries as we finally reach the power station. A small access road, 50 of them and 500 of us mean our prospects look good. Three coal wagons go through the restless jeers. Some of us move across the road nearer the gate.

The next scab wagon appears. Suddenly we move into the road. Many on the ‘official’ side stand staring at us. The cops move in, the lorry halts quickly, surrounded by the police. No chance to unload from the tailgate. Half an hour of pushing follows, the police up against the wagon’s front crushed by our force. One or two smashed faces on our side, one cop down and out on the floor. The North West TUC hack, megaphone in hand, pleads angrily with us to get off the road. “Fuck the officials!” comes the reply. 

Someone climbs on to the wagon’s step announcing victory. Cheers greet its departure as we take the gates, now closed. Three-quarter of an hour and eight wagons later we leave the sullen cops to themselves just as the dog vans arrive.

From Black Flag: Anarchist Fortnightly Vol.VII No.127 25/2/1985 https://libcom.org/article/black-flag-vol-07-127-1985