The Battle of Orgreave
March 6 marks the 40th anniversary of the start of the year-long UK miners’ strike. For many, the low point was The Battle of Orgreave, which turned public opinion against the miners, although the police would later get their share of the blame.
The pivotal event unfolded on June 18, 1984, near the Orgreave Coking Plant in South Yorkshire. This confrontation marked a significant clash between striking coal miners and law enforcement, representing a dramatic moment in the struggle between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) led by Arthur Scragill and the Conservative government led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Money Losing Pits
At the heart of the conflict lay the government’s plans to close twenty money-losing coal mines, a move that threatened the livelihoods of miners and the integrity of mining communities across the country. Thatcher thought it was necessary as part of her push for a free market economy. As part of the NUM’s protest against these closures, miners had gathered from all over the country to picket the Orgreave Coking Plant, a strategic site in the steelmaking process.
Thousands of Pickets and Police Bused to Orgreave
The atmosphere at Orgreave that day was tense, with both sides entrenched in their positions. Thousands of miners and police officers were involved in the confrontation, making it one of the most significant and violent incidents of the strike. The miners, fueled by anger and desperation, faced off against a heavily armed police force deployed to maintain order and safeguard the plant’s operations. Clad in riot gear and mounted on horseback, the police formed a formidable barrier against the advancing miners.
As tensions escalated, the standoff erupted into violence. Police officers charged at the miners, wielding batons and shields, while the miners responded with rocks, bricks, and other makeshift weapons. The scene devolved into chaos as clashes broke out between the two sides, with injuries and arrests mounting as the confrontation intensified.
The Battle of Orgreave captured national attention and sparked widespread controversy. Allegations of police brutality and excessive force dominated the aftermath, with reports of indiscriminate violence and aggressive tactics employed against the striking miners. Many miners were arrested and charged with riot offenses, though subsequent scrutiny would cast doubt on the legitimacy of these charges.
Demands For a Public Inquiry Still Strong in 2024
In the years following the battle, calls for a public inquiry into the events at Orgreave persisted, echoing demands for accountability and justice. However, despite ongoing efforts by campaigners and affected individuals, no such inquiry had been convened, leaving the legacy of Orgreave shrouded in unresolved questions and lingering grievances.
It’s one of the many true events woven into my new geopolitical thriller, Death of a Union. The book follows two storylines, one from the 1980s strike and one in present-day Scotland, in their quest for independence.
“A literary powerhouse of a thriller that seamlessly blends past and present, weaving together the events of the 1984 miners’ strike with the contemporary political landscape.”
Chris Riches, Correspondent for North-West England and Wales — Daily Express
“This gripping geopolitical thriller strikes a rich seam connecting a fragmenting nation to a seismic secret from the darkest days of its industrial past.”
Richard Moriarty, North West District Editor — The Sun
Phuket, Thailand · Posted Today, March 1
Originally published at https://www.lifewelllived.expert.
