Independent Inquiry Launched into Orgreave ‘Battle’ to Uncover Truth
An independent inquiry has been launched into one of the most violent confrontations of the 1984-85 Miners’ Strike, with its chairman pledging to “establish the truth” surrounding the events at Orgreave. The clash, known as the Battle of Orgreave, saw a significant number of striking mineworkers injured during a confrontation with police outside the Orgreave Coking Plant in South Yorkshire on June 18, 1984.
The inquiry aims to address long-standing questions and provide answers to those affected by the incident, including former miners, their families, and communities. The government has stated that this formal inquiry will finally deliver the answers that campaigners and affected individuals have sought for decades.
The Events of Orgreave
The confrontation on June 18, 1984, involved hundreds of police officers, some mounted on horseback, engaging with striking miners picketing the Orgreave Coking Plant. Over several hours, dozens of mineworkers sustained injuries. Official records show 95 arrests were made for riot and unlawful assembly. However, these charges were subsequently dropped after the evidence presented by the police was discredited.
Eyewitness accounts and photographic evidence from the day depict scenes of police officers using batons against mineworkers and apprehending them, with some being forcibly placed into police vans.
Campaigners have consistently alleged that police tactics on that day represented a significant shift and were orchestrated by the then-Conservative government. Instead of merely preventing individuals from joining picket lines, it is claimed that police actively directed miners to specific locations before the clashes began, suggesting a pre-planned strategy rather than a reactive response.
Scope and Objectives of the Inquiry
The inquiry, anticipated to conclude within two years, will meticulously examine several key areas:
- Police and Government Planning: Investigating the strategic planning and directives issued by both the police and government leading up to and on the day of the Orgreave confrontation.
- Events of the Day: A comprehensive review of what transpired during the clashes themselves, including the actions of all parties involved.
- Post-Incident Actions: Examining the aftermath of the events, including the handling of arrests and subsequent legal proceedings.
- Fate of Those Arrested: Determining what happened to the individuals who were arrested on the day.
Voices from the Past and Present
The Bishop of Sheffield, Dr. Peter Wilcox, who chairs the inquiry, expressed his commitment to resolving a lasting trauma. He stated: “I wish to help resolve a trauma that persists to this day – for the miners who were injured at Orgreave, who were arrested, who feel their story has not yet been fully told, for their families and communities, and for the relationship between police and the mining community.”
Dr. Wilcox emphasized the importance of impartiality and transparency in his approach, acknowledging the significant expectations placed upon the inquiry. “Many who were present at Orgreave have waited most of their lives for a process that listens to them, respects their testimony, and examines the facts without fear or favour. I am acutely aware of the weight of expectation placed on this inquiry. It is my ambition, with the panel, to deliver an outstanding inquiry as swiftly as thoroughness will allow.”
Kevin Horne, a former striking miner who was arrested at Orgreave, voiced a common sentiment among those who experienced the strike. He asserted: “We know that the Tory government of the 1980s was directly involved in the miners’ strike while professing ‘non-involvement’. This was state-sponsored organisation against the miners and our livelihoods. The Tory’s own archives confirm Parliament and the public were knowingly lied to, but their involvement in the strike and the policing of it has never been publicly acknowledged.”
John Dunn, another miner arrested on a Derbyshire picket line, highlighted the perceived role of the media. He stated: “The mass media colluded with the Tories by lying in their headlines and reports about what was really happening, or not reporting it at all. Their collaboration in these government and police lies and cover-ups continues to this day, demonising and vilifying strikers and protesters. The raw footage that the many media companies and photographers have of police attacking miners at Orgreave and other footage of police violence and harassment throughout the strike must be handed over to this inquiry.”
Chris Kitchen, General Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), expressed confidence in the inquiry’s leadership. He said: “The NUM are fully committed to assisting the inquiry in its work. Our hope is that once the truth has been brought to light, those directly and indirectly affected can finally start to move on.”
Sarah Jones, the Policing and Crime Minister, reiterated the government’s commitment. “For more than four decades, miners, their families and their communities have lived with unanswered questions about what happened at Orgreave. Today we have delivered on our promise to these tireless campaigners to ensure the facts finally come to light. The terms of the inquiry have been shaped by the chair’s close engagement with campaigners, and they place transparency at the very heart of the panel’s work.”
Kate Flannery, secretary of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, stressed the urgency for answers regarding police conduct and governmental actions. “We need answers about the systemic violent and lying behaviour of the police. We need to know about plans of how police officers on the ground were briefed and how that briefing came about. We need government and police papers releasing that have been embargoed until 2066 and 2071. The police have recently still been destroying vital evidence needed for this inquiry. This is of great public interest and concern and is about a government who actively worked against its own population and handed the police paramilitary powers and destroyed an industry in the process.”
The establishment of this inquiry marks a significant step towards addressing a contentious and painful chapter in British industrial history, with the hope of providing long-awaited clarity and closure.
