The Battle of Orgreave

The first “ritual push” (which in 1984 accompanied the arrival of the morning convoy of empty coke lorries to the plant). Some miners throw themselves at the police line in an attempt to break it, but as 1984 most content themselves with a token shove. With the lines of bobbies leaning on in support, the long shield line (some using their truncheons over their shields) holds and it is all over in less than a minute.

In 1984 the backdrop to this would have been the BSC coke plant, but with this long since disappeared into a huge open cast mine, the first part of the re-enactment was staged on ground very close by, behind Highfield Lane, the latter having changed very little since the day it was engulfed by the violent confrontation 17 years before.

Photo © Dick Clark.

Back to Orgreave picture gallery or account of the 1984 battle.

For more information about the battle and re-enactment, follow the links to:

Re-enacting the Battle of Orgreave    Account of the 1984 battle

Battle of Orgreave film review    Magazine article about the re-enactment  

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Page updated 7 April 2004