The Battle of Orgreave

Violent confrontation: Having forced the pickets over the railway line and captured the bridge, the police line comes under severe bombardment from a mass of “missiles”. A car is set alight and the miners, standing within the confines of the narrow road, form a solid phalanx of angry men.

Short Shield officers launch three limited charges to try to clear the demonstrators away, but every time they retire they are followed up and a new barrage of missiles begins. Only a fourth, much more determined charge succeeds in driving the miners up Highfield Lane and into the village itself.

Braving the “incoming fire”, Mike Figgis stands on a bridge pillar, filming the very convincing action. For many participants (including Howard Giles, directing the action from just behind the front rank of long shields and Ian Castle, the Assistant Event Director co-ordinating from within the ranks of the miners), this was the most realistic re-enactment they had ever witnessed.

Top left, a "stone" flies through the air towards the police lines.

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