The Sunday Reflection #21 - Honesty is not always the best policy, is it?

 With the recent rise in racism in the UK, my mind has frequently drifted back to the 1970's, Rock Against Racism and The Anto Nazi League. One of my key memories was attending a RAR/ANL rally in Trafalger Square, then marching to Brixton to watch a RAR music festival. I'd not realised what a long way it was until we did the march. The date was 24 September 1978. I was sixteen. The bands were Elvis Costello and The Attractions, Aswad, Misty in Roots and Stiff Little Fingers. A line up for free that I'd pay decent money to watch even today. Approx 100,000 people did the seven mile march, which seemed to take hours. The route  was lined with policemen, in their lovely pointed hats, most of whom spent the time scowling at us. I've always been proud to associate myself with RAR, but to this day I feel a sense of shame about something that happened en route. We'd been walking for what seemed like a couple of hours, when I saw a tennis ball on the ground. I picked it up and was juggling it. I was walking with y Mate Pete Conway, and he bet me a fiver that I couldn't knock off a policemans hat with it. As luck would have it, as he said it, there were a group of coppers having a conflab and not looking at us. I had a swift gander and realised that the coast was clear. I had a pretty good throw back then, and managed to knock his hat clean off. There was a big cheer from the crowd.

What happened next was perhaps the most shameful thing I've ever seen. The copper, turned around, red faced and angry. He pointed at a random member of the crowd, and exclaimed "Nick him, he threw a brick at me". The poor chap was in his 30's and looked like a geography teacher. Immediately, he was swamped by police punching him and was dragged off into the back of a van. We were completely stunned. Out of nowhere, hundreds of police appeared, giving the message that they'd give short shrift to anyone arguing.

I immediately felt terrible. It was all my fault. However, having seen the reaction of the police, I took the cowardly option and let someone take the rap. Given that the copper had clearly lied, I felt my cowardice was sensible. Once we'd got through, Pete thought it was hilarious and took great delight in sharing the story. To this day, I've wondered what happened to the poor chap who got nicked. Was he just duffed up and released? Was he charged with assualting a police officer. The press reported that some people at the march had been arrested for various offences, but there was nothing specific. The poor chap who got arrested would now be 75-90 judging by his look. I've always wanted to apologise, but I have to say that the response of the police was so savage that I really didn't think it wise to own up.

About six months later, I recounted the story to a mate of mine's Dad who was a senior officer, changing one detail. I said it was a mate of mine. I expected him to be disgusted at the behaviour of the police. His reaction was the opposite of what I expected. He demanded that I name the culprit, as the incident was an assault on a police officer. He wasn't in the least bit interested in the overraction of the police. He stated that if the officer thought it was a brick and though he saw the culprot, the police did the correct thing. He also stated that the best way to 'control a rowdy crowd was to go in hard'. To me, it completely undermined my faith in the Police. 

To this day, I've been conflicted as to what happened. I had no intention of harming anyone. I naively thought the police would find it funny. It certainly didn't occur to me that it was an assault. I am still horrified that my actions caused someone to get beaten up and possibly get a criminal record. I'd love to get the chance to apologise. I often wonder about the policeman. Did he really believe it was a brick. The whole crowd pointed to the tennis ball. The chap had friends, who were incandescent with anger, but were cowed into submission by the police reaction. If it went to court, I am sure they would have told the truth. I wonder if the policeman lied. 

As I've got older, there are a few things that I feel I should atone for, in some way. With this incident, I'd love to but I don't really know where to start. Maybe the poor chap or one of his friends may read this. As for the policeman. I hope that he also feels a bit of shame. I've wondered if he ever gave it a second thought. He clearly didn't like anti racists.

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My band, The False Dots have always been proud to support Rock Against Racism. We are hoping to play a gig for them at The Dublin Castle in the near future. Here is a little taster of what we sound like.