G8 SUMMIT

With 1,000 officers involved from 23 counties, riot vans, squad cars and bikes involved in policing the opening day of the G8 summit at Breadsall Priory, it was clear that potential for trouble had been taken seriously. Hordes of anti-G8 protesters were expected to turn their attention to Derby after officers turned the golf and country club into a fortress. The focal point would be the Market Place and the city had prepared itself for the worst. Memorials and statues were boarded up, shops were advised to barricade windows and a huge area of the Market Place was cordoned off with railings to keep crowds at bay. Teams of police officers stood on every corner, riot vans were standing by and no doubt the cells at St Mary's Wharf police station were being prepared.

But instead of a sea of faces, waving placards and chanting vociferously, there were swathes of empty space. The protesters had been due to start arriving at 11am. At 10.30am, the police were already in position in the Market Place. Extra security from Showsec, which is more used to marshalling pop concerts, had also been brought in. Also waiting patiently was the media pack, people from radio and TV stations pacing around with microphones and cameras. The first protesters to arrive were from the Derby branch of Friends of the Earth, about a dozen of them. Their first act was to unfurl a banner on the steps of the Council House which read, "Tony Blair, he's all hot air; roads and airports everywhere. Stop climate hypocrisy."

At 11am, the number of chimes emanating from the Market Hall clock, still roughly matched the number of protesters in the Market Place. There was also a procession of cyclists coming from the railway station to boost the numbers. Sure enough, the mounted cavalry of campaigners arrived, coming down the Morledge, flanked by squad cars and police bikes, sirens blaring. The 30 or so riders came into view, turned left into Albert Street, avoiding the Market Place and were not seen again. Dribs and drabs started to arrive. By about noon, about 100 or so had converged in the corner of the Market Place near the Tourist Information Centre and took out their banners. The police just watched impassively, there really was nothing for them to do.

The majority of Derby people who had stopped to watch seemed pretty bemused. Many of them were sympathetic to the cause of the protesters but could not help asking why there were so many police. One bystander seemed to sum up the scene, "It's like using a steamroller to crush a walnut." It was not just the Derby public who felt that the level of policing was over the top. Some of the protesters were taken aback. "There's definitely a certain amount of hysteria whenever anyone hears that there's going to be a protest," said Hannah Jones of People and Planet, which has a Derby branch. When a folk band struck up and a street theatre performance began, it seemed unlikely that anarchy was about to break out.

The protesters who had turned up all seemed genuine enough in their intentions. But according to Derbyshire assistant chief constable Mick Creedon, the level of policing was justified and acted as a deterrent to those intent on causing trouble. "We've had contact from a number of the more radical groups who, due to our policing, decided not to come," he said. "There have been groups of people who came here by train, had a look, and decided that, because of the police presence, there was no point in them being here. Our intention was never to stop protesters coming. It was to say, 'If you're going to have your protest, there are certain ways you're going to have to do it'. By putting out a strong presence, by being reasonably robust and by telling people what we'd planned, it's helped us to turn away those few people who did plan to cause trouble."

They may have been discussing matters of global importance, but the G8 meeting has cost taxpayers the earth. Coming in at up to £2m, the policing bill equates to £4,166 for every minute which the eight-hour summit lasts. Clearly, closeting the eight representatives of the world's richest nations behind a ring of steel at Breadsall Priory, and guarding them with an army of 1,000 police officers, does not come cheap. In addition, roads and schools were closed, statues boarded up and businesses protected by security guards. Police intelligence suggested up to 5,000 protesters were expected. But in the end, only 100 showed up and members of the public were left questioning the quality of the police information.

Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett defended the cost of the police operation for the G8 summit. She said the conference was a great success and reflected well on Derbyshire. Well she would, wouldn't she? She said, "The reason that there were so few problems was that the police made it clear that there would be a level of policing that meant such problems would be dealt with."

(Source: Derby Evening Telegraph)