East End campaigner and G Galloway party activist Carole Swords arrested!
By© Muhammad Haque/AADHIKARonline2007
AADHIKARonline Updater note at 1650 Hrs GMT Thursday 9 August 2007
Bethnal Green and Bow MP George Galloway were set to arrive at the Shadwell polling station where Carole Swords had been arrested earlier this afternoon.
Already, one of the RESPECT group councillors, Oliur Rahman arrived at the polling station about 50 minutes after Carole Sword had been arrested. He was very upset and wanted to know from the police what exactly they thought they were doing.
Dennis Flood said,' Police nick a granny at Shadwell! What an encouragement to democracy!
Another observer said that the police were treating the Bigland Street police station in Shadwell as if a riot was about to break out, rather than people coming in large numbers to cast their votes and others standing around in large numbers to do their canvassing...
[More on the AADHIKARonline main news sites after 2100 Hrs GMT today Thursday 9 August 2007]
East End constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow MP George Galloway ‘RESPECT’ party activist and well known campaigner for the protection of public sector provisions in the East End and for a democratic Tower Hamlets Council Carole Swords was arrested in the East End of London outside polling station being used for today’s council by-election for a vacant seat in the Shadwell Ward.
By© Muhammad Haque
1620 Hrs GMT
London Thursday 9 August 2007
Police arrested Carole Swords outside a Polling station in the Bigland Street in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets this afternoon. The time was approximately 3.40 PM [1440 Hrs GMT]
‘You’re breaking my arm, Muhammad, they’re breaking my arm… you’re breaking my arm…’ were the words that I could hear as I stood by when more than one ;police officers physically restrained Carole Swords and pushed her into the police van.
The arrest took place in front of dozens of onlookers. I did not see anything until after I heard Carole’s screams and her calling my name out as she was being pushed into the van.
While in the van, she was still complaining that they were hurting her arm.
Seconds beforehand, I could see Carole’s arm being held with force by an officer.
The Police explained that they were using reasonable force.
The Police van left the scene with several police officers in it.
Shortly afterwards, I spoke to Sgt Andy Fittes who said that the arrest was necessary to keep order. He asked me if I had been to any other polling station. He said that no other polling station had so many people like the Bigland Street one. I asked Sgt Andy Fittes if it had been necessary to arrest Carole. He said that she would 'be alright'.
Carole’s co-campaigner for the defence of Council Housing in the East End, Dennis Flood, was one of dozens of people who soon expressed their dismay at the arrest. Dennis Flood said that one of Carole Swords' arms had been giving her bad pain recently and she might have been referring to that when she kept saying that they were hurting 'breaking my arm'.
KHOODEELAAR! No to Crossrail hole plot campaign had conducted a video interview with Carole Swords only a short while before her arrest.
To view that video and a KHOODEELAAR! Profile of Carole Swords, visit the news pages of KHOODEELAAR.com overnight [9-10 August 2007]
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