Identi.ca Timeline:
This timeline is how I experiences the demonstration in Utrecht on the 1st of May 2011. I did not see everything and some people had a slightly different view on what happened. At the end I’m reporting information I receive at the first-aid.
- 12:40, today: 1st of may demonstration in #utrecht
- 14:17, #police not letting out demonstrators into the demo it seems.
- 14:21, demonstrators now going to the bus to fetch fellow demonstrators
- 14:25, which seems to have worked quite well #1maydemo cops demand that there is no face coverings. so no burcas allowed.
- 14:32, announcement by ‘doorbraak’ expressing solidarity with loads of workersgroups. #1maydemo and a small clash about a banner
- 14:37, demo wants to walk, #police stops them due to headcoverings. now a standoff it seems. #1maydemo
- 14:39, demo is walking into the horses. #1maydemo
- 14:47, demo is on the move, took some clashes. #1maydemo #utrecht
- 14:54, ME arrived #1maydemo #utrecht looking grimm
- 14:57, #1maydemo #utrecht standoff between 200 demonstrators and #police problem is a personhigh banner
- 15:01, banner is moving, police took stuff from demonstrators without giving info or id. #1maydemo #utrecht
- 15:08, #police took someone from the demo romeos around, clashes with cops and bystanders demo surrounded lots of police violence #utrecht
- 15:09, 3 arrested atleast one bystander #1maydemo #utrecht
- 15:12, #police checking people at random for #press cards
- 15:20, #1maydemo #police has new demands, all banners need to be checked by one of their specialists on strength #utrecht
- 15:30, banners are checked, #demonstration still not allowed to move. #police in civilian (romeos) on the hunt #1maydemo #utrecht
- 15:31, #police arrested someone in the demo with lots violence. demo still not allowed to move. #1maydemo #utrecht
- 15:34, newest demand from the #police they want to check everyone for weapons individually #1maydemo #utrecht
- 15:37, police-spokes-people from the demo sick of police demands and no longer see use in talking. #1maydemo #utrecht
- 15:49, #1maydemo still not allowed to move, #police hitting bystanders with longstick. #utrecht
- 15:51, #1maydemo demands it wants to walk, all bystanders shouting and clapping in support #utrecht
- 15:53, more riotcops arrive, romeos mingle between bystanders. #police has demo surrounded. #1maydemo #utrecht
- 15:57, a surrounded by riotcops demo is allowed to move, banners hardly visisble #1maydemo
- 16:02, about 14 riotvans 10-12 horses loads of riotcops, cops on bikes, massive #police force #1maydemo #utrecht
- 16:14, firstaid not allowed in the demo help a demonstrator #1maydemo #utrecht
- 16:18, demonstrator is allowed out of the demo under guidance of 2 cops to get first aid #1maydemo #utrecht
- 16:20, nobody allowed in or out the demo it seems. #1maydemo #utrecht
- 16:24, demo is lined by 2 rows of cops, riotcops on the inside, regular cops on the outside, front and back covered by horses and vans. #1maydemo
- 16:42, demo not allowed to move, its unclear why. more demands? #1maydemo #utrecht
- 16:48, demo moves again, one extremely violent arrest, police throwing their garbage around #1maydemo #utrecht
- 16:57, even more riotcops arrive. it’s like a walking prison, #1maydemo #utrecht
- 16:11, rumour is they want arrest anotherone for insulting a cop. #1maydemo #utrecht
- 16:18, 2 more violent arrests. #1maydemo #utrecht
- 16:55, yours truly screwed up his toe en left the demo for a while to get some first aid.
- 16:58, apparently already demonstrators in the hospital. hit on the eye with a stick and a seriously broken arm #1maydemo #utrecht
- 17:01, theres also the @1meidemoUtrecht twitter feed in dutch #1maydemo #utrecht
- 17:14, I hear the demo is over and people are allowed to go home, there is a count of 16 arrested #1maydemo #utrecht
- 17:39, after demo, some demonstrators getting arrested on the streets #1maydemo #utrecht one arrested freed with apology
- 17:50, one arrested freed with some ‘apology’ and a story that she should be happy with cops, else she might get raped… #1maydemo #utrecht
- 18:36, atleast 2 photographers arrested #1maydemo #press
There was also a dutch twitter feed from people involved in the demo: https://twitter.com/#!/1meidemoUtrecht
At night there where only 6 of the 11? arrested still in prison. Some where quite quickly released after they couldn’t find any charges for them.From the stories I heard where people where describing the actions from the ‘romeos’ (arrest teams clothed in civilian clothing), it appears they where besides looking for specific individuals also just attacking weak-spots.