The Sunday Times Reporting
City anarchists stockpile arms October 17 1999
By Edin Hamzic ('additional' reporting by Mark Macaskill)ANARCHISTS are stockpiling illegal weapons worth thousands of pounds, including tear gas and stun guns, for a planned riot in the City of London on November 30. In two separate transactions in the past six weeks, at least 34 containers of CS gas and four stun guns capable of delivering a 50,000-volt electric shock were purchased by Reclaim the Streets - one of the groups that wrecked property worth £2m in the June 18 "carnival against global capitalism" in the City. Both transactions took place in north London.
The weapons, which are illegal to buy and possess under the firearms act and carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment, were imported from France and sold by a gang of nightclub doormen working in the Euston and Camden Town areas. On the black market, CS gas canisters cost £35 each and stun guns sell for £200-£300.
The revelation is certain to outrage many of the anarchists' sympathisers, who support the cause but do not approve of the increasingly violent tactics used by groups such as Reclaim the Streets and Earth First.
In previous protests, wooden bars and bricks have been used in spontaneous clashes with police. This is the first evidence of dangerous weapons being stockpiled for campaigns.
Detective Chief Inspector Kieron Sharp of City police, who is heading the investigation into the June 18 riot, said he was concerned but not surprised by the purchases. "This is a new and dangerous trend and we are taking it very seriously. I will be notifying the relevant forces of this," he added.
Sharp said the police would do everything in their power to protect officers from attack. "They are obviously getting ready for a big one. They wouldn't waste the surprise on an ordinary street protest. It fits in with the way these groups are becoming increasingly militant. We will work hard to reduce risk to our officers."
Last month The Sunday Times revealed that the November protest, dubbed N30, is planned to mirror the riot that occurred on June 18 (J18), targeting banks and other financial institutions in the City.
Anarchist groups, including Reclaim the Streets and Earth First, which co-ordinated the J18 action, have been in contact with their American counterparts to launch a simultaneous campaign on November 30, making it one of the biggest militant protests ever organised.
The date has been chosen to coincide with the meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Seattle, Washington, to be attended by representatives of 150 countries.
The J18 day of action, billed as an international "carnival against capitalism", turned into a violent demonstration that left more than 40 people injured and caused widespread damage to property.
The worst violence occurred at the Liffe futures exchange building and nearby Rabobank, where windows were smashed and offices wrecked. A McDonald's outlet and a Mercedes-Benz dealership were also vandalised.
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