3am In Whitley Poem by Geoff Smith

Twenty maddening minutes
at chucking out time
three am in Whitley
blood awash on the ground

Punches fly
noses bleed
poor souls prepare
driven to the cells

Man on ground
‘fighting' continues
pavement dragged across
‘resisting' arrest

Wouldn't couldn't get up
laid helpless on tarmac cold
two more nazi coppers laid in
practicing footie kickabout

‘Back off' ‘Back off'
shouted to agitated crowd
of revellers spectators
watching horror scene unfold

As crowd backs off
but batons are drawn
hits to the heads
aloft like drawn lead

Red marks heavy upon the skull
ears stinging eyes frightened
upon innocent young lady
wrong place and time

Pushed gone to earth
ground down by
batons drawn
Police all around

Bouncers from nightclub
witness the scene
of overreaction
from waiting police mean

Adrenaline flowing
man swears back
three men in black shirts
give chase up side street

Hating to think
what would happen
little witness to the police
no protecting his back

Two officers atop
a man on the ground
three more pile in
cheering clapping aloud

Hands tight round throat
not a holding technique
you'll find in their training
only learnt on the street

The girl is drunk
very angry now
her boyfriend arrested
complaining aloud

Swearing and ranting
authority challenged enough
putting her quickly into cuffs
hopped skipped to waiting car

Across cold tarmac road
face down on bonnet
stripped of all dignity
flashing the fishnet

Copper takes it in the face
full on pepper spray
Stinging eyes
Street pastors aid

Face chucked water
streaming tears
helped to car
seat comfy awaits

Recovering shortly later
copper wants to chat
never taken his own medicine
well he got some back

‘Lady' cop gobbing
flem on the ground
senior officer rolling his eyes with shame
‘not ladylike' says he's very inane

Holly approaches asking
for my last tab and lighter
someone to talk too, hug
about the scene she has seen

Bravely enough asking another officer
details complaints procedure
about the anonymous nosher
who incited the crowd

Crowd dissipates
taxis awaiting arriving
slowly dwindling
departing destinations anew

Central Newcastle backup
arrive en mass
three more panda's
dog van and their masks

Little too late
dawn breaking waters wide
stretched on horizon
this bank holiday prize