Echoes of Conflict: Police Testimonies and the Politics of Memory

• In Event: Historical Perspectives on Policing

Abstract

This paper explores how former police officers recall their experiences at the Battle of Orgreave, a violent confrontation between striking coal miners and police in England and Wales on 18 June 1984. Taking place during the national miners’ strike against pit closures, Orgreave has become a symbol of state violence and unresolved historical injustice. While media and official accounts in England and Wales have largely prioritised the voices of miners, the perspectives of police officers have remained absent or tightly controlled. Drawing on new oral history interviews with former officers, this research examines how personal memories diverge from institutional narratives, and how time, trauma, and social change shape these recollections. The paper also reflects on the ethical challenges of gathering testimonies from participants in politically charged events, including issues of anonymity, data protection, and psychological harm. By amplifying police officers’ voices—often silenced both during and after service—the project offers a fuller understanding of the emotional and political complexity of Orgreave and contributes to broader debates about memory, justice, and truth-telling in histories of state conflict.

Authors

• Kate Moss, University of Derby

• Emily Gray, University of Warwick