The Rally

 

EXT. PARK.DAY

There is a rally going on in the park. We can’t see what it is about but can hear general whoops and cheers and the crowd is made up mainly of students and girls and boys with pastel hair and piercings.

The police are also present, trying to stand back a little but at the same time exert their presence. The crowd seems not to notice they are there. The atmosphere overall could be described as disgruntled; calm but annoyed, unforgiving faces. Cheers and whoops seem to get a little louder.

Two police officers stand side by side within the loose semi-circle. PC Jones (early 20s baby faced, white) and PC Singh (late 20s, Asian) have been buddied up as Jones is a new recruit and Singh a PC for five years. PC Singh looks wired and his face is scanning the park for anything - clues, dangers, faces etc. PC Jones looks petrified, as if he would rather be anywhere othe than here

 

PC JONES

Do these things ever just...turn?

 

PC SINGH

Oh yeah, you’d be surprised. See those SJWs - it stands for Social Justice Warrior - you’ve got to watch them. They love a bit of trouble, getting dragged off and arrested, getting their mates to put it on instagram.

 

PC JONES

Really..? I wouldn’t have thought...Why?

 

PC SINGH

They all want to shout about their rights and how bad their lives are and how they’re victimised for... I don’t know, having green hair, wanting to identify as working class, whatever. They haven’t got a fucking clue

 

PC Jones listens intently, eager to learn but keen to disappear too

 

PC SINGH

Yeah, you’ve got to be really careful ‘cos they’ll have you if you don’t do everything by the book. They’ll go crying to daddy, who’s most likely a solicitor, and you’ll end up in trouble for doing nothing more than your job

 

PC Jones, wide-eyed, shocked.

PC JONES

I’ll keep that in mind. I mean, you don’t think that’ll happen, today do you? I’ve only had one session on crowd control, don’t think I’d...

 

PC SINGH

You’ll be fine, don’t panic if it does.

 

Pause as he watches in silence for a few moments

 

PC SINGH

Here, see those two over there? In black? How old are they? 30s? They’re not students. Give it 10 minutes and they’ll start something. And I’ll be fucking ready

 

PC JONES

What, what will I have to do? My mind’s gone blank. Shit, I should have had a piss before we left the unit. I don’t think I can hold on, what should I do?

 

PC SINGH

Calm down Jones. I got a bottle right in my face, at a fucking BNP march they sent me to, for my first one. Bastards. But I was ok. You’ll be alright, just stay close if they kick off.

 

PC Jones looks visibly worried now, and squirming from foot to foot as he needs to use a toilet.

PC JONES

My mum was talking about, what do they call them? “SJWs” this morning, something she’d read in the paper...should have listened.

 

Pause as he tries to make a joke of it, conspiritorially.

 

PC JONES

You know, Daily Mail stuff. She loves it, pure Brexit my mum.

 

PC SINGH

Hey, don’t knock it, your mum might have a point. Nothing wrong with a country wanting to “take back control,” now is there, Jones?

 

PC Jones can’t think of a response. Eyes just dart around, and he hops from leg to leg. PC Singh raises his eyes to heaven and goes back to surveying the crowd carefully