The Battle of Saltley Gate was a violent confrontation in February 1972 during the 1972 UK miners' strike. It was a famous victory for the striking coal miners. It involved thousands of flying pickets of miners trying to block lorry drivers who were protected by hundreds of police. It happened at the West Midlands Gas Board coking works in Saltley, near Birmingham. The miners tried to stop the movement of coke hauled by non-union drivers. The highly publicized conflict was a victory for the miners and became a heroic memory in labour union lore, especially as recounted by strike leader Arthur Scargill.