It relates to the Battle of Orgreave during the UK miners' strike, with Mark Knopfler remarking on how the police charge on horseback into the crowd of striking miners had reminded him of the savagery of medieval times.
The reference to the Battle of Orgreave is situated within the context of the UK miners' strike, where Mark Knopfler drew an analogy between the police's mounted charge and the savagery of medieval times.