fists in clenched Salutes defiance to the fascists and chanted: Shash National Front'. By the time the demonstration reached its end the 1500 marchers had become 3000.
Along every street, passing anti-racist pamphlets were bought.
Despite the success of the its blemishes. coach from London never got to the demonstration. When it got near the assembly place it on about the police stopping the marchers getting near the not Was coach were therefore diverted One away from the demonstration and sent off to shout abusive slogans at the NF. tarian idiocy, simply to boost weakned and ignored At the end of the demonspokesperson bemoaned the stunt has publicise present al the carnival.
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1112 about February/March 1977 The Metropolitan Police are out for revenge. The events in Notting Hill last summer were such a blow to their denity that ther have created an edifice of flimsy charges against 18 black youths from the Islington area, most of whom were These ridiculous charges consist of phrases like 'conspiracy to rob' 'on a day unknown' . In Wollan unknown'. other words, the police have scaled new heights of technology in being able to penetrate the thoughts and minds of young blacks in IslingThey are no longer bothering to accuse their victims of having done anything in particular; they simply know that the youths were thinkdoing it. 1984 has did happen arrived a few years early mind police are already here!
The use of the 'conspiracy' charge has a well-known precedent in the case of the Shrewsbury Two. But the police now seem to be turning to its use as an alternative equally vague charge on ball. "being a suspected person', which was the favourite allcharge against young summer.
The "sus" charge is part of the century, and used to be known as "loitering with intent'. But it is only a minor offence, which is dealt with in local magistrates courts, whereas 'conspiracy' to do anything carries a maximum penUNLAWFUL The police have used the seriousness of this charge as a carte blanche for all sorts of unlawtu practices: they kept the youths, most of whom are about 17 years old, in custody for two or three days, not allowing them to see lawyers or parents, so that the kids would be sufficiently pressurised and isolated to provide the names of their friends - which is what The police then burst into the DEFENCE homes and even work-places of these friends to arrest them, like a posse of cowboys bent on 'cleaning up the town'. All defendants were refused bail initially.
The Parents Defence Group, which now includes most of the parents of the accused, has suc ceeded in getting half of them out but the remaining nine have been in custody since November - and the trial at the Old Balley is not expectea unt tae This Defence Group marks a many black parchts, who often believe that it is the bad company their kids keep which gets them into trouble. The gross behaviour of the police and the grotesque nature of these charges has made them indignant.
The initial reaction of a handful of parents concerned about their own children is now developing into a wider concern that the polic should not be allowed to ride roughshod over black people in general. The Defence Group now recognises the need for a stronge parents' movement, and they have called a meeting to organise future actions and to discuss ways of strengthening resistance to police oppression.
Local anti-racist groups and organisations should not only offer their own support for these initiatives, but should also attempt to win recognition for the right of black people to organise themselves in their own defence.
SUE ASPINALL * MEETING: Tuesday 15 March 7.30pm. Manor Gardens Library Islington, London.