Brick Lane is a vital area for the National Front, In the General Martin Webster is contesting the Bethnal Green and Bow seat, which includes predominantly Bengali area of Spitalfields, John Tyndall is standing in adjacent Hackney South and Shoreditch constituency. The Hackney South includes Hoxton, an area the Front like to "theirs"
The selling of papers in Brick Lane is of great psychological importance to the Nazis, Uney their territory. a 50010 25 reminder that they have always had a presence in the are, an insult Bengair community and a challenge to who have been selling their literature, WHICH MICALLE effect, turther market.
FIGHTBACK But what has made Brick Lane a national issue and a national focus has been the determined fightback waged hy the Bengali community anti-fascists.
The role of the police and the been to stifle the towards self-organisation and the building of self-defence groups which taken place in the wake of the racist murders, But they have not succeeded, There has been a growing radicalisation Inside the Bengali community. especially amongst the youtn.
It was the Bengal: commumity. with the assistance of other Asian and West Inchan organisations in the area, who Sil-down in Brick Lane last Sunduy.
acialist Challenge 17 Augest 1978 Puge 4 SUNDAY 20 AUGUST will see a national day of action in defence of the embattled Bengali community London organiser racism onto a higher level with moved the struggle the historic strike Hackney and Tower Hamlets Defence Committee on Monday 17 July.
The occupation of Bethmal scal Green Road by thousands of demonstrators to demand the Telcase of their comrades after arrested during the march on 17 July example siE-defence in practice White anti-racist activity has been cestralised by the Anti Nazi League, which has been mobilising contingents tor the regular Sunday pickets.
Such actions must solidarise CATES the community in the organisation of its own sell-detence against the fascists.
Publicising the setting up of self-defence groups is imperARt ON WITCAC COROLE of the whole of the community for these proups and to explains to the local white community and how they can be involved Self-defence is not a question of self-appointed defending the area against the fascists. it must be a penine ahmaty, all or whom are mobilisation have affected by police harassment In two consecutive elections in Spitalfields, Socialist Unity obtained 20 per cent of the vote with other left-wing candidates also doing well. Many of these votes came from the community, Bengalis, lives slum bousing estates.
Local members
Interational Marxist Against the Nazis should De tornica to montos attacks on the estates, to stop black families, and to sound the The responsibility to build mass TOTAURODE! London against the action against the fascists in Brick Lane. For CUTTATETI Labour Parts adopt a Sunday for Brick Lane Women 1 groups, gay orgam should also organise contingents in the sanic nar The fight against and the fascists must also be taken intothe General Election anti-fascists itself the Front through the ANL. but by fighting for a positive. socialist alternative.
morning and aim to Bengali Council to the strugale and campaigns in the area has been They are willing to throw up their hands ab closure Hospita.
Robert Momefiore school, af the rundown of dockland.
But when organising and actually leading heavies action and using their weight in Labour Party support on an all-London and whole national scale, they do nothing The leader of the Council Paul Beasley, has condemned the National Front and even oined the sic-down in Brick self-defence, of the removal of the Special Patrol Group from white area, of lIke the re-housing for Asian families in run-down harassed off estates by wiste thugs, he is strangely silent.
Vol Similarly, Group SELES groups And colleague, Arthur Latham movenien. has La start, the Hengali community. and branches can committed Fighting Students: ampaign would b METICI Websler could be - not just by countering committed fightback against Brick Lang focus Tor Election campaign. hardly expect the Labour television to ignore il Brick Lanc militantALTERNATIVE horror at the Bethnal Green al the closure of Labour's policies socials movement and good.
mobilise HIRMINGHAM Anti Saturday But on the question of include Ali.
SONNED Mikardo can voice opposition to the Front and even prosecute the local NF for infringement of clectoral laws, but he hasn' called for an enquiry into police activity in the area — a deman Taken up by his Tribune grous And, of course, noncof then campaign against the racia immigration laws which lead to continual police harasment of Socialist Unity is already to supporting a them Navis! socialist candidate in Bethnal Green and think tenfold if agrecment reached all the Socialist Workers Party and all other individuals and proups .10 socialist is a national the anti-racist be their focus for the General We Can picis and Our task for the nest tig moathsis not only to help build mass self defence against the fasciss, bul when the General Election comes to wage lic broadest possible campaign for alternative the only basis on which we can clear the fascists our of the East End for Nazi League is organising a rally and march against the Nazis on September.
assembles al Handsworth Park at 12.30pm and will march to Victoria Square in the city centre. Speakers at the rally will Tom Litterick MP.
Paul Halborrow, and Tariq greater virgin pure.
PEPSI
received. features in Past.
Morning Stai very This doctored map of part of Middlesbrough was found in the toilets at the local AUEW Hall after members of the National Front attempted to disrupt an Anti Nazi League meetieg there. Is message is self-explanatory. And people wonder why we call more successes.
Budgen told us that although he was prepared to discuss the matier, he won't prejudge the findings of a court From some MPs there has been a nuch better response Many thanks to Audrey Wise for her ES, and to Tom Litterick who said be wouki write to the Home Secrelary for us Litterick roll us: •Since che aflair, Labour MP. found themselves extraordinary charges, there's 5718 the awareness that brave boys in blue are less than This feeling is not confined to Labour MPs, as is slown by the publicicy the campaign has There Have been the Birmingham Wolverhampton's Express and Star, and the The issue of racist violence is much alive in Wolver hampton A white tacist has just been on trial for attacking a black youth, and the magistrate was prepared to declare that this was an unprovoked racist Socialist Challenge/Socialist Voice Joint School "RACISM AND BLACK LIBERATION' La Potechnic of Central Tendo This school is jointly organised by Socialist Challenge and Socialist Voice newspapers. Its aim is to start a urich needed discussion amongst revolutionaries on the strategy to fight racisn and for black liberation.
The açcuda will include sessions on "Racism and the State"
'How to fight racisms on various aspects of racism and sessions on the politics of the black communities The school is open to all supporters of Socialist Challenge and Socialist Voice. For details contact your local Socialist Challenge Group or Socialist Voice sellers. MIDDLESBROUGH The conunital procoding for another defendant, David opened this week. and several black youth clubs have been leafleted to ensure that a large picket will be there to The ANL 5 sponsoring a national speaking lour for Stevens, and meetings have already beer arranged Birmingham, , Preston, Boltan. Liverpool, Bristol, Southamp lon, and Hampstead Much work still needs to be done. The campaien must now be made a national issue. Make sure it is an item on the agenda YOUT local ANI. and anti-racist commutter.
The trials will not begin util September or Octoher, so He need to maintain the momentunt of the campaign thar we build up. For that we need your support - and cash Defence Campaigr c/o Student Union. Wion Poly Wolverhampion.
assalant secrets Temple, Wren. Bot Bel UT thor of Destiny; Councilior N Davis 2/3 September, a Black *, as well as workshops
----- pull-quotes -----
of Brick Lane in London's East End. area, take a look at what is at stake.
International Marxist Group, and HILDA KEAN, twice Socialist Unity candidate for the Brick Lane
RESPONSE The response of local MP lan
defence Make this a national campaign! THE DAVE STEVENS defence campaigo continues, reports CHRIS ROSEBLADE. Some failures — bus
Among the failures, It grieves us to report that the Hon Nicholas Budgen, Tory MP for Wolverhampton SW, will not be sponsoring our campaign.