*IN THIS country there is one law for the victims of racist attacks, and another for those who commit them.' This is Mrs Ahmad from Newham, East London, believes, and she speaks from bitter experience. Her husband, a Ford worker, found himself in the dock for assault after being on the receiving end of fascist abuse and violence.
The Newham Defence Committee brought the case to light: *Mr Ahmad often abused. Bricks have thrown through his The police said they could do nothing unless Ahmad could identify his attackers.
'On window WaS Ahmad caught one of the youths and called the police.
*The youth's parents arrived and shouted racist abuse at Mr Ahmad, who locked his front door. The father broke another wIndow, Smashed door, and threatened Ahmad with a knife.
*When the police arrived they took a statement from youth's parents Ahmad. Two days later West Ham police charged Mr Ahmad with assault.' A week later Mr Ahmad's been home was attacked again. He been was beaten and had to spend injuries.
In spite of clear evidence it took three weeks for the police to arrest the racist. Meanwhile Mr Ahmad still faced the assault previous incident.
His case unique. The Newham Asian Federation and the Anti Nazi League alone have recorded the over 50 cases of harassment and Mrs attacks on black Newham, and doubtless there have been many more. the This has led to increasing accusing ME recognition that the community has to be mobilised to defend itself.
So in mid-November the Newham Defence Committee was formed. Initially backed by the Indian Workers tion (GB)
Socialists Alliance, it has since WIGE individual Asians as well as the Newham Asian The Steering charges from the Asian Newham ANL. was far mobilise the SUCUUIC black against Mr Ahmad.
AssociaBlack distributed within support community, Workers Federation, them to black Committee of Dagenham.
Organisations, and Championing the stand that "self-defence is no offence', the Defence Committee began to by holding a picket of West Ham police station to demand the release of the Virk brothers -jailed for defending themselves against an attack by racists and the dropping of charges About 120 people were there - mainly local black residents but also a small contingent of supporters from Newham ANL and the Ford Workers Group.
Ten thousand leaflets were the black and the Ford Group helped get workers On the basis of such work the Defence Committee was able to call an impressive picket of West Ham Magistrates Court when Mr Ahmad's case came up on 8 January. Mr Ahmad was cleared, but the magistrate still tried to justify the bringing of the case by the police.
The Defence Committee is now planning to picket the appeal by one of the Virk brothers. As they say on their leaflet summing up the lessons of the Ahmad case:
If black people are to defend themselves...the whole of the black Сонина mobilised."