Charges!! Workers Photo: Lau Squatter

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CACTL picket outside trial of first CTL prosecution THE CACTL picket outsia An effective Campaign against the Criminal Trespass Law is vitally needed by the working class in defence of the tactic of "occupation"

The Criminal Trespass Law (part two of the Criminal Law Act 1977) became enforceable on 1 December 1977 and creates five new criminal offences relating to trespass.

It threatens with jail and heavy fines those taking part in any form of occupation, squat, work-in or sit-in and gives the police new powers to enter and search (without a warrant) in support of an arrest on the grounds of suspicion that one of the five new crimes has been committed.

It provides for jail sentences of up to six months and fines of up to £100.

The aim of this law is to try to deter the working class from fighting back against cuts, unemploymenı and falling living standards "The Criminal Trespass Law must also be set against the increasing and deliberate use of the powers of Parliament, police and the courts to attack the ability of our movement to organise and demonstrate.

66 ... The line of development is clear and it is equally clear that the movement must prevent it continuing and must be resolved to oppose attempts to develop the use of the law against organised working class action."

CACTL leaflet We endorse what is written here by CACTL about the Criminal Trespass Law.

More than leaflets Unfortunately the fight against such pernicious laws require a lot more than just words and leaflets.

The recent CACTL conference, like so many others unfortunately illustrated the inability of the CACTL committee to give any real direction or effective programme to the labour movement as to how to defeat the Act.

We acknowledge the extremely valuable work CACTL has done in providing information on the implications of the new They have given some real help to occupations, when they occur, through legal advice, organisational assistance and by putting them in touch with previous occupations which have practical experience to contribute.

Experience shows that if sections of the movement sayiwi.

Jl prosecution • PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report are not 'educated' on the Criminal Trespass Law and shown its limitations and how to use them, then they enter into occupation illprepared.

Such a position makes them likely to fall victim to the Criminal Trespass Law.

Precedents

One example of this was the occupation of Smiths Crisp factory at Aintree.

The more the Criminal Trespass Law is implemented unchallenged, the more the forces of the State will have precedents and credibility to refer to.

This will encourage them to widen interpretations of the Act and introduce more repressive legislation.

The key question is therefore to stop the CTL from being used and make it impotent as part of a fight for its repeal. This cannot be done by simply advising occupiers or squatters to read Workplace occupations anough it is as a legai guident and On numerous occasions, occupations have become, through CACIL, extremely well versed on the Criminal Trespass Law, but that has not stopped these occupations being smashed through the state machinery of the courts, as was the case in both Huntley Street and the South Oxford Nursery.

General advice

It is no good just offering general advice about local occupations receiving all possible assistance from the labour movement.

The crucial point that only the threat of indefinite strike action in support of occupations is an effective

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