Tories Crush Right to March

Scan page 12

The blows and kicks of the Metropolitan Police against pro-Bobby Sands demonstrators have given the sharpest possible lesson on the meaning of state bans 'against the fascists' Abstract theoretical points have a way of being quickly transformed into real physical attacks on workers and socialists.

That was exactly what happened in Kilburn Con Saturday April 26 when 38 people were arrested and several more put in hospital as police attacked a demonstration in support of political status.

Ill prepared

The demonstration had been ill prepared and the ban announced scarcely 48 hours earlier had cut the numbers to no more than 500.

Under 'normal' circumstances, to attempt to march through the police with such numbers would have been wrong.

But these were not normal circumstances. The Irish march was only the second to be afiected in London by the ban, apart from the fascist march itself which took place, heavily defended by police, outside the GLC limits. The ban had to be challenged.

As police lined both ends of the road the demonstrators poured through a garage forecourt and began to run up Kilburn. High St. Within 100 yards they were cut off and surrounded. The demonstrators then sat down in the road (a mistake) and police trampled in.

nC Out of the 32 arrests at Kilburn, about halt happened during this briet confrontation. The rest came as the demonstrators were retreating in disorder to the tube station followed by arrogant and angry (they had been caught off guard) police raining blows on the back ranks and arresting at random.

March of The demonstrators made their way in ones and twos to Downing Street from where they were driven te the Embankment.

Then, with about 250 lined up, a march of sorts took place along the embankment for about a quarter of a mile before police broke it up.

A further six arrests were made in these last two phases of the demonstration.

Notably, none of the 40 odd arrested have been charged under the section of the Public Order Act which deals with the state bans. All the charges are for obstructing the highway or the police or threatening and insulting behaviour.

Socialist Press has long argued against state bans on the fascists as being inevitPolice break up Saturday's ably used against the left. The relish with which the Met enforced the ban on the political Status march demonstrated the truth of that in a way which left several demonstrators in hospital.

State bans will not stop the fascists. Only the mobilisation of workers against the fascists will drive them off the streets.

The month-long ban London is a major attack workers' rights. It must challenged.