Coventry-all out May 23! Drive the fascists off the

Scan page 6

potent symbols of black that will drive resistance, but that spirit off the streets.

The united strength of draw their forces from all black youth and the labour sections of the working class, movement is the only force and must include white A demonstration in the centre of Coventry on Saturday 2 May to protest at the racist murder of Satnam Gill, and keep the fascist gangs out, provoked the fury of the local press and police force.

Besides making a number of arrests they accused the anti-racist defence committee of trying to cause a race riot.

Right wing Labour councillors and the race relations industry rushed in to try to demobilise the response of the black youth and workers but in so doing they were: forced to admit that there had been thirty racist attacks in the city in April alone.

•The anti-fascist movement continues to grow despite the manoeuvres of the reformists in the black community and the labour movement.

There are two strands in the development • of the movement. The Coventry Committee Against Racism that has called the demonstration is umbrella organisation that encompasses everyone from the Stalinists to religious groups and even Conservative Associations.

The anti-racist Defence Committee is made up largely of black youth whose anger and militancy make them reject the tired old formulae of pacifist protest.

Commitment

The first steps in making links with the labour movement have so far been achieved in the rally on Saturday 9 May.

Three rebel councillors, a Trades Council representative and the IWA were amongst the speakers from the platform who expressed their commitment to the anti-fascist struggle.

Independent of both of these are the autonomous cultural organisations, some of which organise the physical defence of their own members in the community.

While the old network of the Anti Nazi League is almost defunct and there is no strong organisation in its place, the fascists are directing work around gangs of unemployed youth that exist all over Coventry..

With the sudden and huge growth of unemployment in Coventry there is no doubt that the BM and other fascist groups have chosen it as a major target for their activities.

The task for those who seek to intervene in the struggles of the working class with a revolutionary programme and a perspective for winning those struggles is enormous.

This is because the need to build the organisation of workers' defence inside the labour movement is really urgent in Coventry.

All of the struggles that are going on are being blocked by a leadership in the unions and the Labour Council that would prefer their defeat rather than risk any threat to their own comfortable positions.

Common fight

Revolutionary leadership is needed to break down the isolation of isolated struggles, so that while they are being built they can at the same time take up the common fight against the right wing leadership and the Tory government.

It is crucial to build a 'Coventry Left' around these struggles.

The full strength of the Coventry labour movement must be rallied to act sharply against racist terror.

The fight must be taken up in the unions, Labour Party, colleges and schools, me 10 bie Sands 10 his mol on the dole queues é every work place for w defence groups.

Work must be done amongst those who daily face the anti-black, anti-working class violence of the fascists, in order to link them together and organise their defence inside the labour movement.

Black youth especially must not be left to fight alone, because in isolation they are very open to attack by the fascists and the United strength Bristol and Brixton are must be directed into the labour movement.

This demands the building of defence squads which youth and the unemployed.

Defence squads that can be called upon instantly to crush any attacks whether they are on the streets, picket lines or small shop keepers. papers-the Star, the Express and the Dally Mau, gave no nint in their headlines that these claims were not established fact.

The Star said: "Burn Belfast Plot"; the Express "Burn Belfast! IRA Terror Plot Exposed"; and the Mail "IRA ready to burn Belfast"

Without a hint of irony the papers go on to report Atkins' speech in fullpresenting much of it as unchallengable fact and including the plea not to listen to rumour.

This was the opening salvo in a renewed attempt by Fleet Street to try to regain some ground for the News manipulation was also evident on the day of the funeral itself.

The biggest Republican funeral Belfast has ever seen was given equal time on BBC radio reports with the couple of thousand who gathered in Belfast city centre to listen to Paisley's denunciation of the IRA.

But press propaganda has only a limited effect. The Sun, which is possibly the most virulent anti-lrish paper in the country, published a poll which showed a clear overall majority in support of immediate withdrawal of troops.

Two months ago the NUJ held a conference at which media workers were assured that no censorship existed in Since then the past two weeks has seen an orchestrated campaign to downplay Bobby Sands' election, death and funeral and to divert attention with totally fictitious scare stories.

This is the real face the free press.

11..

----- pull-quotes -----

Press press Press

EXPRESS ¡Burn Belfast. IRA terror