Base for Workers Defence Squads
Socialist Press1976 1976-05-05Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 3 →
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The mass response to the anti-fascist demonstration called by Bradford Trades Council represents a new level in the labour movement's struggle to defend black and immigrant workers against racist violence.
For the first time, the mobilization of over 1500 Pakistani, Indian and West Indian workers, together with another 1500 militants drawn from the local labour movement fighting against a National Front march, showed that a sound material base of support now exists for setting up workers' defence squads in Bradford to drive the fascist thugs off the streets.
Significant on the march was the large proportion of young workers from the immigrant community, and the enthusiastic response as the march passed through the streets to the city centre, its ranks swelling with workers and youth who joined the demonstration all along the route.
Significant also was the complete bankruptcy of political leadership from the Trades Council, which, having called the march into being, attempted in every way to prevent it driving out the fascists.
They held a meeting a mile away from the school where the Nátional Front were holding their rally in the midst of an immigrant area.
When sections of demonstrators broke away to attempt to confront the National Front, they were attacked from the Trades Council platform and obstructed by squads of police..
Outside the school itself the police braved a storm of bottles, bricks, beer cans and eggs to protect the fascists, bringing in mounted police to charge at crowds of demonstrators.
Angry youth responded to this by attacking and turning over several behicles.
But we should not that active also were other groups of people • not apparently connected with the demonstration : who set aboul smashing local shop windows.
There is no doubt, however, that had the full strength of the march been directed by the Trades Council leaders at the school the fascists could have been driven out of Bradford.
The demonstration thus reflect! a growing resistance and militancy within the working ciass, represents a qualitative turn in the fight against racism.
But at the same time the crisis of leadership within the workers movement meant that an opportun ity to inflict a crushing defeat or the National Front was missed.
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Age 4 • SOCIALIST PRESS, Yedne: Sth,