Build Workers' Defence Souads

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MARCH

Two : hundred people marched through Oxford on Saturday August 7th to protest against the recent fascist attack on the offices of the Oxford Council for Com munity Relations (OCCR).

This attack followed the pattern of others in. Birmingham and elsewhere, where creosote and red paint were poured into office equipment and over files and furniture, and bore the hallmark of a small well-organised gang of fascists roaming the country attacking chosen targets.

The demonstration called by the OCCR and the Oxford Anti-Fascist Committee, marched through the town to a meeting in the OCCR offices addressed by the local MP Evan Luard.

Remarkable by their attendance on this demonstration were seldonseen members of the local Communist Party including local NUPE organiser George Anderson who had pointedly boycotted the local march against the cuts organised by the former Oxford Trades Council.

The WSL contingent on the march shouted demands for an end to the Immigration laws and for defence o jobs through work sharing cs fu pat 3= well 35 pinning the report; for tEe "ERE BEEN • More racialist attacks are going to take place. The necessity for developing defence squads in those areas where attacks are already taking place is therefore becoming more urgent.

The task of revolutionaries is both to defend those being attacked and show that these attacks are a class issue. Fascism is about breaking up the organisation of the working class as a whole.

Those immigrant organisations or individuals who have started the formation of vigilante groups have taken an important step forward in breaking from the reformist position of appealing to the police, the capitalist state, to detend themselves against fascism - which itself is just another form of capitalism.

But, unlike the International Marxist Group and other groups we do not say it is simply a question of "Build labour movement support for black self-defence" (Red Heekli front page Statement 10.6.-61 o= "Dall ibe detense of he slack emities 3 Sic:

We of course support the right of immigrant workers to defend themselves in whatever way necessary against racist and fascist But we also have a political responsibility to attempt to direct these self-defence groups towards calling on the strength of the organised labour movement as a whole so that the most united class attack can •be launched against fascist provocation and violence.

If black workers and youth have been the first target of the fascists, picket lines and trade union meetings will be next. Fascists have already attacked meetings on WSL members and supporters in areas affected must therefore propose at their union branches, trades councils and Labour Parties that a fight is waged for workers defence squads organised jointły between immigrant and trade union organisations.

Where possible, re must fight for this within immigran: organi delense squads by antendirt b delegates Dome made mom D 2:00 - en -i_- ==1976

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