Action began near For over from the megaphones.
at times like a carnival, at Ounce most of all there was a sense of confidence and enthusiasm that this time black people were orgafor and bv themselves that nothing allowed to get in their way.
The only faces were those of the police.
As the marchers, now nearly strong, pproachec entre of London the e citement accelerated.
Justice' were the chants;
want number i go marching in' was one of the most Choruses The placards gave the alessar mination: Come may we are here to stay'; 'We'll bury our dead and then..'; burn, more learn'; 'Let's turn table, we know able'; petrol bomb'.
The first hint of trouble came in Blackfriars Road, an approach the city centre.
Indian con anneared on three or a barely the Lalecl abuse. He was eventually led away, limping, to a nearby hospital.
'he police intil then had been keer ing the lowest of low profiles, used the incident to try and impose THE MARCH on the Black People's Day of been the target of the arson attack.
demonstrators made their way to London's city centre, walking on the pavements, on the streets, stopping outside work places and schools to pick up more protesters.
'We're on the move' People's Day of Action, Babylon must fall.' but broke hand themselves and OUL would be gloomy 10,000 an Freedom, mılitancy in that when the blacks popular of deter Cross people the are 'White spirit is a wall A West youth La variety who up the house which had hours on Monday the was the message 'This is the Black Outside post office in Blackfriars Koduscus of ignis vuL. boot-to-boot fighting.
police brought their riot missiles started to over them. The But it was not for Al lne entrance lo Blackfriars Bridge cops occupied the entire oad. It was an attemp stop ine march, provocation.
Licic was nu march was going to be halted.
Here and there the police line was broken. Arrests were made, some of those held by the soles of black ed black SCULCO descended on the who had dared their brothers and sisters.
But still the police line held. That was until the lorry carrying cians, singers, and drummers was called up. The lorry crashed through the police line and the entire of blue was breached.
A nhalany of black stormed through, and the police fell away, defeated.
The marchers had Blackfriars Bridge to themselves. Then chant 'Freedom, Freedom' became louder and louder - this time though it was not so much a demand, more a cry of celebration over the victory against been won.
HICCS the press Telegraph. hand-tostood borough's shields;
sail police Bottles as a rushed youth. the The Lines of continued, Street, and on to But started way this Thatcher but youth cops within to seize The musiLIBe uniforms length now march Street that As the police that had just The crowd rushed inStreet. Individuals in the demonstration put their arms round each other, others waved clenched fists in the air; the songs and the chants increased in tempo.
The police were hardly to be seen. What few there were guarded stra tegic buildings — the ofright-wing press like the Daily Exand the Daily cops outside Attenjewellery sho The shop half-way up Fleet police became targets and stones flew few black youth the jewellers. 'We're just taking back our gold,' said one black demonstrators out of alon Shaftesbury Holborn Avenue. Bands of youth want Thatcher ge want But the march organisers had agreed with the police beforehand not to on near westminster Downing St. Under an ancient aw demonstra tions are not permitted mile Westminster while parliament is in session.
demonstrators conunuca to marco, run and walk at will. Police horses were brushed onto the pavements, and marcher occupied and controlled the entire and breadth London's most famous It was only when the reached Regent semblance or ponce autonl was reasserted.
the march ceeded to Oxford Circus and up Cavendish Stree and Wigmore Street police chers destination, Corner.
phant in the end.
militancy anger seen before fear in the faces inhabitants sion.
It was The against system of This the National whose of in Deptford.
The League is ing protest.
station. series of battles with the broke out. The heated was in Wigmore St, where bottles fells like a hail storm on cops and horses. In of these incidents did the police emerge vicEventually the marreached their Hyde Park The demonstration had taken some six hours but like a triumhere they wanted to got happened on Monday in the centre of London was exceptional. It was a display of black and black different anything that had been The confusion in the faces of the cops, and the : of many of the richer, older white of Central London testified to the uniqueness of the occaabout blacks going on the offensive.
As the placard put it:
'We are on the move' black rebellion the racist, ploitative, unjust British way.
Long may it prosper.
Saturday Front, supporters may well have been the Cross arson attack, is planning to march Nazi organiscounterAssemble 10.30am on 7 March at New Cross Gate Socialist Challenge 5 Mar=- •36