'THE CASE of the Bradford 12 is perhaps as important for says Linton Johnson, 'as the Mangrove 9 trial in 1971. The defendants ought to be supported.' The support the Asian youths whose began on 26 April has been sweeping in: from the London. Labour Party at its recent annual meeting to the organisations of the black community.
It is seen as an elementary duty within the labour, black and civil rights movement to fight this attempt by the state to victimise black political activists.
The youths are charged with making an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or property, and conspiraev to make explosive substances These charges calry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. All 12 are pleading not guilty.
The Bradford 12 were arrested following summer's uprisings. Some bottles filled with petrol had been 'found' waste ground in After two days of racist abuse which the police called 'interrogation' they extracted 'voluntary' statements admitting responsibility. As in a growing number of cases recently involving black youths these statements were later retracted.
The court jailed them for three months after arrest and only granted bail on the condition that they were Some of the organisations and individuals who have supported the Bradford 12 Socialist Challenge 29 April 1982 page 8 home by 10pm each night and kept away from all meetings organised for Kwesi defence. unheard-of conditions the court admits this is a political trial.
Why these twelve? Because they are among the most committed antiracist fighters in the area. Anwar Dittrial ta declared earlier this month that 'the Bradford Twelve are like my sons without them my children would not be with me today.
"It was their support over the years of my struggle which helped me to defeat the racism and sex discrimination of the Home Office.' BNCV were also involved in the Jaswinder Kaur campaign, and Gary Pemberton would be in jail today if it weren't for them. They were members of the United Black Youth League -an independent radical group.
The Yorkshire police, especially in Bradford, have a record of frameups. Just last week George Lindo, a Bradford West Indian was awarded almost £25,000 compensation for the year he spent in prison for an armed robbery he did not commit.
As a result of the campaign of the George Lindo Action Committee the case was brought to national attention It charged that Lindo was framed and Det Sgt Craven. found to be concocting evidence in the Ripper case Craven was involved in the case of a young man, made a statement while in custody admitting to an offence of rape. Later both situations imposing do against the officers.
have had to live persecution. in peril.
The National lazy prosecutors, origin, uncertain in scope'.
conspiracy laws of Brierley was Mr Elliot, who also Polytechnic Students Union, (Essex Unive Sessex Uni ge SU, King's College Se kashmiri workers ASSO another man confessed to the rape. In matched the allegations made by LinNo amount of money will make up for the anguish of George Lindo three years. and his family for the four years they with this unjust the labour Already the Bradford youths have been suffering the threat of life imprisonment for the best part of a year.
It is not only the question of con- the consequences. cern for the youths themselves which is at stake here. The police have resur- Johnson rected the conspiracy laws to put them One of the youths arrested last week in Notting Hill was also charged with conspiracy. It is clearly going to be an important part of the police the arsenal against any black fight back Council for Civil Liberties has described the concept of conspiracy as a legal monster begot nies of the state. by political expediency and bred by undemocratic in The last trial under the infamous legal 1875 was the Shrewsbury 3, when building workers ple. wwere actually jailed. In June 1972 the national building workers' strike at Leeds began for fl an hour basic wage and the 35 hour week. It came in the mid- Courtrools dle of a series of industrial clashes between the Heath government and the In February 1973 24 building workers were arrested on charges arising from an incident the previous Fund.
Journeyman Press Shell.
Coventry
sciousness Group (Sheffield)., Asia Bangladesh Workers Six of them were charged with 'conspiracy to intimidate', 'causing an affray' and unlawful assembly'.
A variety oi sentences were passed including on Des Warren who served Although during the same period movement responded vigorously to the Pentonville 5, getting them released in 2 days, it did not mobilise to defend the Shrewsbury building workers and they suffered Is selli for Linton Kwesi to remind of the Mangrove Nine. The black movement detended them and they won. Accor ding to A Sivanandan, an historian of the black movement, before the nation the corruption of police force, the bias of the judicial system, the racism media — and the refusal of black people to submit themselves to the tyranVigorous campaigning can defeat the police, the judges and the govern ment who seek in this case to create precedents and thereby intimidate political action by black peoIt is not too late. Join the pickets Crown court every day at 10am. Fill the public gallery in the Kaise the issue in your unions and other organisations and protest to the Home Ottice. Contact the Bradford 12 National Mobilising Committee, Box JK, Cookridge St, Leeds 2. Cheques to be made payable to Bradford 12 Defence Welfare Assoc, South East Regior Society INELPOUP, Lamber NOT, Asian Solidarit. Di Great Insohreckshan it woz in April nineteen eighty-w doun inna di ghetto af Brixtan dat di babylan dem cause such a an it bring about a great insohrer an it spread all ovah di naeshan it was a truly histarical okayjan it woz event af di year an I wish I ad been dere wen wi run riot all ovah Brixtan wen wi mash-up plenty police va wen wi mash-up di wicked wan p wen wi mash-up di Swamp Eight fi wha? fi mek di rulah dem andahstan dat wi naw tek noh more a dem an wen mi check out di ghetto grapevine fi fine out all I coulda fine evry rebel jussa revel in dem stor dem a taak about bout di powah dem a taak bout di burnin an di dem a taak bout di smashin an d dem a tell mi bout di vanquish a dem seh: di babylan dem went t soh wha? wi ad woz fi bun two kyar an wan an two innocent get mar but wha? noh soh it goh sometime inna w Constal noh soh it goh sometime inna w dem seh wi bun dung di George wi coulda bun di lanload wi bun dung di George wi nevah bun di lanlaad wen wi run riot all ovah Brixtan wen we mash-lip plenty police va wen wi mash-u › di wicked wan | wen wi mash-u ' di Swamp Eigh
----- pull-quotes -----
September. Co-opar