because he was accused of the attempted murder of a policeman. Not tried or convicted - just accused. That was enough for London's finest. They went out and in a Bonny and Clyde repeat fired round after round into innocent Stephen Waldorf.
The bullet which brings him to the point of death as we go to press was put through his liver, stomach and arm as he already lay on the ground unconscious. The lads just stood there laughing hysterically. Even when they realised their mistake they made no move to help Waldorf but left it to a passer-by to give first aid. A plan to kill Sue Stephens, a passenger in the car and a former friend of the real target described to the press how on New Year's Eve she was questioned at Paddington Green police station where a senior detective declared: You know that if we see him (Martin) we are going to have to kill him. •' This is the real horror. Detectives cold-bloodedly planned to murder David Martin. And they would have got away with it if they hadn't made such a terrible mistake.
No more cover-ups!
The phoney claim by the police that the shot that was tired to immobilise the car already stuck in a traffic jam led to the other shots has to be exposed. This can only be done by a fully public and independent body examining the facts behind the event. No more cover-ups like the cases of Blair Peach and the Deptford fire massacre.
SPECIAL OFFER For readers who take out a year's inland subscription we are offering a free copy of Alan Freeman's new book THE BENN HERESY. The book normally costs 23.50 Alteratively we are offering Henri Weber's book NICARAGUA - THE SANDINIST REVOLUTION (Usual price £2.95).
We support the call by Roy Hattersley, Paul Boateng, chairperson of the GLC police committee for the Metropolitan police force to be split up and made accountable to elected police authorities. Boateng is quite right when he denounces the Met. for being la law unto itself' Public outery over the shootout is rocking the establishment with some of the most conservative dailies denouncing the police, Sir Kenneth Newman and Willie Whitelaw, the Home Secretary.
Newman's past history remembered of being the chief officer of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the North of Ireland when it was brought before the European Court of Human Rights for abuses of individual rights and torture while in detention.
The National Liberties in calling the publication of the written and verbal shadow Home Secretary and suspect is being Two Council for Civil service'. instructions After that first bad start of only f210.50 we Photos show armed police in action and the sorts of weapons in the police arsenal. According to Scotland Yard, guns were carried by the under which the Metropolitan Police are issued with firearms also commented: "The shooting of an unarmed man in London bears a disturbing similarity to a series of recent incidents in Northern Ireland when unarmed men posing no apparent threat to the security forces have been shot dead.' Specifically the West London police ignored their legal responsibility to: • make a positive identification of a • challenge before they fire • shoot only when their lives or the life of a member of the public is at risk Disarm the police The urgent need to review the situation under which firearms are issued and used is proven. The belief that British Jardine, pointed out that in the mid-1960s the police service was virtually an unarmed But he went on, *I cannot forecast what the position will be by the Socialist Challenge FIND DRIVE 83 WELL THERE is an improvement, but it's a small one. A total of E985 is not even enough to pay off the debts we piled up at the end of 1982.
out that leave us over £1000 short already.
Come on you supporters and regular readers. Get a donation in the post immediately. Better still ask your friends and people you sell the paper donati dos to sc All donations to Fund, PO Box 50, London NI 2XP.
£175.00 58.00 11o.UU 29.
£985.00 Metropolitan police on more than 15,000 occasions - and 38 shots were fired over the last three years end of the eighties, but the trends are ominous.
Ominous indeed. According to State Research which specialises in getting the facts about the police, 'at least nine forces in Britain have developed crack units of armed police, separate from Special Patrol Groups and other units'. State Research says that issuing of arms is on the increase; that all forces are now organised in paramilitary structures and that all newly recruited police officers now receive firearms 'familiarisation' training with at least 12,000 officers getting regular handgun revolver training.
Killer hit squads roaming the streets of London cannot be tolerated. The police and their chiefs are responsible for this outrage. Give them a short sharp shock by sacking Whitelaw and Newman, disarming the police and bringing them under local community control. See page 5 for further moves to get the police under contro SOCIALIST CHALLENGE IS DEDICATED TO THE DESTRUCTION OF ALL THAT I HOLD DEAR!
THAT REMINISME MUST SEND OFF CHEQUE TO THE FLIND DRIVE,
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Defend democratic rights
policeare unarmed simply is arde. secretary of the Police Federatine,
Make them accountable