AS WE GO to press the jury has retired in the Broadwater Farm 'murder' trial. Their But the verdict of every person looking for the truth is already clear. The trial is a straight frame-up. It proceeds by the same logic that led to the frame-up of the Birmingham Six for the government, demand victims to show they are in control' of the situation and to intimidate the and Engin Raghip, were picked out to be those victims. It could have been almost anyone else in Broadwater Farm or in the black community.
The trial is no different to the wave of pro followed the miners' strike. There too, the state against workers who fought in defence of their jobs and communities. Last weekend was the anniversary of the death of David Jones, killed on a picket line during the miners' strike. No one was rought to court for his 'murder'. The events at Broadwater Farm were caused by the death of Cynthia Jarrett during a police raid on her home. No one has been brought to trial for her murder Guildford bombings are still in jail. And if the state has its way three more black comrades will Even in its own terms, the Broadwater Farm trial is grotesque. only 'evidence is the 'confessions of the accusthe accused were in police custody The utter groundlessness of the police case has been thoroughly exposed in the course of the • The 'confessions' of three of the accused who, being under 18, are legally defined as "juveniles, have been found to have been forced and inadmissible. Charges against them have had to be • One of them, mentally retarded, was not only forced to give his own confession but, in open contravention of judges rules, was pressured by police interrogators to give information about • A key prosecution witness admitted that not only had he openly lied in court about events at and had been "fixed up' with two jobs by them.
The fact that the judge did not, under such circumstances, dismiss the case against all six is a travesty of justice in itself. The judge has not even directed the jury to find the accused 'not These trials are not about 'justice'. They are whether it be supporters of freedom for Ireland, Broadwater Farm someone must pay for the 'crime of fighting back and opposing the attacks Increasingly openly the police and the courts are the instruments to deliver 'retribution'. With role. Whether or not they seek to justify it by spearheading the drive against black It was revealed in the Broadwater Farm trial that the police had planned their riot at Broadwater Farm for over a year. The protests at Cynthia Jarrett's death was simply the occasion for Whatever the outcome of the trial dozens of black people still remain charged with offences arising out of that police riot back in October All charges should be dropped. All those already imprisoned or fined should be released and compensated. The police's actions should be to an open public disbanded. The entire labour movement has a stake in this. It is not an affair for the black comWinston Silcott, Mark Braithwaite,, for riot, affray and murder which Russel Shankland There are no witnesses. The he had received been given £40 to £50 by the police MARC WADSWORTH's chair's speech to the Labour Party Black Section AGM, March in Black Section over the last year and outlined its perspectives for the next. Its message was that the black community must not accept political agendas set by other people, it must impose its own agenda and demands. We print here the part of the speech (edited by Socialist Action) that outlines the basis on which the Black Section, and the black community, advanced form monolithic city Li atcu liberation.
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SociAlist ACTION