Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! No. 12, September 1981
By charging 12 Asian activists in Bradford with conspiracy to cause damage by fire or explosions and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm the British state has launched one of its most serious attacks yet against the revolutionary fightback being led by black people.
The charges facing the 12 carry a possible life sentence and are the most serious arising from the recent uprisings throughout the country. The state has carefully chosen its target Some of the 12 are supporters of the United Black Youth League and have been leading and public activists in the struggle to defend black people from the state’s racist onslaught. They gave determined support to the Anwar Ditta campaign, as a result of which the state, having refused entry to Anwar’s children for six years suffered a humiliating defeat and was forced to let them into Britain. They were active also in the campaigns to defend Jaswinder Kaur and Gary Pemberton.
The case is strongly reminiscent of frameups carried out against Irish people in Britain. Conspiracy charges have been consistently used in these cases because the evidence required for a conviction need only be hearsay or evidence of association. Commonly in Irish trials the state’s case is based on the quite legal political views and activity of the defendant. Many Irish people are serving massively long sentences arising from such charges without a shred of real evidence being produced against them.
In the case of the Bradford 12 the same tactics may well be used. The British state has long used such methods to rid itself of opponents to its rule. Since the Irish struggle has for the past decade been the most serious revolutionary threat to British imperialism, the state has perfected its tactics of repression by their use against the Irish. Now, with the Bradford 12 it is attempting to criminalise the revolutionary struggle being waged by black people. The aim is clear – if the state is successful in its attack on the Bradford 12 then it will be issuing a threat to all those fighting back against the racist British state. Look, it will be saying, this is what may happen to you. By such means they hope to hold back the growing organisation of the revolutionary forces.
The Bradford community has responded to the case with anger and shown its willingness to defend the 12. A public meeting in Bradford to protest at the arrests drew 700 people. Speakers at the meeting were applauded when they asked ‘Have we not got the right to defend ourselves? Have we not got the right to speak about what we would do if we were attacked?’. The Chairman of the meeting said that the arrests are the most serious attack which the black community has faced for a very long time and had implications not only for the black community but for the whole working class. Anwar Ditta pledged her full support to the defence of the 12 and said that the only reason for their arrest was that they had been fighting for their rights against a racist system. Speaking of the anguish of her six year separation from her children she said that the 12 ‘Cried my six years tears with me’. From the floor of the meeting, a representative of FRFI pledged full support for the Bradford 12 and told the audience what one of the twelve had said to her when she visited him in prison that day — that only a massive campaign would force the state to back down.
The need for such a campaign is clear. The determination of the state is shown by the fact that so far only Saeed Hussain and Jayesh Amin have been given bail and that with stringent conditions preventing them from attending meetings and imposing a curfew on them. Of the remaining 10 in custody 3 are being held in Armley prison and 6 in Thorpe Arch which is miles away from Bradford. The Thorpe Arch prisoners are allowed only 20 minutes out of their cells for exercise each day. All are allowed only 15 minutes visits each day. Without bail they face these appalling conditions for many months to come whilst the state concocts its case. As a protest against their continued imprisonment 5 of the prisoners refused to leave their cells to appear at the weekly remand hearing on 3 September.
The arrests come at a time when racist attacks and police harassment are mounting and when the revolutionary fightback against this oppression has spread across Britain. In Bradford recently there have been arson attacks against black peoples’ homes and cafes. These have culminated in the fire-bombing of Textile Hall, which is a local West Indian centre and headquarters of the Committee set up to defend the Bradford 12. Whereas fascist outrages are passed off as accidents or simply ignored by police, any attempt by the black community to defend itself meets the full force of the state.
On 11 July a gang of skinheads descended on Bradford intending to mount yet another racist attack. The youth, responding to this threat and also to the massive presence of police in the City Centre, gathered to defend their areas. 68 of them were arrested as they faced such police tactics as setting dogs onto them. One man, Cyril Agard, was severely mauled by a police dog while police stood by and watched for several minutes.
But Bradford police were not satisfied with mere brutality and arrests. Fearing the growing organisation taking place in Bradford they determined to victimise activists in the community. Hence on Thursday 30 July a coordinated series of early morning raids took place, and 4 arrests were made. Throughout that day several more Asian youths were arrested. The 11 arrested were subjected to threats, physical harassment and prolonged and exhausting interrogation. Friends and associates were also harassed by the police and subjected to intimidating interrogations.
The 11 arrested were held for 48 hours without access to solicitors or relatives. Finally they were taken to court on Saturday morning. They were allowed to see solicitors for the first time only half an hour before the Court hearing. A twelfth man was charged several days later.
The July 11th Action Committee has been set up in Bradford to deal with the case of the Bradford 12. It has called weekly pickets of the Court in Bradford and these need and demand support from all over the country. FRFI supporters from Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Bradford and London have supported the pickets. Much more is needed and throughout the country all those who support the struggle against the racist British state must mobilise in defence of the Bradford 12, raise their voices and say loud and clear:
Free the Bradford 12!
Drop the charges now!
Maxine Williams
