John Buckle, General Secretary of RCPB(ML) speaking at the June 7
conference against racism and fascism in 1981 organised by RCPB(ML)

At Cable Street the people stood together united in determination to stop the fascists, protecting the community and a critical point in barring the path for the fascist movement in Britain to take hold.

John Buckle leading the anti-fascist march "Back to Digbeth!" in Birmingham, 1978

Many times since, the people have taken the same stand. In the mid '70s and early '80s when racist attacks were rife and racist murders committed by organised Nazi gangs, the communities took action to defend themselves and bring people together.

In East London, for example, the people were faced with the murder of Akhtar Ali Beg in East Ham High Street, a family fire-bombed in their home, a white English mother fostering an African baby punched in the face, baby spat on, and threats to fire-bomb her home. Fascist organisations at that time, the National Front and British Movement would often boast of such actions, aiming to create fear, intimidate and sow divisions among people - to set nationality against nationality. But on the contrary, families attacked received support and help of the community and neighbours. The whole community was shocked. RCPB(ML) and its youth declared that these attacks cannot and will not be tolerated.

The Party put forward in these circumstances that "Self-Defence Is the Only Way!" This was the path followed by young people in Newham from the Asian community, for instance, when racist thugs entered their school and started attacking kids in the playground. They defended themselves against what they found out later to be plain-clothes police! Arrested and charged with serious charges, they became the Newham 8 with wide support for their campaign, school children going on strike when their cases were being heard and hundreds supporting outside the courts. Support also came from the miners, from Irish organisations, and legal support from human-rights lawyers.

This period also saw the anti-fascist movement determined to block the streets to fascist organisations marches. RCPB(ML) upheld the slogan, "Nazis Have No Right to Organise". It put this slogan into practice right from the time in 1974 when in Red Lion Square, London, thousands prevented the National Front from meeting, and again upheld the slogan in 1977 when the National Front attempted to march through Lewisham.

The determined and brave stands by the Party and people blocked the path to the fascist organisations, and the bid of the state at that time to attempt to get them accepted as part of mainstream political life in Britain. This meant that the neo-Nazis never became the main force in political life. The June 7 conference against racism and fascism in 1981 organised by RCPB(ML) in Conway Hall, London, was a crucial land-mark and direct response to the state-backed fascist movements in Britain.

Today, in the conditions of counter-revolution in the counter-revolution, RCPB(ML) is working for a people's front against war and in defence of the rights of all.

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