Building workers demonstrate outside Birmingham court during the trial of the Five which began and ended this week A major legal victory for the entire working class movement was won in Birmingham this week, when five building workers, charged with conspiracy to trespass* and unlawful assembly after their occupation of a lump labour contractor's office earber this year, were acquitted in the Crown Court.
An important finit-round victory was won on Monday, the opening day of the trial, when the jodge threw out the charge of "conspiracy to trespass, on the grounds that the action of the five, as trade unionists, was protected from such a charge under the 1875 Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act.
The final victoty came on Wednesday when the jury returned a verdict of "not guilty" on the unlawful assembly charge after an hour's deliberation. despite the strong suppestion by the judge in his summing up that this charge had been proved.
The opening of the trial was met with stoppages of work on twenty of the city's most important building sites, token 2-hour stoppages on a number of others, and a demonstration of 400 outside the court house.
mobilisation was cerlainiy an important factor in influencing both the judge's ruling on the conspiracy charge and the jury's final verdict. There was definitely nothing open and shut" ahnut the legal protection afforded the five by the 1875 Act, and the judge's decision clearly reElects a concern about the potential response of the working class movement to this particular use of the conspiracy laws. The five were fortunate in having a predominantly working class jury, and the strikes and demonstrations were undoubtedly important in bringing home to the jury the class issues involved in the trial.
five visited Shrewsbury SUL Thursday as a gesture of solidarity with the building workers on trial there and with the intention of turning over the proceeds of their defence Tund to the Shrewsbury detendants. On Friday they are visiting all the sites which struck in solidarity with them to report back and discuss this important victoryWe should not draw over optimistic conclusions from the successful outcome of this trial. The conspiracy laws are still around, and can be used whenever the state thinks it appropriate. Important spokesmen for the state machine are already voicing their doubts about the effectiveness of the jury system (see the recent televised speech of Metropolitan Police Commissioner Robert Mark). As Ireland-both South and North shows the ruling class is quite ready to do away with this particular "democratic right" at the drop of a hat. Meanwhile the Shrewshury trials po on. We should follow the example of the Birmingham 5 and work to ensure the maxintum trade unton hacking for these militants, and a massive working class response if the state trys to lay a finger on them.
Birmingham IMG pamphlet on the case of the 5 Birmingham building workers acquitted of conspiracy charges for the occupation of a lump Inbour bureau in Birmingham Publicia thi imoortant clas vietory.
Orders to John Kendall, 281 Tiverton Rd., Selly Oak, Birmingham 29.
Price 3p per copy plus postage REVOLUTIONARY CALENDAR: Four posters of Marx, Engeis, Laminand Trotsky compete with all important revalutionary dates. Coloured cartridgn, 25"x 18", com plate with biack spring holder. 75p each or 50p each for piders of 10 or more (phr freel. Cash with order to: Red Books. 24 Boundary Roed, London NIE Pat Arrowemith, who chaired the Troupe Out damonstration last weekend Case to port on this pegel has been charged with two offences under the Incitament Disaffection Act. The charges arise from her alleged distribution of isaflets at Warminster Army Barracks married quarters, for which she was arrested about two months ago.
Pat was asquitted of charges of insulting behaviour after a similar incident at Col chester Military Tattoo last summer. On that occision the papers of the case were sent to the Director of Public Prosecu tions, and charges undor the incitement to Disaffection Act were considered, bur apparently rejected.
At the Colchester trial the prosecution failed to convince the jury that the loaf lets, which gave information about facilit ies for British soldiere who wanted to go to Swaden or to buy tangels out would insult" soldiers who received them This acquittal, combined with fear of tions of the British Army in Ireland, has led the Director of Publie Prosecutions on this second occasion, to charpe Pat with incitement to disaffection. Conviction under this Aet can bring a sentence of anything up to two years imprisonment. Earlier this year Michae Tobin, who pleaded guilty to possession of such materiai, was given the maximum This prosecution is an extremely impor tant political intervention by the State
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/Pacifist on trial for leafleting army camp