Registered with the Pose Office as a newspaper. Published by Reigocret for Red Weekly,- 182 Pensomitle Roed, London N.J. (0/-837 6954) IN JUNE THIS YEAR, the Law Commission published a working paper (no. 54) commissioned by the "forcible entry" and 'conspiracy to trespass' laws.
The aim of the report is to consider in what circumstances entering or remaining upon property should constitute a criminal offence' lE accepted, the proposed lows would make it an offence to remain on property having been ordered to leave by the person legally entitled" to the property. Failing to leave as soon as reasonably practical (ic immediately ordered to do so) means that you are liable to arrest, and may receive up to six months imprisonment.
It would also be an offenpe to enter property against the wishes of Red Weekly, 182 Pentorville rd, London NI the occupants, whether legal or otherwise. This means that the owner may not himself remove people from his property which is strong arin of the law can do it for him.
or pickets and squatting on private or public property criminal if those lately they were ordered to.
certain other proposals to limit the the application of the conspiracy laws. They suggest that conspiracy charges should not be used to make illegal an act that by itself is not crimisal (as happens at present with the offence of 'conspiracy to trespass). But, of course, "conspiracy to trespass would remain illegal under the Commission's plan, since trospass by itself would he made criminal.
ais Tailing to enter the statute book. the present laws would be tightened up, and if enforced, could provide an equally oppressive attack against those who wish to defend their interests through occupation and similar forms of struggle.
HOMELESSNESS
Homeless people would become criminals, vagrancy already being an offence, These proposals would make any attempt by the homeless to obtain a roof over their head by occupying empty property illegal.
capilalism the state has proved unable to solve the housing problem. The present urban crisis has recently forced the ruling class to reject any responsibility for the homeless, irrelevant in view of the fact that the This could make factory occup- in Elgin Avenue. tions, student sit-ins, demonstrations in occupation refused to leave immed.
The Law Commision is making laws, But in the event of these proposdirected.
disputes Homelessness is increasing Under Printed by Societis Worker Primers and Publishers Lid. (TU), Corbridge Works, Corbridge Chescem, London E2 9DS The 1 April law changes relieve councils of all statutory obligation to house people and councils all over London have been mounting attacks against squatters. The GLC is threatening the biggest eviction attempt in history against 250 people living These proposals must he seen as part of the strategy of the ruling class to strengthen the arsenal of the state to enable a systematic stepping-up of attacks against the working claas. Amongst the guns already in use are the Industrial Relations Act, Immig ration Act, pay laws and conspiracy The proposals were covered in the press as an attack against squatters. This white-washed over the substance a sign that the capitalists attempts of the report which is an attack against the working class. They are being tried out on squatters, a less wed organised group, to gauge the possible reaction of the labour move ment, at whom they are ultimately In the same way, the less well organised Shrewsbury building workers were picked on to test out the use of conspiracy laws in iodustrial This is all part of the strategy to move from the lens well organised to the better orginised sections of the labour movement. Increasing attacks against less well organised people (for example, the students at Oxford, Essex and Kent; squatters in Camden, Westminster and Lambeth; blacks in Brixton. ete) along with the strengthening of the legal machinery to back up these attacks, shows how the State is prepared to use more and more direct repression against all forms of militant struggle. beaten in the melee. -lain Walker in the Sun.
PLAIN-CLOTHES Nor was brute force the only tactic used by the police. That the operation had been carefully prepared beforehand was shown by the sudden appearance of what the Sun called a speciat squad of young pollee officers, dreased in I-shirts and denims, who were sent in to mingle with the crowd." As seen in our photo, these cops played an active part in the arrests after donning chequered armbands to protect themselves from their uniformed colleagues.
Of course most of the press half-heartedly pleaded that perhaps the police were provoked, and any way the festival was being held on private property. * Nonetheless, it is clear that they were mostly taken aback by the degree of violence used -to beef up the forces of the state apparatus have not so far been accompanied by sufficient political preparation to make them generally acceptable This present uncertainty provides an important opening lor the labour movement to conduct its own public enquiry into these and other moves towards a strong state -such as the series of joint police army manocuvres at Heath row. There can be little doubt that Red Lion Square and Windsor Great Park are just the prelude to similar attacks on picket lines during the coming wave uf workers" struggles. Now is the time to prepare to deal with them John Marsion *Even the Communist Party paper. the Moraine Star, fell compelied to how in this direction: While it is true that the Estival was held on wounds were camp ing and music are against regulations, Joree on such a sogie lour emphasis] to remove the gougesters was comperei uncalled fur.'
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Tory government, to recommend up- dated laws to replace the present