workers press

The Socialist Labour League's press: The Newsletter, Workers Press, Labour Review and Fourth International, 1952–1973. A searchable archive of the scans

THE ROAD TO DICTATORSHIP ARMED POLICE-A TORY CONSPIRACY

By Alex Mitchell

Workers Press no. 1005, 23 February 1973 · scan page 2

Topics: Police and the courts, Tory government

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POLICE FORCES throughout Britain have set up special "shoot-to-kill' units. These death squads are armed with the latest automatic weapons, wear plain clothes, travel in civilian vehicles and come directly under the authority of the Special Branch.

The Special Patrol Groups have nothing whatsoever to do with THE MOVE towards "militarizing' the police is the protecting embassies and favourite theme of Brigadiplomatic staff. dier Frank Kitson, who was appointed head of the The government has Infantry Training School at Warminster by the Tory secretly, and without the approval of parliament, Cabinet. decided to arm the police In his book 'Low-Density for political reasons.

Operations' Kitson, who In taking these desperate collected medals for his steps the Tories are pre- counter-subversion activities paring for a Northern Ire- in Kenya, Malaya, Cyprusland situation in Britain. and Northern Ireland -openly campaigned for This is completely in line closer links between the with the statement Heath police and the military in made at the United Nations Britain. in 1970 shortly after his election when he said the He argued for a 'supreme next decade would be the council' of army and police era of 'civil wars'. to meet their 'obligation for The government's advan- maintaining law and order ced preparations for this within the United Kingdom'. war on the British working class were revealed on Tues- 'If the government is to day morning when two teenagers were gunned down white demonstrating inside the Indian High This week the Tory govCommission. ernment announced its The police who were on highest-ever peace-time the scene within minutes budget-£3,365m, almost 6 opened fire on the young- per cent of the Gross Nasters, shooting one through tional Product. the heart and the other Much of the increased exthrough the head. penditure is directed toThe officers who fired the wards 'internal security' and shots are SPG men in the 'peace-keeping' while there London region. They have is an expensive drive to innicknamed their unit the crease the size of the newly'Central London Commit- reorganized Territorials, the part-time army.

It was formed two These developments can months ago without any only be understood against public or parliamentary de- the background of the bate and without any state- rapidly deteriorating economent from the Home Secre- mic and political position tary Robert Carr, the man of the British capitalist behind the Industrial Re- class. lations Act. This parasitic clique of The administrative head- bankers, money-lenders and quarters of the London SPG asset-strippers want to preis in Hounslow and there serve its profits and priviare sub-depots at Gipsy Hill leges by destroying the in south London, Cavendish basic democratic rights of Road police station in the working class and Balham and at Whetstone. thereby reducing it to a There are not many em- state of poverty and opbassies in these localities! pression.

Each unit has 28 const- But the British working ables, three sergeants, an class won its rights-the inspector and a woman con- right to a decent standard stable. All are given inten- of living, the right to strike, sive arms training and to picket, to organize-in shooting, practice using bloody struggle against the human-shaped targets. enemy class. be successful, therefore, it must base its campaign on a determination to destroy the subversive movement utterly and it must make this fact plain to its people?

Kitson's book contained an enthusiastic foreword by General Sir Michael Carver, Chief of the General Staff.

He said: This book is written for the soldier of today to help him prepare for operations of tomorrow. Nobody could be better qualified than Brig Frank Kitson to write on this subject.' It was announced last week that Carver is to be promoted to Field Marshal in July and in October he will become Chief of the Defence Staff—in charge of all three services.

The working class will defend these rights with same determination.

To resist the police death squad adassesses build working class must a strong and unflinching revolutionary leadership.

This week the Labour Party leaders raised not a Pakistani (15) on murder charge A 15-YEAR-OLD Pakistani schoolboy was charged with attempted murder at Hammersmith juvenile court yesterday. Police objected to bail and the boy was remanded in custody. He was charged foliuwing the demonstration at the India High Commission on Tuee & / Block waras! sebt dihicra wastirens outpatien Woifspn institute il dical fesearch councit J Shop stewards (above) at Hammersmith Hospital, west London, reception to the Tory splitting tactics yesterday. Said Ivy Pauleel, theatre domestics: "The government should be shot for the wages us— at today's prices they're killing us.' day in which his two shot dead.

He was accused of attempting to murder Anil Dutt, an embassy official, and conspiring to abduct eight people. Lady Paget, the court chairman, remanded the boy to Ashford Remand Home until next Wednesday:

Have a rough o represents tr y are paying

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