Liberation! protestor • iberation! How's -the situation chang.
started coming down here I expected a stralght fight between us and the road builders, but this whole thing has become a big deal to all sides, and the sides have got bigger.
Loads of police have been brought in, as well as private security guards iberation! What _have your experiences here shown you about campaigning?
T.a. It's shown that we need to be wellinformed.
We have to work so much harder than the peopie wno are in tavour of the road to get our message across because of the idea that we're hooligans and that they are respectable. All you see is brawling, but we're trying to develop ideas about protecting the environment and improving public transport.
It's also shown that we need to reach out as far as we can. Once people Telt we were really inreatening this road, all the Torce or me aw was on lo us. Our people get carted ott under the criminal Justice Act, and gradually some trees are getting felled. So we can't do it alone. We need more people if we're to do the job better. We can show the way to other groups.
Iberation! Do you feel the campaign will be successful?
.G. The word "successful" Isn't just about stopping the road.
We're fighting to win of This campaign draws in the locals, and has become a broad layer of protest. We're all over tele. We managed to get a coach company to stop bringing the contractors to work. And we also work hard to bring in people from other campaigns. We're planning a demo with Friends of the Earth.
So we're reaching out to people with different expenences. i reckon we're at really important stage in road campaigns. Like I say, we're making this impact ane making trees. But I also know that more people wake up to what we're saying rather camps, caught up in the than just thinking we've big web of environmental got a thing about climbing wrecking and of government policies that stop us demonstrating.
So another "success" we will have, even if the road gets built, is to show
• Racism • Immigration and Asylum Bill • The Immigration and Asylum Bill - What it is and how to fight it! • Simon Deville The Torles are alming to force through another round of racist legislation, The Immigration and Asylum Bill. The bill, alongside changes in sociai security legislation could mean tens of thousands of asylum seekers thrown onto ine streets with no source of income. Not only will asylum seekers nave their benefits withdrawn, they will not be able to work as it will be an of fence for bosses to employ them.
Already numerous refugees have been declared "bogus" asylum seekers by the home office, and then sent back to face persecution and death in their countries of origin.
Similar attacks are occuring at the same time in France, Italy, Belgium and many other European states. European integration has been fraught with divisions in terms of the economy, with each national bourgeoisie attempting to defend it's own interests against other nations. The creation of "Fortress Europe" however, has found a much easier pas- ple within the EC, but have sage. •een been working much more marked by the creation of closely in keeping refumuch tighter and uniform gees out of Europe. immigration laws com- In conjunction with the bined with a strength- bill, Peter Lilly is aiming to ened, paramilitary style of stop benefits for the mapolicing. The Tories have jority of asylum seekers. opposed a common immi- The benefits Will be gration policy in terms of stopped for all those who the free movement of peo- don't make an application immediately on entering Britain. At present this amounts to around 7080% of all applications. In order to enforce this legislation public sector workers will be expexted to to check the immigration status of people when they apply for benefits or when they attempt to gain access to public services. nent and the Caribbean. To date there is no category in British law of "imAlthough many black people arrived in Britain to migrant" as exists in many find themselves excluded other European states. from higher paid jobs, The proposed law will crehousing or many public ate such a category. places such as bars or The Asylum and Immigrarestaurants, workers from tion Bill will also create a British colonies had the "white List" of countries right to abode in Britain that are deemed safe and and in general had the from which all asylum applications will be automatsameformalrights as other British citizens. ically refused. The original Economic recession proposed list included Nithrough a list of "safe third countries". If an asylum seeker passes through one or tnese countries en route to Britain, they can be deported back there.
The bill will create a criminal offence for anyone to employ a person with no legal right to live In Britain, which will not only make it Impossible for many refugees to find any source of income, but wlll encourage employers not to employanyblack people.
Measures to speed up appeals procedures will make it extremely difficult for asylum seekers to preDale documentation for their cases, particularly since legal aid will also be withdrawn for many refugees.
To implement these laws there will be numerous forms of internal immigration checks in which people will be asked to prove their right to live in Britain. The Tory Party has shied away from the introduction of compulsory identity cards in Britain, but the bill will effectively introduce them for black people. Already sectors not covered by
opposing the Nowbury bypass.
ing here? .G. When I first
If wors, right Asylum is a human
his plays a role for RIGHT