National Front nazis cash in on Rememberance Day ceremony in London THE NATIONAL Abortion Campaign (NAC) faces imminent closure due to a massive financial crisis.
They have issued an emergency appeal to all supporters to raise £11,000. They need £3,000 immediately and another £1,000 by December 1 and then another £7,000.
NAC has a long and excellent history in the struggle for abortion rights. Its main campaign has been for free abortion on demand and a woman's right to choose.
Since the 1967 Abortion Act there have been 20 attacks from private members' bills, the best known of which were the James White Bill in 1975, the Benyon Bill in 1977, the Corrie Bill in 1979 and the Alton Bill in 1988.
NAC has made it possible to fight these repeated attacks on abortion rights. It has always been fully involved in the campaigns that have emerged, uniting with all those prepared to resist any further restrictions.
NAC, working with women in the trade unions, forced the TUC to take action against Corrie in 1979. With these united front campaigns, NAC explains why its demands are correct and produces its own material on the importance of free abortion on demand. NAC argues for women to have control over their bodies as a fundamental human right.
Earlier this year an international right-wing hit squad failed to close down abortion clinics in Britain. NAC was central in the struggle to defend abortion clinics from these anti-abortion fanatics.
Organised by the US-based allowed to hold a press conference.
Sixteen anti-abortionists were able to form a barricade inside and out of a Birmingham clinic while 70 people were successfully mobilised to keep the clinic open.
Rescue America leader Don Treshman was served with a deportation order after an attempted blockade at a north-east London clinic.
In the U.S. these groups have gone from pickets to firebombings and killings. Last year marked a record for violence against clinics. There were 1,107 acts of serious violence (bombing, arson, chemical contamination, invasion, vandalism, etc.) costing nearly $50 million. Operation Rescue carry guns and recently killed a clinic doctor.
Special camps train members to read license plates, follow people, harass them at home, illegally enter schools and leaflet children with pictures of foetuses.
In Britain, NAC has prepared for their return. The pro-choice campaign has set up a telephone 'tree' in London to quickly mobilise supporters to defend clinics.
While it is not clear when these anti-abortion thugs will reappear in Britain it is vital the campaign is organised and ready for their onslaught.
NAC has played a role in providing information about contraceptive and abortion rights, and more recently about safer sex and in lobbying MPs in defence of the 67 Act in 18 years of activity.
It has suffered from the decline of the women's movement and the active campaign for abortion on demand. Without NAC any future campaigns against attacks on the '67 Act will begin without a central organising force. In the light of the Tory moral crusade we must save the campaign from bankruptcy. • Please send donations to NAC, The Print House, 18 Ashwin Street, London, E8 3DL