In October last year a gang of youths went into Broomfield school and attacked a group of black students, one was hospitalised. Later that day, some of the students saw the attackers on a bus in Bounds Green and called the police. The police let the attackers go and turned on the black students. Three of them were assaulted, arrested, detained in cells and charged. The court case was postponed twice - causing them anxiety and stress. The march was called before the court case to call for the charges of the Broomfield school students to be dropped!



STOP PRESS ............ On Tuesday 26 June, Lordship Lane Magistrates Court in north London dismissed charges of threatening behaviour against the Broomfield 3, three black 14-year-olds, on the basis of police non-disclosure to the defense team of complaints by the public received by them regarding police behaviour during the original arrests. This victory marks the culmination of an eight-month campaign to get the charges dropped.

The decision, on the second day of the court hearing, follows a march against racism and police brutality on Saturday 23 June through Tottenham which highlighted the case. The march, called by Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! along with the Broomfield 3 campaign and the families and friends of Roger Sylvester and Harry Stanley, both killed by the Metropolitan police in 1999, saw 400 people gather outside Tottenham police station to demand the resignation of Haringey police superintendent Stephen James and an end to Britains racist immigration and asylum laws, as well as justice for victims of police racism. This was followed by a loud and lively march to Wood Green.

The march was joined by a contingent from anti-capitalist demonstrators the WOMBLES and Turkish communists whose comrades are dying on a prison hunger strike in Turkey. Hundreds of people crowded the streets to welcome the march as it passed. There was a minutes silence at the top of Sommerhill Road where Roger Sylvester had been killed outside his own home by eight police officers in January 1999. His brother Bernard told demonstrators how the family has still not been told how Roger was killed, or the names of the eight officers responsible who are still policing the streets.

Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! regard todays victory by the Broomfield 3 as a victory for the community and evidence that public pressure can win justice. Now onwards to get justice for the families of Roger Sylvester and Harry Stanley and all other victims of racism and police brutality!

For further information about campaigns fighting racism and racist asylum laws go to FRFI at www.rcgfrfi.easynet.co.uk