An Injury to One is an Injury to All!

Everybody, regardless of race, colour or religion has the right to live their life in peace in their own home, free from fear that they may be attacked or shot.
If we allow the police to get away with doing this to one section of working class communities, whether they are Muslim, Christian, Jew, Sikh or Hindu; whether black, white or brown, then we are opening a very dangerous door.
There can be no exceptions; police attacks and assaults against the people cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.
The minority people of Newham have a history of successfully resisting racist attacks by police and racist gangs. 'An Injury to One is an Injury to All!' was a slogan of the struggles of the Virk brothers, the Newham 8, and the Newham 7. It is still an important principle to uphold.
The smear campaign in the press against the family in Forest Gate is nazi-like propaganda to slander them and to prevent people from speaking out to support them as good neighbours would normally do.

Muslims are currently bearing the brunt of state attacks under Terrorism laws. Anti-war campaigners have also been targeted under these laws. The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act is being used to stop anti-war protests near parliament.
Soldiers opposed to British imperialist aggression face the Armed Forces Bill. This would make going absent without leave (AWOL) to avoid serving in a "military occupation of a foreign country or territory" a crime punishable by life imprisonment (Armed Forces Bill, Section 8).

Many people are already extremely concerned at the new laws that have been passed. These are laws that restrict the right to demonstrate, to speak out against the activities of our government. These laws are now available to be used in other contexts. They can be used to prevent protests about government activities both abroad in other countries like Iraq or at home when people protest against NHS privatisation or when workers demand their rights. In this way laws can be brought in during press hysteria against one section of the community (e.g. Muslims) and then extended to everyone else. This is the danger of the working people allowing themselves to be divided.

The excuse for the attacks on the families in Forest Gate has been the danger of terrorism. It is becoming clearer with every passing day that terrorism of the state breeds acts of individual terrorism. The source of terrorism around the world is imperialism, the military aggression and plunder of other people's economies. To end the threat of terrorism all terrorism must be opposed. British, and all, imperialism must become a thing of the past.

In these circumstances people of all sections of the working class need to support each other in their hour of need and speak out wherever possible against the police attacks on families in East London. There is a need for a united front of working people of all communities to oppose any divisions amongst us and to say no to police attacks on minorities.