"It is not often that I presume to speak for the Labour movement as a whole but on this occasion I have no doubt that the Labour Party is with me" said Sidney Silverman, M.P., at a packed meeting in the Caxton Hall on Sept. 4th. This was the first public meeting of the British Alexander Defence Committee. He went on to draw a parallel with the Christie case, in which a man was accused of plotting violence against a government which could only sustain itself by violence. Dr. Wolfgang Mueller, the acting secretary of the West German Alexander Defence Committee, told the audience how they had collected over £4,000 and 5,000 signatures to a petition in spite of massive propazanda from neo-fascist organisations.
Other speakers Bl fesai, president of the South African Coloured People's Congress; another member of SACPC, who had been in prison with Dr. Alexander, and who spoke of the physical violence, resulting in pierced ear-drum, which had been used against Dr. Alexander; Raymond Kunene, of the ANC; C. Van Gelderen, Hammersmith Borough Councillors; and Ellis Hillman, LCC,; the chairman of NALSO, Chris Arthur, chaired the meeting. Ellis Hillman, appealed to everyone to go back to their organisations and get them to sponsor and finance the Committee. The ‘chairman set a target for the fund to finance Dr, Alexander's appeal of £2,500. A collection of nearly £40 was collected from the 100 strong audience,
The sponsors of the committee, at present, include Frank Alluan, M.P., Bob Edwards, M.P., Sidney Silverman, M.P., Ernie Roberts, A.E.U., end several CLPs and Young Socialist branches, Postal Orders and Cheques should be made out to "Defence and Aid, Alexander Appeal', and be sent, together with messages of support requests for information, etc., to Mrs. C, Kirkby, 27, Thursley House, Holmewood Gardens, London S.W. 2.