An Appeal From Leeds

Editorial notes we received the following letter from Jim Scott, dated Sunday April 30th, 1967: Today Leeds Trades Council held its annual May Day Rally, Myself and several other supporters of the International Socialism Group turned up to march with the demonstration, We carried a red flag with the words "Labour Worker" on it, Also present were members of the SLL and Militant Group, As the demonstration began the Secretary of the Trades Council approached us and told us we could not march carrying political banners, they objected particularly to the SLL's banners calling for solidarity with the Greek working class, He informed us that he intended calling the police to see that we did not march, He is a member of the Communist Party, We later learnt that the police were quite content to allow us to march and it was only on the insistance of the Communist Party that they broke our part of the demonstration up, As the march proceeded we raised our banners and marched off following the Trades Council demonstrations, the police broke into part of the demonstration, arresting Cliff Slaughter and some other members of the SLL, When I and other comrades protested against this we were arrested and charged with "threatening behaviour" and one Anarchist comrade with assault, This flagrant breach of working class tradition (the calling of police to fellow socialists) must be abhorred by all socialists, We in Leeds appeal to a]l Communist and Labour Party members for support: money will be needed for payment of fines, etc,, all donations should be sent to Phil Evans, 26, Bagly Road, Leeds,