WfJRKERS ,,IN'IJ,IR' 25¢ No. 316 .~~~~. X-S23 29 October 1982 Protesters·Rout Klan- Boston COliS Riot UPI .iiiJII'iI BOSTON, October 16-Hooded and j 1 I • white-sheeted Ku Klux Klansmen were • surrounded by an angry, jeering crowd of 1.500. pelted with eggs. and. scared II ;:,ut of their w~ts, were tlln off the sheets of Boston today. Not even a full-scale riot by scores of motorcycle and mounted police defending the KKKers could disperse the protesters. who came determined to stop the fascists' provoca­ tion. It was the first solid anti-racist stand after years of unrelieved racist terror for black people in Boston. October 16 was a stunning blow against the cross-burners and lynchers that has been heard across the whole country. Under Reagan reaction, the KKK figures it has a license to spew out its race-hate poison everywhere. A Klan­ endorsed president in the White House, Democrats and Republicans united in an anti-Soviet war drive have made it open season on unions and minority rights at home. And Boston is where rampaging mobs ofwhite racists took to the streets against busing. An ideal place for a Klan march, figured "imperial wizard" Bill Wilkinson. But the all­ WV Photo purpose hate mongers of the KKK not (Above) Boston cops protect Klan. (Below) Spartaclst contingent on October 16. only target blacks, Jews, communists, labor: Catholics are also high on their TV cringing. The cops, meanwhile, protesters in Cambridge Street. Motor­ the Plaza, directed this time at the hit list. So when Wilkinson said he'd began beating on anyone around, cycle cops roared into the crowd in City police. WEEI Radio broke into the parade in front of City Hall on Satur­ particularly news photographers. As the Hall Plaza. Then came the club­ World Series broadcast with bulletins day, they all came out to stop him: Irish crowd threatened to overwhelm the tiny swinging, mace-spraying riot police, on the police charge. Many thousands from South Boston and Dorchester, phalanx, the terrified. humiliated fas­ pushing demonstrators into other cops. more were shocked as they watched the Italians from East Boston and Somer­ cists were bundled into paddy wagons­ There were police sharpshooters on the scene on TV. Everyone saw it: the cops, ville, students from Cambridge, blacks under police protection, not arrest­ rooftops, plainclothesmen riddling the mortal enemies of blacks and workers, from Roxbury, unionists and others, and whisked away. Only the cops crowd. For many protesters there was are defenders of the Ku Klux Klan. A mobilized in part by several left groups. prevented them from being stripped of no escape: everyone was fair game. Our couple from Somerville told WV: The Klan never made it to the plaza. their KKK costumes and pounded into own comrades barely escaped serious "When we came here and people were When the robed nightriders appeared in the pavement. As the police vans left, injury: some were maced, others black­ chanting that the police were going to broad daylight a block away from their the protesters cheered their victory. The jacked. Twelve demonstrators were protect the Klan we didn't believe it. ... I target, hundreds of anti-Klan demon­ Klan would not parade its racist terror hospitalized, scores received lesser tmly understand it now." strators surged forward and surrounded in the streets of Boston. injuries. There were two arrests, but all The KKK attempt to march on them (and their police escort) on all But the fight was far from over. No the criminals-cops and Klansmen­ Boston City Hall grew out ofa television sides. Seconds later, the Klansmen were sooner were the Klansmen gone than the went free. appearance by Wilkinson on a local bombarded with eggs, tomatoes, bot­ racists in blue abruptly launched an For hundreds of anti-Klan demon­ station two days earlier, part of the tles, garbage and anything else that obviously planned attack on the demon­ strators, the bloody cop attack was a KKK's camp~i~n to gain a "respectable" could be found. The KKKers ducked; stration. Mounted police wheeled brutal lesson on the class nature of the image. As the "imperial wizard" spoke, Wilkinson was shown on nationwide around their horses and charged into capitalist state. Cries of "fascists" filled continued on page 8 Steel Local Welcomes Anwar Victory EAST CHICAGO, Indiana-Angered forward this fight to complete victory." over Inland Steel's blatant refusal to However, Inland has simply ignored reinstate Keith Anwar, members of the NLRB decision. This arrogant United Steelworkers (USWA) Local obstruction of the Labor Board order ID 10 once again came forward to comes during an intensified campaign of Keith Anwar support Anwar's fight for labor solidari­ intimidation and harassment designed speaks at rally ty. On September 24 the National Labor to weaken the union in the face of the In support of Relations Board (NLRB) ordered In­ industrywide giveback campaign. Al­ land to reinstate Anwar, a Local 1010 most one third of Inland's 18,000 member fired in May 1979 for refusing workers have been forced onto unem­ to cross a picket line (see "Steel Unionist ployment lines that in places like East ::~~~~!f: ~ \Nk~ Wins Key NLRB Case," WV No. 315, Chicago and Gary extend for city uotm PICKbT L 15 October). This ruling was enthusiasti­ blocks. Those still on the job are cally welcomed by USWA members working virtually without a contract, as who have closely followed the case and in each department foremen tear up past WV Photo who understand the critical importance agreements on seniority, safety, job preacher ought to be preaching in a The case will now go to the federal of picket line solidarity against the steel descriptions, etc. And at the same time padded cell! courts. The Keith Anwar Defense bosses. An October 21 meeting of the that the ineffective, no-strike grievance The response of the McBride USWA Committee, already in debt because of Inland local warmly applauded Anwar procedure is clogged with cases, Inland leadership to such attacks has been to legal expenses arising from the NLRB on this victory, and unanimously passed singles out grievancemen for victimiza­ offer the steel companies billions of suit, is urgently appealing for financial a resolution that said, "Local 1010 tion. Anwar told Workers Vanguard dollars of concessions. But many steel support to keep this struggle for the congratulates Keith Anwar for winning that last week a highly active griever was workers are looking for class-struggle right to honor picket lines alive. WV the recent NLRB decision that-supports hit with a five-day suspension for weapons to fight back, like picket lines calls on its readers to generously our right to honor picket lines, and we commenting to a fellow worker that a nobody crosses. This is what the Anwar contribute: Keith Anwar Defense Com­ encourage brother Anwar to carry vicious foreman who moonlights as a picket line case is all about. mittee, Box 7914, Chicago, IL 60680.• _r N· Workers Vanguard Subscription Drive Success Congratulations to all comrades more class-conscious than the stu­ on the successful completion of the dents are radical, our aim was to 1982 Workers Vanguard subscrip­ expand readership among workers tion drive. The five-week drive and blacks as well as on the cam­ reached 121 percent of the national puses. Summing up the effort, the quota, bringing WV subscriptions Los Angeles sub drive director, (U.S. and overseas) to nearly 3,000. comrade Cesar, reported: "We met The drive also netted 948 Young our quota ... but most important was Spartacus and 610 Women and the quality of the points obtained.... Revolution subs. Most exciting and satisfying was the This year's drive took place in the large percentage of black subscrib­ midst of considerable political ers." In Los Angeles, 4~ points were activity-emergency Spartacist sold to phone workers and 59 in demonstrations against Zionist gen­ black housing projects adjacent to ocide in West Beirut, auto workers' locations where WV is sold on a and teachers' walkouts in Detroit regular basis. Of the 52 points sold at and elsev>fhere, the Coleman/ UCLA, nearly half were to black and Bradley election campaign in San Latino students. Francisco. Immediately after the sub Especially given the current drive, the Boston local played an vacuum of black leadership, the UPI active role in the militant mobiliza­ Spartacist League's active work in FINAL TOTALS tion which successfully confronted opposing the provocations of the the Ku Klux Klan on October 16. racist terrorists was key to winning Local Quota Total % Quota Total % (In points) In keeping with the observation new subscribers. As one black man (In points) that American workers are presently in Chicago told us, "It's about time Berkeley/Oakland 550 606 110 Los Angeles 400 440 110 somebody did something about the Boston 430 514 120 Madison 100 124 124 Klan and Nazis." In Chicago, where Chicago 450 468 104 New York 850 1,064 125 WORKERS last June 27 the SL organized 3,000 Cleveland 250 207 83 San Francisco 450 525 117 protesters against the Nazis' attempt Detroit 280 322 115 At-large - 278 VANGIJARD to rally against Gay Pride Day, an National Total 3,760 4,548 121 Marxist Working-Class Biweekly of impressive 178 points were sold the Spartacist League of the U.S. door-to-door in black and working­ EDITOR: Jan Norden class neighborhoods (129 on the focus, it was particularly gratifying estimated 42 percent of Berkeley/ PRODUCTION: Darlene Kamiura (Manager), South Side). that 95 points were sold at Harvard, Oakland subs were to black and Noah Wilner Detroit sold 57 points to unionists, where the Spartacus Youth League Latino readers, including several CIRCULATION MANAGER: Linda Jarreau mainly auto workers, and 21 points has been subjected to a concerted new subscribers from the Richmond EDITORIAL BOARD: George Foster, Liz Gordon, Mary Jo McAllister.