'We are quite capable of fighting our own battles. ' racist violence.
How did you get involved in the events around the fire?
I was in a routine meting of the Black Parents Movement when we heard the news and decided to investigate Three of us saw Mrs Ruddock (who lost her children Yvonne and Paul) that same evening. Alex Pascall of Black Londoners did an interview for his radio programme.
In spite of her agony and suffering she spoke because she had already heard radio reports that weren't true.
She said that it had been a peaceful party. There had been no tights. it was the tirst party she had glven in the house. She'd made a special concession to her daughter, Yvonne for her 16th birthday and she was glad she had because she had never seen her so happy She was very clear about what she thought had happened that it was a firebomb. Two police otticers at ditterent times had told her this.
Already a number of West Indian organisations papers had been in the area: such as West indian word and the West Indian Standing Con- we weren't the only BicTence ones.
The WISC had already called a public meting the following Sunday. We intervened and suggested that there should be a several more received injuries, and their the New Cross Massacre Action Committee was formed. John La Rose, its national preparatory mecling January. 300 people This established the New Cros: Massacre Action ana part OTES WOlK known as the Black People's Assembly.
People came from as far away as the Midlands. It really gave the black some idea of what had taken Prom neonle like Lestey Morris people like Lesley Morris and Carl Wright the party.
nurse who had received the victims at the spoke. That meting showed us the extent of the concern in the community at what had taken place.
Who was involved in NCMAC?
You can imagine the range of voices on that question. decision was that the Commitwould be open to Asians, Africans and West Indians -all black people for the purpose of directing the campaign.
The Assembly should be open to all those who ported the general aims of the campaign. The Assembly made recommendations and Committee took the decisions about how LU carry through.
PACM-Hadstart African Congress said that the first position was rejected, this some Asians were threatened. Stewards took action against it but we could never PACM-Hadstart to stop.
How did the develop?
We knew it would go through Celall Olascs plays. So we hessueat ter aotitude of the press and the state would be dependent reacuon orine dack communty.
The public meting on January was important. 2000 people turned up and trom turther north Midlands, but Bradford, Hudattended. dersfield, Leeds chester.
Committee Sybil Phoenix, a local comDelant munity worker, demonstration in collabortion with the police to go from the rally to 439 New Once there she began to sing community 'We shall overcome But this wasn't a civil rights movement like in the 60s. They would like it to be but it isn't. • who were ai Anyway the much more vital.
When she hospital trom the house on the route she had planned with the police on people followed her The others said no and remained blocking the road outside the house tor 3 or 4 hours.
This destroyed the plans of the police to bring the black community behind the Community Relations Councils and Comfor Racial Equality.
We see these as a colonial office for The SCelv. Their undermine the struggle of blacks.
How do you see the Black Peoples Day of Action?
supThis was an historic event. The the decision to hold it the NCMAC on 27 them The decision was to show the determination (Pan population that they will not be Movement) killed, maimed or injured with impunity and that if the state should be involved meeting this despite ana whites : a commitment from camuaruis Ine press nac we knew that the aton the Just the and ManCross Road reggae songs are moved away would not in purose is to stage of the campaign? independent important event for the nebress Sunday came from tack wasn't true.
January.
JC CC SLOn the black quest attempt 'Black People's Day of Action on 2 March 1981 was an historic event' protect its citizens then the black population and its allies in the country would. and to acmonstraleu March.
Can you say what you think of the inquiry and the next ne macucs was ooviousv ar been police January uke bre Observer Times sought black communit This that what was being said about the massacre being a racist atThe truth was something else. Ihe truth was wc kucw tral a dianuslal play would be made at the inwhere the voice would elaborate their ine inquny theories in a way which would be convincing to the population the who had Peopies Day of" the Black Action on 2 failed because I don't think the police and the coroner realised the extent to which the NCMAC was prepared. It had prepared since the when DOLI the NCMAC and the fact-finding commission were established commission investigated what had happened and it also found out about the metnoas inat ine police were using to obtain their information and their line of investigation ventually ail that became public knowledge at the time of Police in Southall, , The . police had a political motive in trving to prove tha this was not a racist attack. If they had admitted been 15-20,000 marching in the streets but 100.000. It was this they sought prevent. would be • a march to protes police failure to stem racist attacks ke the recent one it Coventry.
It is a matter for serious consideration that the coroner, vi vavics. alcaumle coroncı ! Britain, should have shown bas and incompetence to the extent that he did.
The parents sought an injunction against him for his summing up, the reading of police evidence rather than which he had failed to HULes take. It was admitted by Justice
Photo: TONI GORTON John La Rose is a Trinidad-born publisher and poet. He is the New Cross Massacre Action Committee.
He is also a member of the Alliance of the Black Parents Movement, the Black Youth Movement and the Race Today Collective. chairperson of the
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Cross Road earlier this year are well- again. believe that the fire was caused by a firebomb, and sees it as part of a
The facts of the terrible fire at 439 New known. Thirteen black youths at Yvonne Rud- dock's 16th birthday party lost their lives;
families and friends will never be the same The black community had reason to series of violent racist incidents in the area. In response to the attempts by the police and press to cover up the real story
chairperson, spoke to Toni Gorton about the campaign, its future plans, and how the black working class views the fight against
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