28.11.1996

British justice, no justice

The Campaign against Domestic Violence protest outside Cornton Vale women’s prison saw the emotions over the death of five young women in the prison over the last 16 months turn to anger against the state and the violence it perpetrates daily.

Speaker after speaker at the 200-strong protest referred to poverty and alienation as causes for pushing the working class into so-called crimes (the majority of women in Cornton Vale are there for petty crimes, drug related offences and non-payment of fines).

Communist speaker Mary Ward told the crowd that the horrendous conditions within Cornton Vale were mirrored in male and female jails throughout Britain and demanded that the anger shown by the protesters be turned against the state.

Some of the women’s groups present highlighted the position of Louise Clarke. She is doing time in Cornton Vale for killing the man who systematically battered and abused her. They were campaigning to change the law concerning provocation. Much of the demonstration however focused around the slogans, ‘British justice - no justice!’ and ‘No justice - no peace!’

A speaker from the sacked Polmadie workers emphasised the need for working class solidarity and the need to unite struggles. He too was met with rousing applause.

Because it was led by socialists and communists, this demonstration turned into a militant rallying call for the class. It was very good to see issues that have in the past been the prerogative of the feminists being reclaimed by the working class as part of the struggle for socialism.

Nancy Morrelli