SOLIDARITY MESSAGE FROM THE SHREWSBURY 24 CAMPAIGN TO OUR OTJC FRINGE MEETING 27/9/21

THE FIGHT FOR WORKING CLASS JUSTICE & THE RIGHT TO PROTEST

The Shrewsbury 24 Campaign sends comradely greetings to the Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign and all those attending this fringe meeting at Labour Party conference.

We would have loved to have been with you today but we have been attending a day of celebration with the pickets and their families in North Wales. It was postponed from June due to Covid restrictions.

For all of us in the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign and the pickets who were convicted at Shrewsbury Crown Court in 1973-74, this year will never be forgotten. On 23 March 2021 the Court of Appeal overturned all of the convictions of the pickets who were prosecuted in the three trials at Shrewsbury.

Our particular thoughts and admiration go to the eight pickets who, against all odds, never gave up and won an incredible battle to achieve justice for themselves and their fellow pickets.

This is an unprecedented victory for the trade union and labour movement. The trials had been an attempt by the employers, the Government and the state to weaken trade unionism.  We have now been able to overturn this miscarriage of justice.

It has been a long hard road for us all. It is impossible to express in words how we feel. We are all overjoyed. Everyone in our movement should share in this.

What we would like to emphasise is the importance of solidarity. The Campaign and the pickets wish to thank all the trade unionists up and down the country who supported us through thick and thin over these years. Your support gave us the encouragement to go on. You inspired us never to give up. We could not have done it without you.

We gained great strength from working with and supporting many justice campaigns: Orgreave, Grenfell, Hillsborough, Blacklist Support Group, Spycops and all the others.

You have never given up and with everyone’s support you will succeed, as we did.

In comradeship.

United we stand.

Solidarity.

Eileen Turnbull, Researcher & Secretary

Harry Chadwick, Chairperson