workingclasshistory:

On this day, 26 April 1982, the trial of the Bradford 12 began at Leeds Crown Court. The 12 were activists of the United Black Youth League, arrested on conspiracy charges for preparing to defend their community from fascists.
The trial lasted nine weeks with the defence taking the surprising decision to put forward the case that because the police had failed to defend Asian and Afro-Caribbean people in Britain from racist attacks, then those communities had the right to take action in self-defence. Amazingly, the 12 were all acquitted.
One of those charged, Tariq Mehmood, defended himself at trial, and told his story on our podcast: https://workingclasshistory.com/2019/09/18/e28-29-asian-youth-movements-in-bradford/
Pictured: some of the defendants outside the court celebrating their acquittal https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1410533725798440/?type=3