AROUND
THE
WORLD
DENMARK Bomb attack on socialist group THE Copenhagen headquarters of the Danish revolutionary socialist organization Internationale Socialister (IS) was destroyed by a powerful bomb on March 16. The explosion, which took the life of 29 year old Henrich Christensen, was most likely the work of fascist circles who have been at the center of a racist and xenophobic campaign against immigrant workers in Denmark.
IS, along with other organizations that have been active in anti-racist work, such as the Socialist Workers Party (SAP) -Danish section of the Fourth International, the Left Socialists (VS), the Left Socialist Youth (VS) and the Federation of Immigrant Associations (IND-sam), has been victimized by threats and physical attacks over the last four years.
The Danish police have refused to take energetic measures to counter the climate of fear and hate whipped up by the far-right and fascist forces. For example, in the summer of 1990 Lubni Elahi, an immigrant woman and socialist city councillor in Copenhagen was physically assaulted by fascist thugs. Though responsibility was claimed by Albert Larsen, leader of "De Nationale", a Nazi group, the police refused to bring charges against Larsen or his organization. This group has also threatened to bomb a mosque currently under construction in Copenhagen. Rather than pointing their fingers in the obvious direction of the fascist organizations, the bourgeois media has taken the occasion of the bombing of the IS headquarters to launch a scurrilous attack against the victims themselves. TV news reports and right wing papers have suggested that IS itself was involved in fabricating bombs in spite of that organization's openly stated policy of fighting fascism through building broad anti-racist mobilizations.
Messages of solidarity can be sent to: Internationale Socialister, Ryesgade, 8, 3. DK-8000 Aarhus C., Denmark, or to the weekly newspaper Den Roede Traad (Fax: 45 33 33 86 56).
mothers, and elderly people."
C. Cheysson (France).
AROUND THE WORLD UNITED STATES Mark Curtis Defence Campaign THE struggle against police brutality and for the vindication of Mark Curtis, the U.S. trade unionist and socialist activist imprisoned in the state of Iowa after being framed-up on rape charges, has recently registered a significant victory.
On January 31, a U.S. federal judge ruled that the two police officers who had severely beaten Curtis on the night he was arrested - March 4, 1988 - must pay $11,000 to Curtis in compensation for the damages he suffered.
The court's judgement will strengthen the campaign to win Curtis release from the Iowa prison where he is serving a twenty-five year prison term.
The ruling occured during a campaign to protest a wave of police brutality by the Des Moines police force that has spread terror through the city's Black community. Public meetings attracting hundreds of people in support of Curtis and against police brutality have been held recently.
The Mark Curtis Defense Committee has launched an appeal for funds to meet the expenses that will be incurred as this struggle enters a new phase.
Contributions and messages of support can be sent to the Mark Curtis Defence Committee, Box 1048, Des Moines IA 50311, United States of America. Please make checks payable to the Political Rights Defense Fund. *
28