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Lawyers Against Apartheid was formed in December 1986 and held its inaugural meeting in April 1987. The group campaigned against the abuse of the laws by the apartheid regime. It gave advice to anti-apartheid activists who fell foul of the law in Britain. Left to right: Willem van Manen, Martin Mabiletsa (ANC), Geoffrey Bindman, Lord Gifford, Bience Gawanas (SWAPO), Adrienne Barnett.

Lawyers Against Apartheid was set up in December 1986 to expose the abuse of the law in South Africa and the travesties of justice in many political trials. This leaflet advertised its inaugural public meeting, held in April 1987, attended by over 200 people. At the meeting Geoffrey Bindman reported on his recent visit to South Africa, where he observed several high profile political trials. The meeting launched a petition calling for sanctions against South Africa and sent a message to the newly formed South African Democratic Lawyers Association.

Petition launched at Lawyers Against Apartheid’s inaugural public meeting on 30 April 1987. The petition declared that South Africa’s legal system violated principles of natural justice and asked the British government to impose sanctions against South Africa.

Supporters of Birmingham AA Youth Committee took their banner on Birmingham’s May Day demonstration on 1 May 1987. They were joined by British miners leader Arthur Scargill (centre). In June the group launched a campaign to make the Handsworth district of Birmingham an apartheid-free zone.

The Peterborough Against Apartheid festival held in May 1987 featured British folk punk group ‘The Men they Couldn’t Hang’ and singer songwriter Rory McCloud, as well as stalls and speakers from the ANC and SWAPO. Over 1,000 people attended the festival, one of the most successful events ever held in the city. 

Poster for a folk concert to raise funds for the ANC and Nottingham Anti-Apartheid at Nottingham’s Trent Polytechnic Students Union in 1987.

NUS leaflet calling on students to vote for candidates who supported the imposition of sanctions against South Africa in the June 1987 British general election. The AAM circulated a questionnaire to prospective parliamentary candidates from all parties asking them about their stand on anti-apartheid campaigns.

This leaflet advertised a picket of Shell’s London headquarters on 13 May 1987, the eve of the company’s annual general meeting. Over hundred people, including Labour MPs, joined the demonstration, organised by the London Anti-Apartheid Committee. The following day protesters asked questions about Shell’s operations in Southern Africa at the AGM, forcing the directors to abandon the meeting. The action took place during an international week of action on Shell, 11–17 May, when the AAM’s London Committee organised demonstrations outside over 100 Shell garages.