Solidarity as Resistance
British people were profoundly moved by Chilean events. The overthrow of a democratically elected government, the dictatorship’s violence, and the arrival of Chilean refugees galvanised politicians, trade unionists, religious leaders, feminists, gay rights activists and many more into action. Thousands marched in Britain to protest the coup and dictatorship in Chile.
Founded in late 1973, the Chile Solidarity Campaign (CSC) coordinated events and marches, raised money, ran boycott campaigns and increased public awareness. By 1976, 60 local CSC committees were established around Britain and 30 Trade Unions were affiliated with the campaign.
Bringing people together in the name of democracy, human rights and internationalism, solidarity activists offered strength both to Chileans resisting the dictatorship and those in Britain campaigning for progressive rights.
Chile Lucha/Chile Fights, published from October 1973 and selling 10,000 copies a year, was one of the ways CSC spread its message. It was edited by Imogen Mark with graphic design by Fiona Macintosh, John Edward Barker and Chris Welch.
Chile Solidarity Campaign Video Report, 1984
CSC also organised delegations to Chile and disseminated clandestine footage from the country. Below, is a video report by a CSC delegation that visited Chile in September 1984. The delegation, comprising a mixture of Labour MPs and Trade Union representatives from the UK, recount their experiences during their visit to Santiago and Valparaiso where they met with opposition politicians, trade unionists, shanty town dwellers, families of the disappeared and student organisers. The film contains video footage filmed by students of anti-dictatorial resistance given to the CSC and a delegation visit to the house of a murdered French Priest, captured by a BBC film crew in Chile at the time.
Delegation members were Judith Hart (MP former Minister for Overseas Development), Donald Anderson (MP the Shadow Foreign Secretary), Alex Kitson (Deputy General Secretary of the T&GWU), Frank Cooper (AUEW-TASS), Dan Duffy (T&GWU), Barry Fitzpatrick (SOGAT-82) and Bill McLellan (Secretary of the Chile Solidarity Campaign). Thanks to Bill McLellan for sharing this film with us.
Campaigns
Campaigners also put pressure on the British government to stop trade with Chile and demand the dictatorship cease human rights abuses. Despite an embargo on arms sales to Chile during the Labour governments of Harold Wilson and James Callaghan (1974-1979), Margaret Thatcher resumed arms sales to Chile and improved relations with the dictatorship, stimulating a new wave of protest throughout the 1980s.
