AF ) ▁was ▁launched ▁with ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁local ▁trade ▁un ions , ▁anti - rac ist ▁and ▁anti - f asc ist ▁groups . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁the ▁police ▁st aged ▁dawn ▁ra ids ▁in ▁south - east ▁London ▁and ▁arrested ▁twenty - one ▁young ▁black ▁people ▁including ▁a ▁ 2 4 - year - old ▁woman , ▁in ▁connection ▁with ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁m ugg ings . ▁Following ▁the ▁arr ests , ▁the ▁police ▁said ▁that ▁they ▁believed ▁the ▁" gang " ▁were ▁responsible ▁" for ▁ 9 0 ▁per ▁cent ▁of ▁the ▁street ▁crime ▁in ▁south ▁London ▁over ▁the ▁past ▁six ▁months ." ▁They ▁appeared ▁at ▁Cam ber well ▁Green ▁Mag istr ates ' ▁Court ▁on ▁ 1 ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁charged ▁with ▁various ▁off ences ▁of ▁" con sp i racy ▁to ▁rob ." ▁During ▁the ▁hear ings , ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁defend ants ▁fought ▁with ▁the ▁police ▁while ▁spect ators ▁in ▁the ▁public ▁gallery ▁attempted ▁to ▁in va de ▁the ▁court . ▁The ▁Lew ish am ▁ 2 1 ▁Def ence ▁Committee ▁was ▁set ▁up ▁soon ▁after . ▁They ▁heavily ▁critic ised ▁police ▁tact ics . ▁ ▁On ▁Saturday , ▁ 2 ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁the ▁Lew ish am ▁ 2 1 ▁Def ence ▁Committee ▁held ▁a ▁demonstr ation ▁in ▁New ▁Cross . ▁Up ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 ▁National ▁Front ▁supp or ters ▁turned ▁out ▁to ▁opp ose ▁it ,