War Commentary

In November 1944 the police raided the London offices of Freedom Press, the centre of the anarchist press in England. The police confiscated a typewriter, printed material, including a circular letter, and issues of the journal War Commentary. Several persons were arrested and eventually accused of having: '... conspired together and with other persons unknown to endeavour to seduce from their duty persons in His Majesty's Service and to cause among such persons disaffection likely to lead to breaches of their duty.'

This chapter in English press history is highlighted here to mark World Press Freedom Day 2010. The site provides some background information on the main actors and War Commentary.

May 3 was declared World Press Freedom Day by the UN General Assembly in 1993, and was intended to commemorate the need for a free, pluralistic, and independent press as an essential component for any democratic society. The idea stemmed from the UNESCO General Conference in 1991.

Previous 3 May contributions

• 2009: The Rheinische Zeitung and Karl Marx
• 2008: Freie Presse: a weekly against Hitler
• 2007: The Alexander Herzen Foundation against censorship in the Soviet Union
• 2006: Press Now. The early years - Independent media and Yugoslavia
• 2005: A Dozen Press Freedom Posters
• 2004: The Banishment of Brandsteder from the Dutch East Indies
• 2003: Koos Koster in El Salvador

See also: Press Freedom Links