Bradford Riots

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The Upper Globe pub was attacked during the riot & has since lain derelict.
The Upper Globe pub was attacked during the riot & has since lain derelict.

The Bradford Riots were a short but intense period of rioting which began on July 7, 2001, in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It occurred as a result of heightened tension between ethnic minority communities and the city's white majority, stoked by confrontation between the Anti-Nazi League and far right groups such as the National Front.[1][2] Similar race riots had occurred a few days earlier in other parts of northern England.

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[edit] Background

Bradford is historically a working class city. Since its rapid growth in the 19th century, there have been several significant waves of immigration, notably Irish (19th century), Poles (1940s-50s) and South Asian people. At the time of the riot, Bradford had the second largest population of Asians of any UK city, with approximately 68,000 Pakistanis, 12,500 Indians and 5,000 Bangladeshis.[3] However, the majority of people in the city are white (Ethnicity: 78.3% White, and 18.9% S.Asian).[4]

Ethnic segregation has been exacerbated by the phenomenon of white flight. Over the course of a few decades, the white and Asian communities have become increasingly segregated, forming ghettoes within different areas of the city; for example, at the time of the riot, Toller was 64 percent South Asian[5], Tong was 93 percent white[6], and Wibsey was 91 percent white.[7]

[edit] Flashpoint

On 22–24 June, there were riots in Burnley; two months previously, there had been riots in Oldham. Tensions rose after the National Front attempted to organize a march in the city which was banned by Home Secretary David Blunkett under the Public Order Act 1986. The Anti Nazi League organised a counter march which was allowed to proceed. During the course of the march, a rumour was spread by some of the marchers that National Front sympathisers were gathering at a pub in the centre of Bradford. A confrontation then occurred outside the pub in the city centre during which a Pakistani man was stabbed. According to the appeal court, this incident almost certainly triggered the riot.[8]

[edit] Riots

The riot was estimated to have involved 1000 youths, mostly of Asian background. Initial estimates were of 500 police being involved, but later estimates increased this to 1000. What began as a riot turned into a race-related disturbance, with Asian targeting businesses and cars, along with numerous attacks on shops and property. A notable point of the rioting was the firebombing of Manningham Labour Club, at the time a recreational centre. A 48-year-old Asian man was jailed for twelve years for the arson attack.[9] The club reopened in the spring of 2006 on a different site, approximately one and a half miles away, on Bullroyd Lane, Four Lane Ends.

Between 60 and 100 south Asian youths of Pakistani ethnicity smashed windows and threw Molotov cocktails into the club, forcing the 28 occupants to flee upstairs until the attackers were dispersed by riot police. Exits were blocked by burning cars so the occupants could not flee the burning building, apparently an attempt to prevent escape. Also the car garage on the top of White Abbey Road was affected, as cars were stolen and then driven towards the police. The most expensive act of the riot was the arson attack of a BMW dealership, which had previously been attacked in a 1995 disturbance. It was so badly damaged that it had to be demolished entirely. Several public houses were attacked by Asian youths. A Sky News film crew were also attacked and their ENG camera and other equipment stolen and thrown onto flaming barricades.

Several riots followed a few days later, when a hundred white youths attacked police in Ravenscliffe, and an Asian-owned Pizza restaurant, in Tong Street, was destroyed by a gang of white youths.[10]

[edit] Aftermath

More than 300 police officers were hurt during the riot. There were 297 arrests in total; 187 people were charged with riot, 45 with violent disorder and 200 jail sentences totalling 604 years were handed down.[11] The last rioter was sentenced six-and-a-half years after the events; the number of convictions for riot was unprecedented in English legal history the next highest amount was five for an investigation in London. The estimated damage was put at £7 million. The government subsequently commissioned the Cantle report which made 67 recommendations. In 2006 Channel 4 produced a TV fictional drama based loosely on the riots from the perspective of an Asian family.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ CNN:Far-right accused over UK riots
  2. ^ CNN:Race riots not new to Britain
  3. ^ City of Bradford#Demographics
  4. ^ City of Bradford#Demographics
  5. ^ Toller profile
  6. ^ Tong profile
  7. ^ Wibsey profile
  8. ^ Red Hot Curry:Sentences Reduced for Bradford Rioters
  9. ^ BBC:Businessman jailed over Bradford riots
  10. ^ T&A:White youths take to streets in riots
  11. ^ "Last Bradford rioter is sentenced", BBC, 21 December, 2007, retrieved 21 December, 2007.

[edit] External links