60, RIOT CONTROL: A NEW DffiECTION? THE JULY RIOTS - POLICE COMPUTERS - RACIST ATTACKS PASSPORT RAIDS: COSMETIC REVIEW - NEW CONTEMPT LAW attacks by outsiders, whereas in other areas young people, both black and white, were responding to police harrasment and provocation on top of the pressures of unemployment and inner city deprivation. Ifthere was a common factor it would appear to be police attitudes and police methods. In all cases the police have THE JULY RIOTS behaved as a force external, hostile and beyond the control of local communities. The'July riots' actually began on June 20 when in Peckham in the light of what the The tension between the, police and Daily Telegraph described as 'a noticeable communities in the inner cities which tension here since Brixton' (22.6.81) police I erupted into violence in Brixton in April were deployed to a number of sidestreet (Bulletin no 24) came to a head in about buses. Later that night around 500 youths 30 other urban areas in July. The attacked the police and shops after a fair. In disturbances did not follow an identical the week before the riots, former prime pattern. In Southall, for example, the black minister Edward Heath, speaking to a youth reacted angrily to police lack of conference in London of business people, protection for the community against racist said with some prescience that 'Ifyou have August-September 1981{Page 161 __--L,~_ r half a million young people hanging around between the crowd and the police with on the streets all day you will have a massive truncheons drawn. The one person arrested increase in juvenile crime. Of course you was Leroy Cooper, who happened to be will have racial tension when you have nearestthe police. He was charged with two young blacks with less chance of getting counts of causing grievous bodily harm to jobs.' (The Times, 2.7.81 ) The following police officers and actual bodily harm to day, speaking on a BBC Radio 4 another (Daily Post 6.7.81) programme on 'Policing the 80s', The Cooper family were already Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir pursuing a civil action against the David McNee said that the remainder ofthe Merseyside Chief Constable, Kenneth century would be 'a tough time for law and Oxford, for repeated harrassment of order'. He said: 'The greatest problem I will Leroy's brother Paul. Since May 1979 Paul have in my commisionership and that my has been arrested 14 times and asked to successor and probably his successor will attend 12 identification parades - in all but have, is getting along with the ethnic three cases no action followed and of the I minorities in this great city.' (2.7.81 ). three cases one resulted in an acquittal while " The riots proper began on Friday 3 July two cases are pending. On Thursday 9 a case' when coaches of skinheads arrived in against Paul had been thrown out of court Southall in buses decked with National because witnesses' statements had been Front banners and stickers. A gang of tampered with. A senior police officer told skinheads attacked the wife of the owner of Paul's father in April when he was pursuing an Asian shop following which large his complaints; 'You fucking niggers are all numbers of black youth came out onto the the same' (New Statesman 10.7.81) Such has streets and besieged the Hamborough been the experience of one family in Tavern where the skinheads had come to a Toxteth. rock concert. Only 30 police were on the The events after the arrest then built up. spot and by IOpm the pub had been set On the Friday, police vehicles in Toxteth ablaze with petrol bombs. By IIpm there were repeatedly stoned by roaming gangs of were 600 police on the streets fighting a youths until I am. On the Saturday. shortly pitched battle wth black youths. One Asian. after 10 pm youths stoned police cars and knocked unconscious by the police claimed started setting fire to derelict buildings. By tht he was told by a police officer 'You will 12.30 barricades had been set up and police be another Blair Peach.' (News ofthe World with riot shields were rushed in to be met S.7.81) with petrol bombs, bricks and chunks of concrete. By Sam buildings were still blazing and at 6am police reinforcements Toxteth arrived from Greater Manchester and Within hours rioting had broken out in the charged the crowd of youths. According to Toxteth area of Liverpool which was to one youth: 'They were banging their batons continue over four nights and result in 160 on their riot shields. It was like someyhing arrests and injuries to over 2S0 police from the film Zulu' (Sun6.7.8l) 'Order'was officers. In a pattern now becoming familiar restored by 7.30 am on the Sunday morning. a small incident provided the spark for the Only three arrests had been made. events. At 9pm a black motorcyclist was On the Sunday and through to early in stopped by police and questioned about the Monday morning 'all hell' was to break ownership of his machine. A crowd loose in the words of one police officer. gathered, the motorcyclist was handcuffed, Building after building was set on fire. A put in a police transit van and black community worker explained: reinforcements were summoned. The 'It was obvious why people went for the crowd began to stone the police and the police, but there were exact reasons why arrested man jumped from the van and was each ofthose buildings was hit. The bank, taken away by the crowd. A battle ensued for obvious reasons, the Racquets club Page 162/Stale Research Bulletin (voI4) No 25/August-September 1981 l because the judges use it, Swainbanks racial issue as such. It is exclusively a crowd furniture store because people felt he was of black hooligans intent on making life ripping off the community ... The unbearable and indulging in criminal Chinese chippy was left untouched but activities.' (GlUlrdian 6.7.81) people hadn't forgotten that when the In contrast local community relations Rialto was a dance-hall it was barred to workers pointed out that they had blacks ... Now with the Racquets and the frequently warned that 'There could be an Rialto gone it's just the police' (New an explosion of anger by local black youths Societ:; 16.7.81). against the deprivation and prejudice that With 800 police in the area, including they face' and a local black journalist wrote: reinforcements from Cheshire, Lancashire 'The people of Toxteth have long been and Greater Manchester the police totally dissatisfied with the type of policing they lost control of the area and withdrew at get. Some months ago a young white Ilpm. Milk floats were set on fire and woman told me that she thought people directed at the police lines, scaffoldng poles living in Liverpool 8 should be paid were used to charge the pockets of riot­ danger money for living there, not shielded police and petrol bombs rained because of crime but because of the level down. The Press Association reported at of police activity. At least, no one so far lam that looting was widespread with not a has suggested that the youngsters of police officer in sight. In one incident the Toxteth should be sent home. They are at police brought out an old fire engine and home, and bitter though it may be not to tried to hose down the rioters but the find the promised land in a strange appliance was seized and itself set on fire. country, it is infinitely more so to be At 2.15 am on Monday 6 July police fired dispossessed in one's own.' (Daily Post between 25 and 30 canisters of CS gas at the 6.7.81) crowds, the first time that CS gas had ever By Monday 6 July as fighting continued been used for 'public order' purposes in there were over 2,000 police officers mainland Britain. The New Statesman permanently on duty in Liverpool 8, drawn revealed at the end of the same week that from a dozen forces and including 60 the gas was fired in complete contravention officers from as far away as Sussex. In of the manufacturers' instructions. The parliament the mood was described in a cartridges were intended only for GlUlrdian editorial as 'overwhelmingly one penetrating walls or vehicles, never for of bafflement ... Suddenly, forces appear firing into crowds. (17.7.81) At least four to have been unleashed which nobody people were seriously injured. Chief knows how to control' (7.7.81) Constable Kenneth Oxford subsequently On Tuesday 7 July there were further established an internal inquiry into the use disturbances in Toxteth and stones and 'I' of the gas - to be carried out by an officer petrol bombs continued to be thrown at the from the Merseyside police. Later on that police. Chief Constable Oxford began to Monday the Home Secretary William blame parents for indiscipline and the Whitelaw said that the police were 'totally Home Secretary, following a visit to the right' to use the CS gas. area (when he did not leave his car) took up In Merseyside itself the Deputy Chief this approach saying 'There is a great Constable, Peter Wright, was unable to responsibility on parents to keep their comprehend what was happening and children off the streets.' (GlUlrdian 8.7.81) exclaimed 'These people are destroying Rioting broke out again on 27 July after their own neighbourhood' (New Standard police tried to stop a car believed to be 6.7.81), while Oxford, who had previously stolen.