Bradford Riots
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226081737
2008-07-16T19:16:07Z
81.156.102.112
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[[Image:The Upper Globe Pub 2006.JPG|thumb|right|220px|The Upper Globe pub was attacked during the riot & has since lain derelict.]]
The '''Bradford Riots''' were a short but intense period of [[riot]]ing 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]].<ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/UK/07/09/riots.analysis/index.html CNN:Far-right accused over UK riots]</ref><ref>[http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/UK/07/09/riot.timeline/ CNN:Race riots not new to Britain]</ref> Similar [[race riot]]s had occurred a few days earlier in other parts of [[northern England]].
==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 people|Irish]] (19th century), [[Poles]] (1940s-50s) and [[South Asia]]n people. At the time of the riot, Bradford had the second largest population of Asians of any [[United Kingdom|UK]] city, with approximately 68,000 [[Pakistanis]], 12,500 [[India]]ns, 5,000 [[Bangladesh]]is and 3,000 other Asians.<ref>[[City of Bradford#Demographics]]</ref> However, the majority of people in the city are white (Ethnicity: 78.3% White, and 18.9% S.Asian).<ref>[[City of Bradford#Demographics]]</ref>
Ethnic segregation has been exacerbated by the phenomenon of [[white flight]]. Over the course of a few decades, the [[White (people)|white]] and [[Asian people|Asian]] communities have become increasingly segregated, forming [[ghetto]]es within different areas of the city; for example, at the time of the riot, Toller was 64 percent South Asian<ref>[http://www.bradfordinfo.com/census/WardProfiles/toller.pdf Toller profile]</ref>, [[Tong, West Yorkshire|Tong]] was 93 percent white<ref>[http://www.bradfordinfo.com/census/WardProfiles/tong.pdf Tong profile]</ref>, and Wibsey was 91 percent white.<ref>[http://www.bradfordinfo.com/census/WardProfiles/wibsey.pdf Wibsey profile]</ref>
==Flashpoint==
On 22–24 June, there were riots in [[Burnley]]; two months previously, there had been riots in [[Oldham Riots|Oldham]]. Tensions rose after the [[British National Front|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.<ref>[http://www.redhotcurry.com/archive/news/2003/bradford_rioters.htm Red Hot Curry:Sentences Reduced for Bradford Rioters]</ref>
==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.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_yorkshire/3042440.stm BBC:Businessman jailed over Bradford riots]</ref> 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 [[Manningham Riot|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 [[Electronic News Gathering|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.<ref>[http://archive.thisisbradford.co.uk/2001/7/10/138192.html T&A:White youths take to streets in riots]</ref>
==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.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/7156619.stm "Last Bradford rioter is sentenced"], ''BBC'', 21 December, 2007, retrieved 21 December, 2007.</ref> 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 [[Oldham Riots#Cantle Report|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.
==See also==
*[[List of riots]]
*[[Oldham Riots]]
*[[2005 civil unrest in France]]
*[[2005 Cronulla riots]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/racism/Story/0,,474369,00.html Lidget Green Disturbance]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1428673.stm BBC:Bradford counts cost of riot]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2001/summer_of_violence/default.stm BBC:summer of violence reports]
*[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/07/09/nbrad09.xml Telegraph: We were overwhelmed, say Bradford riot police]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/7/newsid_2496000/2496003.stm BBC:2001:Two stabbed in Bradford race riots]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1279657.stm BBC:All quiet after Bradford riots]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1703432.stm BBC Summary of 2001 aftermath race riot reports]
*[http://www.betterbradford.org.uk/Documents/FairJusticeExecSumm%5B1%5D.pdf Joseph Roundtree Report on the Bradford Riot from 2002]
*[http://www.fairuk.org/docs/FAIR%20Bradford%20Report%202003.pdf Christopher Allen's 2003 Official Report into the disturbances]
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,884943,00.html The Guardian:Bradford riot sentences 'too harsh']
*[http://www.workersliberty.org/node/456 Workers Liberty:After the Bradford riots, injustice persists]
*[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7492821935447123126 Channel 4 drama- The Bradford Riots]
[[Category:History of Bradford]]
[[Category:Riots in England]]
[[Category:2001 in England]]
[[Category:2001 riots]]
[[Category:Race riots in the United Kingdom]]