Brixton riots 30yrs on

30yr anniversary of the Brixton riots ,sparked by the police trying to help a young black man who had been stabbed,suspicion of the police was fueled by excessive use of stop and search powers on black/Asian people and events quickly developed into a full blown riot .

Boris Johnson has said that things have vastly improved with policing ,lessons have been learned ...and so on ,but have they ? are we in danger of similar riots fueled this time by resentment of the cuts ,which will result in all minority cultures losing money for local projects ,maybe they will start to feel targeted and victimised .Have police stop and search powers been reigned in or more closely monitored, or are they used just as much under the guise of terrorist prevention more so in the black/Asian community.

I personally feel that we live in worrying times ,not dissimilar to the early 80's ,but i do feel that society has changed enough to avoid events like Brixton ,Toxteth and Handsorth .What do others think who live in these areas ?

[Gary L]

I think there's a big difference between riots because of the police and blacks/asians, and riots because of the cuts.
you say people may feel targeted. I presume you mean blacks/asians. but I don't think it will be anything like it was. I mean it was all about racism and hate of the police for a start?

Originally Posted by Gary L

I think there's a big difference between riots because of the police and blacks/asians, and riots because of the cuts.
you say people may feel targeted. I presume you mean blacks/asians. but I don't think it will be anything like it was. I mean it was all about racism and hate of the police for a start?

well that is the question,have the police changed in the way they approach minority groups as a result of the riots or will minority groups feel victimised or targeted by the cuts enough to spark a riot ,don't forget all of the riots were in places deprived of funding with high unemployment

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by martyh

well that is the question,have the police changed in the way they approach minority groups as a result of the riots

Yes.

or will minority groups feel victimised or targeted by the cuts enough to spark a riot ,

No.

don't forget all of the riots were in places deprived of funding with high unemployment

But unemployment today is seen as of you're own doing. that's how much things have changed in society. we look down at the unemployed, and they won't look back up at us.

We've got to the stage where we've had enough and we couldn't give a fig anymore probably.

Originally Posted by Gary L

But unemployment today is seen as of you're own doing. that's how much things have changed in society. we look down at the unemployed, and they won't look back up at us.

We've got to the stage where we've had enough and we couldn't give a fig anymore probably.

I was working as glazier in Birmingham (i grew up in Walsall)at the time of the Handsorth riots shortly after the Brixton riots and i must say that the feeling around the city then was exactly that ,people were past caring and they didn't give a fig .Tories were in power after labour ballsed things up and massive cuts were happening ,unemployment was rising and things in general looked bleak ....sound familiar?

[Gary L]

And with this warm weather where people get irritable. stopping their dole money to save money. you never know. September sounds promising.

Originally Posted by Gary L

And with this warm weather where people get irritable. stopping their dole money to save money. you never know. September sounds promising.

just about when the cuts will realy start to bite