1981 Brixton riot
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1981 Brixton riot | |
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Part of the 1981 England riots | |
Date | 10–12 April 1981 |
Location | Brixton, South London, England |
Methods | Rioting, looting, arson |
Casualties and losses | |
279 police officers injured 45 members of the public injured |
The 1981 Brixton riot, or Brixton uprising,[1] was a series of clashes between mainly black youths and the Metropolitan Police in Brixton, London, between 10 and 12 April 1981.[2] It resulted from racist discrimination against the black community by the mainly white police, especially the police's increased use of stop-and-search in the area, and ongoing tensions resulting from the deaths of 13 black teenagers and young adults in the suspicious New Cross house fire that January.[2] The main riot on 11 April, dubbed "Bloody Saturday" by Time magazine,[3] resulted in 279 injuries to police and 45 injuries to members of the public;[4] over a hundred vehicles were burned, including 56 police vehicles; almost 150 buildings were damaged, thirty of which were burnt out, and many shops were looted. There were 82 arrests. Reports suggested that up to 5,000 people were involved.[5] The Brixton riot was followed by similar riots in July in many other English cities and towns. The Thatcher government commissioned an inquiry, which resulted in the Scarman Report.
Background
In the preceding months there had been growing unease between the police and the inhabitants of Lambeth, the Borough of London in which Brixton is located.
In 1980, the number of crimes recorded in the Lambeth borough was 30,805, with 10,626 of those taking place in the Brixton Division. Between 1976 and 1980, Brixton accounted for 35% of all crimes in the Borough, but 49% of all robbery and violent theft offences. The police recognised the rising crime: at the beginning of April, the Metropolitan Police began Operation Swamp 81, a
10–11 April
Public disfavour came to a head on Friday 10 April. At around 5:15 pm a
Rumours spread that a youth had been left to die by the police, or that the police looked on as the stabbed youth was lying on the street. More than 200 youths, black and white with predominantly Afro-Caribbean heritage, reportedly turned on the police. In response, the police decided to increase the number of foot patrols in Railton Road, despite the tensions, and carry on with Operation Swamp 81 throughout the night and into the following day.[19]
11–12 April
It was believed by the local community that the stabbed youth died as a result of police brutality, fuelling tensions throughout the day as crowds slowly gathered. Tensions first erupted around 4 pm, as two police officers stopped and searched a mini cab in Railton Road. By this time Brixton Road (Brixton High Street) was reportedly filled with angry people and police cars were pelted with bricks. At around 5 pm the tension escalated and spread, and the 9 pm
The police put out emergency calls to police officers across London, asking for assistance. They had no strategy, and only had inadequate helmets and non-fireproof plastic shields to protect themselves with while clearing the streets of rioters. The police reportedly also had difficulties in radio communication. The police proceeded in clearing the Atlantic-Railton-Mayall area by pushing the rioters down the road, forming deep shield walls. The rioters responded with bricks, bottles, and petrol bombs.
At 5.30 pm the violence further escalated. Non-rioting members of the public attempted to mediate between the police and the rioters, calling for a de-escalation by withdrawing police out of the area. The destructive efforts of the rioters peaked at around 8 pm, as those attempts at mediation failed. Two
By 9.30 pm, over 1,000 police were dispatched into Brixton, squeezing out the rioters.[21] By 1 am on 12 April 1981, the area was largely subdued, with no large groups – except the police – on the streets. The fire brigade refused to return until the following morning. Police numbers grew to over 2,500, and by the early hours of Sunday morning the rioting had fizzled out.[4]
Aftermath
During the disturbances, 299 police were injured, along with at least 65 members of the public. 61 private vehicles and 56 police vehicles were destroyed. 28 premises were burned and another 117 damaged and looted. 82 arrests were made.[16]
Between 3 and 11 July of that year, there was more unrest fuelled by racial and social discord, at
Scarman Report
The Home Secretary,
Scarman found unquestionable evidence of the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of 'stop and search' powers by the police against black people. As a consequence, a new code for police behaviour was put forward in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984; and the act also created an independent Police Complaints Authority, established in 1985, to attempt to restore public confidence in the police.[22] Scarman concluded that "complex political, social and economic factors [created a] disposition towards violent protest".[23]
The 1999
On 25 March 2011, BBC Radio 4 broadcast The Reunion, a programme featuring reminiscences by participants, including police and black Brixton residents.[26]
Other rioting
On 13 April, Margaret Thatcher dismissed the notion that unemployment and racism lay beneath the Brixton disturbances claiming "Nothing, but nothing, justifies what happened." Overall unemployment in Brixton stood at 13 percent, with 25.4 percent for ethnic minorities. Unemployment among black youths was estimated at 55 percent. Rejecting increased investment in Britain's inner cities, Thatcher added, "Money cannot buy either trust or racial harmony." Lambeth London Borough Council leader, Ted Knight, complained that the police presence "amounted to an army of occupation" that provoked the riots; Thatcher responded, "What absolute nonsense and what an appalling remark ... No one should condone violence. No one should condone the events ... They were criminal, criminal."
Small-scale disturbances continued to simmer throughout the summer. After four nights of rioting in
The recommendations of the Scarman Report to tackle the problems of racial disadvantage and inner-city decline were not implemented.[23] Rioting would break out again in the 1985 and 1995 Brixton riots.
Cultural references
This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2019) |
- The Clash's song "The Guns of Brixton" predates the riots but the lyrics depict the feelings of discontent in the area because of the heavy-handedness of the police.[27]
- In the Only Fools and Horses episode, "The Russians Are Coming", it is mentioned by Rodney that Del Boy sold paving slabs to rioters.[28]
- Black Uhuru's song "Youth of Eglington" (1981) was inspired in part by the Brixton riot, and features lyrics referencing Brixton.[29]
- Angelic Upstarts - "Flames of Brixton" (1982) was written in response to the Brixton riot, as directly referenced in its title.[30]
- Eddy Grant's 1982 song "Electric Avenue" refers to the Brixton riot, although there was actually little rioting in Electric Avenue itself.[31]
- Linton Kwesi Johnson's poems "New Crass Massahkah" and "Di Great Insoreckshan" (1984)[30] were written in response to the Brixton riot.[32]
- Songs written later that allude to the Brixton riots include: Lorna Gee, "Brixton Rock" (1985);[33] Pet Shop Boys, "Suburbia" (1986); The Birdhouse, "Brixton's Burnin'" (1988); Steel Pulse, "State of Emergency" (1988); Conflict, "These Colours Don't Run" (1993); Rancid, "Brixton" (1994); Plan B, "Ill Manors" (2012).
- Alex Wheatle's novel East of Acre Lane is set in 1981 Brixton and portrays the dissatisfaction felt by the black community that would eventually lead to the Brixton riot.
- The storyline "Rake at the Gates of Hell"[34] in the comic book Hellblazer takes place during the riot.
- Rex Obano's radio play Lover's Rock, broadcast in November 2012 on BBC Radio 3, deals with the events leading up to the Brixton Riots.[35]
- The BBC show "Orphan Black" alludes to the Brixton Riots as the reason Mrs. S. fled England. Mrs. S. tells the main character Sarah that Brixton was burning and shows her a newspaper clipping headlined "Brixton Burning".
- Steve McQueen's series Small Axe (2020) features an episode involving the riots.
- Steve McQueen's documentary series Uprising (2021) includes an episode centred on the April riot.[36]
See also
- Urban riots
- 1980 St Pauls riot
- 1981 Handsworth riots, Birmingham
- 1981 Chapeltown riots, Leeds
- 1981 Toxteth riots, Liverpool
- 1985 Brixton riot
- 1995 Brixton riot
References
- Notes
- ISBN 9781134732999.
- ^ a b J. A. Cloake & M. R. Tudor. Multicultural Britain. Oxford University Press, 2001. pp.60-64
- ^ "Britain: Bloody Saturday". Time. 20 April 1981. Archived from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
- ^ a b "Battle 4 Brixton pt6 of 6". 22 April 2008. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2009 – via YouTube.
- ^ "How smouldering tension erupted to set Brixton aflame". The Guardian. London. 13 April 1981. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
- ^ Brain 2010, p. 65.
- ^ Kettle & Hodges 1982, pp. 100–101.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-405-04924-5.
- ^ Cornish, Winsome-Grace. "Honouring talent: The Black People's Day of Action". Operation Black Vote: News,18 Feb 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-898536-21-5.
- ^ a b c Szymanski, Jesse (19 August 2011). "Darcus Howe, the British Black Panther". Vice Beta, Stuff, August 2011. Vice Media, Inc. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ^ Bowman, Andy. "A violent eruption of protest': Reflections on the 1981 Moss Side 'riots' (part one)". Manchester Mule, Monday, 15 August 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ^ a b Back, Les (2007). Written in Stone: Black British Writing and Goldsmiths College (PDF). London: Goldsmiths University of London. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ^ "TV Interview for Granada World in Action ("rather swamped")". The Margaret Thatcher Foundation. 27 January 1978. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ Petridis, Alexis (4 June 2020). "The 100 greatest UK No 1s: No 2, The Specials – Ghost Town". The Guardian.
- ^ a b Brixton Riots, 1981 Archived 5 December 2004 at the Wayback Machine (MPS) accessed 6 March 2009
- ^ Kettle & Hodges 1982, pp. 91–93.
- ISBN 978-0-415-07913-6.
- ^ "The Brixton Riots: 30 Years Later". Dangerous Minds. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ "Battle 4 Brixton pt3 of 6". 13 April 2008. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2009 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Battle 4 Brixton pt5 of 6". 19 April 2008. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2009 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b "1981 riots timeline", Untold History (Channel Four Television). Retrieved 6 March 2009.
- ^ a b Q&A: The Scarman Report, 27 April 2004 (BBC News) accessed 4 April 2009
- ^ "Q&A: Stephen Lawrence murder". BBC News. 5 May 2004. Archived from the original on 9 February 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
- ^ "Q&A: The Scarman Report". BBC News. 27 April 2004. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
- ^ "The Reunion: Brixton Riots". Retrieved 14 October 2012.
- ^ Brown, Helen (28 March 2022). "The Guns of Brixton — The Clash's track was inspired by Jimmy Cliff's film The Harder They Come". Financial Times.
- ^ Fordy, Tom (22 March 2022). "Del Boy and Rodders face the end: inside Only Fools' darkest hour". The Telegraph.
- ISBN 978-0-19-973360-6.
- ^ a b Randall, Dave (10 April 2021). "Soundtrack to the Brixton Uprising 40 years on". Counterfire. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
- ^ Cheal, David (20 September 2021). "Electric Avenue — Eddy Grant's response to riots in London made waves around the world". Financial Times.
- ISBN 978-1-4438-9270-4.
- ^ Randall, Dave (4 April 2021). "Sounds of the Brixton Uprising". Brixton Blog.
- ISBN 1-84023-673-6.
- ^ "Lover's Rock, Drama on 3 – BBC Radio 3". BBC. 11 November 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
- ^ Slingsby, Alan (20 July 2021). "Uprising: Essential viewing that begins tonight". Brixton Blog. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
- Bibliography
- Brain, Timothy (2010). A History of Policing in England and Wales from 1974. Oxford: ISBN 978-0-199-21866-0.
- Kettle, Martin; Hodges, Lucy (1982). Uprising! Police, the People and the Riots in Britain's Cities. ISBN 0330268457.
- ISBN 0101842708.
Further reading
- We Want to Riot, Not To Work The 1981 Brixton Uprisings (Riot Not To Work Collective, 1982)
- Tony Jefferson, "Policing the riots: from Bristol and Brixton to Tottenham, via Toxteth, Handsworth, etc", Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, cjm 87: The August 2011 Riots, 14 March 2012.