Race and riots in Thatcher's BritainThis powerful and original book locates the anti-police violence that spread across England in 1980-1 within a longer struggle against racism and disadvantage faced by black Britons, which had seen a growth in more militant forms of resistance since the Second World War. It explains these disturbances as ‘collective bargaining by riot’ – attempts to increase political inclusion by this marginalised group. Through case studies of Bristol, Brixton and Manchester, the book explores the actions of community organisations in the aftermath of disorders. Highlighting the political activities of black Britons and the often-problematic reliance upon ‘official’ sources when forming historical narratives, it demonstrates the contested value awarded to public inquiries – contrastingly viewed by black Britons as either a method for increased political participation or simply a governmental diversionary tactic. |
Contents
No other way to make their points of view known? St Pauls | |
Inquiries and trials after Bristol | |
Brixton 1012 April 1981 | |
The Brixton Defence Campaign says boycott the Scarman | |
A conspicuous success? Policing Liverpool and Manchester | |
Who the hells defending if theyre going to walk out | |
Turning point or opportunity lost? The legacy | |
Bibliography | |
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Common terms and phrases
Anderton anti-police April argued arrested attempts August BCRE believed Benyon black Britons black community black residents black youth Bristol Evening Post Britain British Brixton Defence Campaign CCRL characterised Chief Constable claimed collective violence Community Relations complaints concluded Conflicting Narratives Conservative Council criminal criticised crowd Darcus deemed Defence Committee demonstrated Despite Different Hunger disturbances evidence example governmental HC Deb highlighted History of Policing Home Secretary Hytner immigration Interview investigations James Anderton John July Keith Kettle and Hodges Labour later law and order Layton-Henry London Lord Scarman Manchester Merseyside Moss Side officers organisations People’s Phillips and Phillips police actions police misconduct police’s police/community relations protest public disorder public inquiry Race Relations racism Ramdin Report response Ride the Storm Riots and Policing Scarman Similarly Sivanandan social Solomos St Pauls Stephen Lawrence subsequent suggested summarised Thatcher Uprising Western Daily Press Whitelaw William Whitelaw Windrush