Black youth
fight back!
By JANE GOSS BLACK people are being slaughtered in Britain. Killed by racist thugs in violent street attacks or burned in their homes by arsonists. Sometimes they are killed in police cells.
The black community — sick of provocation, harassment, stop and search operations, and racist police - fight back. The estate in Tottenham which was the scene of the latest uprising had been sealed off during the preceding week by the police who had been stopping people constantly to check on stolen vehicles. Cynthia Jarrett's son was stopped because he was driving a BMW - in the minds of police no black person should have a BMW therefore it must be stolen.
It wasnt: but he wore sittin. Yhey and taken to the police station. released him and gave him back his property except for his front door key which they used to let themselves into the family home, starting off the chain of events which led to the trouble on the Broadwater Farm estate.
What a mockery it is to see the smooth, well-rehearsed police spokespeople wittering on about sensitive community policing on TV. radio and in the press. Any black person living in an inner city area knows the reality of policing — it is neither sensitive nor "community Witness PC Blakelock who was "community policeman" - in full riot gear fighting with local people.
The constant harassment by the police coupled with crippling unemployment levels, poor housing and cutbacks in boh state benefits nd services has stewed together in the Tory capitalist cauldron and is now again boiling over into uprisings of black youth clearly saying as they
did to Bernie Grant in Tottenahm when he tried to call for calm that "we are fed up with talk; we want action." Handsworth,
Briston, Toxteth, Tottenham. More names
will be added as the anger and hostility to
Thatcher scrapheap policies emerge
Events in Tottenham wer termed the "worst riot ever seen on mainland (sic) Britain". Not surprisingly the police were
issued with CS gas and plastic bullets -
the first time that plastic bullets have been
authorised for use in Britain.
The authorisation was given by Kenneth
Newman — who came to London from the
North of Ireland whwer he was in charge
of the RUC, one of the most vicious and
sectarian police torces in the world.
Recently the Met were the subject of a
report, which the police attempted to deny
and discredit which showed widespread
racism at all levels.
Newman has of course made
reference to that report. He was quick to
go on television to face the interviewers to
justily his allowing the use of lethal plastic
bullets. He condemned the local youth
club leaders of Tottenham and Bernie Grant and other local politicians for refusing. quite correctly, to condemn the violence. He accused them of using irresponsible language and inflaming the situation. In the next breath he spat out a venomous attack against the "murderous thugs" who had attacked one of his officers and killed him. Even the interviewer was forced to ask him if his language wasn't afiammatory
Compare how quick the cops have bee to solve the killing of Blakelock week after his death three black and one
Tone of them only thirteen, have been charged — with the lack of interest the same police force have shown in months pregnant Shamira Kassam and her
sons who were burned to death several months ago by racists.
The Broadwater Farm Estate, like the other areas which have (and will) erupt are
isolated pockets of hostility criminal activity. The problems are not due to drug dealers. That is just another attempt to slur black people and an attempt at racist stereotyping which the Tories, the press and media are only to
Black people simply have had enough The blame for the uprisings lies in the roots of capitalism and praticularly in the policies which this Government hs been enforcing on the people for the past six
In the six years of Tory rule the West Midlands has lost a quarter of a million unemployment 29.4%: for adult men it is 40%. If you are a black youth in Birmingham you have a one in 20 chance of getting a job after leaving school. Lucas have just announced a further 10,000 jobs lost in the West Midlands.
Meanwhile the Government keeps putting more and more obstacles in the way of people attempting to claim benefits simply to survive. Thatcher is desperately keen to ensure that, like in con welfare stigma attached to being
Housing in inner city areas is being lett to
Othe Tories cut back on house building, sell off the best stock, and cut grants for repairs.
Black youth cannot get a job; leave home; and canot live on the derisory
state benefits; on top of the poverty, they
have racist taunts thrown at them every
day by the police. It is no wonder theyare
arming themselves in anger.
Once the anger takes over it assumes its
own logic and it is impossible to control.
There are things which happen in the
which we as revolutionaries
would not condone or encourage.
would we join with those who condemn the
youth for violence. Their lives are full of
- organised, carried
out and condoned by the state and its
officials.
Bernie Grant, the leader of Tottenham
Council and a prospective parliamentary
candidate has been right to refuse to bow Socialist Viewpoint, No 8, November 1986. Page 14
to enormous pressure to side with the police against the black community. For a abour politician he has adopted a firm line. The Tories and press are now witch-hunting him in an extremely racist way and trying to put pressure on the Labour leadership to disagree with him publicly and withdraw support for his parliamentary candidature.
Much publicity has been given to the local unions who went on "strike" to call for his resignation. Trade unions are not free from racists - and Tottenham certainly has more than its fair share. There are members in both the local TGWU and NUPE branches who have called for repatriation of black people. It is highly likely that there are NF members in both branches.
These unions need to re-examine the issues and to stop siding with the Tories who would be just as keen to use plastic bullets during industrial disputes. They need to begin to forge links with the unemployed people in their communities. The trade union officers and officials need to make quite clear their condemnation of racists in local branches and expel them from membership.
The uprising and the aftermath raise many issues for us. Black people often do not relate to "white" political organisations. Millions are disenfranchised from trade unions because they have no job. Most do not relate to the Labour Party because it has done so little and has a pret-
appalling record on both fighting racism and on immigration. Revolutionary parties rarely appeal to black people.
Black people organise and agitate outside the main labour movement groups. We need to fight to change the labour movement to force it to examine its own responsive to black demands. Meanwhile tacism and to make it habitable we cannot just ignore what is happening. We must support the fight that is going on now in the streets and give blacks the solidarity which they ask for.
Another inquiry such as that called for by Kaufmann and Kinnock will solve nothing. It will not change the situation for blacks. future Labour Government could alter some of the material conditions, unemployment, housing decay, etc. But if racism is not challenged and fought and wiped out the conditions for more uprisings and violence will always be there.