arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

Introduction

Apparently the ‘race’ issue is now back on the agenda for the General
Election according to the newspapers writing in the wake of the recent
Oldham events. Sadly we don’t think it was ever allowed to go away
thanks to the ever opportunistic agenda of those in power who are
desperate to point the finger at any possible scapegoat to avoid
discussing the real issues behind their policies. As for these very same
newspapers – and the wider media – they have always been happy to
play the ‘race’ card rather than ask the difficult questions that a
genuinely ‘free’ media would have to ask of the criminals who now
parade before us as potential elected representatives.

The fascists will be crowing at what they feel they have started. But
they shouldn’t crow too loudly. Like the puppets they are – they have
simply continued stirring the pot created by the more successful
‘democratic’ politicians.

But what is the reality of the Oldham Riots. Here are some reports and
comments from eye witnesses present before, during and after the
events reply to the hand-wringing confusion of the media. Our basic
conclusion is simple – these events were started by the media –
particularly the local Oldham Chronicle, by the Police and stirred by
their friends in the NF and BNP.

Background to the events

In the weeks leading up to the Oldham Riot the National Front (NF) had
been trying to capitalise on an attack on an old white pensioner which
the local police had described as a ‘racial attack’ despite the victim and
his family saying this was not true. The NF have tried, not very
successfully, to organise provocative marches while the British National
Party (BNP) have hoped to capitalise on the street activity through
standing their leader, Nick Griffin, in the local constituency

The police lies have been enthusiastically taken up by both the local
and the national media. The main local paper, the Oldham Chronicle
has been in the forefront of spreading the racist agenda of the local
police force for months.

When questioned about the truth behind the attack, after asking the
views of local Asian community members, the local police bod said
"you must have been talking to the only two people who can read and
write". Police statistics on ‘racial incidents’ – all very debatable, you
only have to look at who are making them - were loudly and uncritically
trumpeted for showing supposed increases in ‘racial crime’ by a layer of
young Asians. Such statistics – even if true - could equally be
presented as an increase in the willingness to fight back when
provoked.

This same media forgot to mention that it was the Asian community
who caught and turning the idiot muggers in. They also forgot to
mention the rising tide of physical attacks local Asian people have been
facing. Just one instance – recently, a local Asian taxi driver only
narrowly escaped with his life after being forced to get in the boot of his
own car which the racists then tried to set alight. Asian taxi drivers say
they are regularly attacked or robbed –by white pick-ups going home
late at night and by call outs from the more racist estates in the area -
many have given up out of fear. But this story obviously wasn’t ‘juicy’
enough for the press and radio.

While the NF and BNP were able to do what they wanted Anti-Fascists
leafleting in opposition to the electoral campaign have been constantly
stopped and harassed by the Police for weeks. As for the local Asian
community – they were informed by Police (which the Police now deny)
that they should stay out of the centre of town during the NF march
days. This was the opposite reality behind the media created myth of a
"no-go" zone.

As a member of the Bangladeshi Youth Association says: "For the past
fortnight Asian kids feel they have been asked to stand back while
skinheads walk around town handing out literature".

On the monday prior to the riot, outside a local school - Breeze Hill - a
small group of white former pupils arrived at the school gates, taunting
Asians and blacks and threatening staff. We do not know the role that
far-right propaganda campaign had played in this. This continued until
the Thursday when Police were called in. It was a group of Asian pupils
who had decided to retaliate that were arrested. This was not a new
experience for Asian youth in Oldham when Police were called to 'racial'
incidents.

Despite this, on the previous cancelled NF march, 200-300 Asian youth
turned out to greet the elusive street fighters of the ‘master race’
alongside other Anti-fascists. The planned rally was then cancelled by
the self-appointed ‘community leaders’ and the ANL on the basis that
they had already been ‘victorious’.

The timetable of immediate events

We’ve taken the times from the Oldham Chronicle’s "timetable of key
moments in weekend mayhem" – but added the bits they conveniently
missed out - with the help of local eyewitness reports. We are not
making any judgement on these evens – just reporting what happened

Saturday

Morning and Afternoon – NF / Combat18 bused in for planned march.
BNP leaflet in a constituency. Allowed to move around with impunity.
Fascists gathered in local Yates and Wetherspoons pubs in centre of
town around 7.00pm.

8.00-8.30pm – Racists attack an Asian families house in Roundthorn
Road, Glodwick. Two carloads of racists arrive, apparently, after a minor
incident between two teenage boys outside the local chip shop. Seven
of them brick the windows and try to smash the door in. A car with a
pregnant Asian woman and child inside was attacked and windows put
through. Police are in force only five streets away where Asian youth
have gathered yet fail to turn up when called by terrified Asian family.
They eventually arrive as local people gather and arrest Asian men –
some who are, apparently, still being held days later.

9.10pm - Local youths, angry at hearing of police response gather and
attack Live and Let Live Pub where NF supporters had been allowed to
drink earlier in the day.

10.00pm – At least 200 youth try to march towards centre of town
through Waterloo Street but are turned back by Police.

11.00pm – The Live and Let Live Pub is attacked with bricks, bottles
and a petrol bomb. As police move in, cars are torched as barricades
and a street battle rages

Sunday

1.00am – Running battles between protesters and police escalate on
the streets of Glodwick.The youth responded to riot cops, CS gas,
helicopters and dogs with petrol bombs, fireworks and bricks – they had
had enough of being victims. While the rioters violence is widely
reported there is absolute silence about the level of police violence. As
usual, victims of police violence have no recourse as they are afraid of
being stitched up. CCTV cameras are targeted – some burnt down.
Police tactics of using vans driven at speed against the crowd gathered
in the street backfire under a hail of petrol bombs, leaving one van
ablaze.

4.30am – Police manage to "restore calm" after seven hours. Local
youths make themselves scarce as Police occupy area.

4.45pm – 1.40am on Monday morning – sporadic fighting in area. Police
swamp area with hundreds of riot cops. Youths stopped searched and
questioned throughout day. A young probation worker we spoke too
joked ironically how he had been released - unlike his friends - when
police found out what his job was.

Monday

2.15am – Oldham Chronicle offices in Union Street are firebombed.

Report on the mood in the wake of the riots

The saturday of the uprising had "become known as 'no-go day' or
'National Front Day' among Oldham Asians and blacks" according to
the Independent. The Asian youth knew what they were fighting.

Talking to local youths it is clear that any illusions in the neutrality of
‘law and order’ and the police - that some community "leaders" have
tried to impress upon them in the past - have been completely
shattered. Politicians – of all major parties - were also attacked as
hyporites.

The self appointed community "leaders" and local Asian councillors,
who now call for ‘calm’ and ‘peace’ spent much of their time in the
centre of Oldham working to ‘coordinate’ police strategy alongside the
law. There was anger at these individuals, especially those who turned
out for the media in their best suits to condemn the riots (alongside with
just about everyone else it seems!!).

The big question now in the minds of all those involved is what now?
While younger ones may be happy just boasting about their role in the
riots, many others are now looking at how they can continue to defend
their communities. While the role of the both fascists and the police in
sparking these events is clear to them a number of the youth we talked
to are already saying that these issues must be linked to the wider
ones effecting both Asian and white people in Oldham Unemployment,
poor housing and lack of youth facilities where all mentioned. The
burning anger against the fascists is just the final straw after years of
feeling treated as second-class citizens.

It was very encouraging that a layer of the youth involved in recent
events are already saying that they see campaigning on these wider
issues as a way of cutting across divisions. The cuts presently being
made in Oldham will inevitably make matters worse – although we
suspect that the police budget will not be effected! The danger is that
without a clear opposition working class people will end up fighting one
another over the few crumbs that are left.