Around 200 local residents brought commuter traffic in Easton, Bristol to a standstill this morning (Monday 25 March). The junction 3 roundabout of the M32 was blocked by the banner-waving/chanting crowd to draw attention to the soaring levels of street-crime and mugging plaguing the community and the reluctance of city authorities to tackle the issues or engage with local people over them.
The roundabout was chosen because of its underpass walkway that joins Easton with St Pauls, which has become a local muggers paradise. The high level footbridges that cross the motorway either side of the junction are no more popular with locals and are similarly unsafe.
“We’re sick of waiting for inaction,” said Easton resident Claudette Thompson, who had brought her five year old son, Liam, along to block the road. “The city council and police have shown they have no interest in sorting out this kind of anti-social behaviour or the crack and heroin dealing that generates it. Well Easton people have had enough. The community is reclaiming the spaces and the streets…We refuse to continue being scared.”
“It’s great to see local people of all ages and races uniting to reclaim their neighbourhood,” said TC, who had come to the blockade by bicycle to show support. “Personally, I reckon we should go and burn a few of the crack dealers out.”
“Communities all over Britain have been destroyed by the greed and hatred young people are told they need in order to get on in life,” said protester Mike Talbot. “ The schools, the government, the television, the career structures – they all set individuals against each other. It’s all about money and power and how much you can accumulate, no matter how you do it or who you hurt on the way. It’s no wonder people are alienated and no longer feel part of a wider community. Well maybe that’s changing in Easton.”
A meeting held by the Good Penny Island residents group in Newton Street Church last week saw local community beat officer Chris Barker barracked by locals who said they had seen no change in policing since David Blunkett landed among a media-ready sea of uniforms to launch his Crime Hotspot campaign on Stapleton Road two weeks ago. Barker admitted police are unable to respond to 999 calls for up to three hours as there are only five officers dedicated to the Easton, St Judes, St Agnes and Eastville area, and some of them have been withdrawn to work on a murder inquiry. “If you ring between midnight and 5am, you are more likely to get a response,” said PC Barker, who despite his obvious embarrassment, urged people to continue phoning the police when they witness crimes being committed. “Why bother,” said Jacqueline Cole. “If you take into account their shifts, that’s one police officer for the whole district at any one time. The police either don’t care or are unable to do anything. It’s no wonder moral at Trinity Road [police station] is so low.”
Marchers on the roundabout were unimpressed by the latest government strategies on crime. “We don’t need private security guards or CCTV,” Mike Talbot told Bristol.indymedia.org. “We need to stop letting the ‘interested’ parties pitting us against one another. As a community we need to decide, that if we don’t want to be pushed around by crack heads or rent-a-cops, then what is the alternative. It’s about taking on some responsibility. Let’s face the it, the authorities only care about the rich parts of town. Down here, it’s up to us.”