Riots in Lozells (Again.

On Saturday and Sunday night groups of Asian (Pakistani Muslims) youths were rushing people on the streets of Lozells. Gangs of up to 40 were roaming the streets attacking Black people. A group of about 100 were involved in an incident on Lozells road. Two people have been killed in rioting over a wide area. It is believed that a pub on Rookery road was set on fire. Cars on Lozells road have had their windscreens smashed and some set on fire. A local representative of the black community Bini Brown said he and a friend were rushed by a group of twenty Asian youths armed with weapons.

The riots began after the meeting at George St Church on Saturday evening on Lozells Rd. A group of Asian youths began racially taunting black youths outside the church calling them niggers and slaves. The police came and stood between the groups and the youths carried on stoning each other. A group of up to 50 asian youths racially taunted and abused a group of 6 Black women on their way to the meeting on George St brandishing guns and threatening them. It has also been reported that Asian youths were attacking elderly black people in their churches.

This tension has been fermenting since 2 Black girls were allegedly raped in 2 Asian hair shops in the area a couple of weeks ago. On Wednesday 2 shops in the area were firebombed. Black youths have been bricking Asian cars driving on Heathfield Rd. Since the start of this incident several Asian shops have been closed down by local youths who are disgusted with the lack of response to this issue. The police have a heavy presence in the area and on Saturday night rushed the African Self Help Organization on Heathfield Rd.

On Saturday evening

Witnesses said the policing was heavy handed with police in full riot gear corralling people one witness said “I was coming out of 104 when I was confronted by armed police and forced back inside. As soon as I opened the door I was blinded by a torch and then saw a policeman pointing a laser sight at me” A serious lack of trust has developed in the community because of a lack of will to sort out this situation another eyewitness said “if this had been a White or an Asian girl that was raped heads would have rolled already” there are many rumors surrounding the situation including the police having been seen allowing armed Asian youths through police lines to attack people. Plain clothes police observing Black people getting beat up and not intervening. There are reports that two local gangs the Burger Bar crew and the Johnsons have called a truce in the wake of events

Why have the Asian (Pakistani Muslims) community responded violently to what was a peaceful demonstration by the African Caribbean community? This situation has a great deal to do with the hypocritical way the Asian community has been seen recently especially in a channel 4 Darcus Howe documentary “Who you calling a nigger” featuring Asian people racially discriminating against the local black population. The documentary highlighted the very negative attitudes of the Asian community to their Black neighbors.