Commentary
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X0107400301 |
| Published date | 01 January 2001 |
| Date | 01 January 2001 |
| Subject Matter | Commentary |
COMMENTARY
Many of you may have learnt of the escalating racial tension in a
number of cities in the North of England. Culminating in two days of
violent disorder in Bradford during a July weekend, the events have
served to invite a number of commentators to attempt to identify the
causes of such disorder. Some have pointed to Far Right groups such
as the British National Party and the National Front allegedly being
determined to incite racial disaffection amongst black and Asian
communities and to provoke them into violent action. Others claim it is
a response of a disaffected Asian youth unsure of their cultural identity
and subject to disproportionate discrimination in a number of areas.
Whilst a third view is that the events were the actions of a criminal hard
core making use of an opportunity to loot shops, steal cars and, also, to
complain of police over-reaction.
What is clear is that similar tensions exist elsewhere in the world.
Paris, for instance, recently witnessed a concerted campaign by immi-
grant youths to disrupt the capital's business district. Many areas are
seen as 'no go' by police and there has been a serious breakdown in
police-eommunity relations. The Sunday Times in England went as far
as to claim that Bradford was in many ways exhibiting similarities with
Belfast, a city long used to religious divides and disorder. In a compre-
hensive article The Sunday Times suggested that the actions of Asian
immigrants in Bradford in choosing to live together within a defined
area of the city and to educate their children in single faith schools were
reminiscent of the sectarianism in Belfast.
There is evidence that the experience of Asian communities within
Bradford is different to their white neighbours. Bradford has a popula-
tion of 486,000 of which 80% are white, the remaining 20% consisting
of 65,660 who are of Pakistani origin, 13,500 Indian, 6,000 African or
Afro-Caribbean and 5,200 Bangladeshi. However, the unemployment
rate amongst the white community is 6.9% whilst the Indian com-
munity experiences a rate of 9.7% and the Pakistani community one of
19.3%. Such disproportionality becomes more evident in the district of
Manningham, scene of the disorder in Bradford, where 60% of the local
population are of Pakistani origin and about one half of young men
living in the area are in some form of employment.
It
is beyond the scope of this commentary to attempt to address the
socio-economic, educational and criminological aspects behind this
phenomenon. The Police Journal has argued long and hard that policing
remains a complex and complicated function within society; recent
events in Bradford make this doubly so. I believe that The Police
Journal has an important role in helping us as police practitioners,
researchers and commentators to understand more about the causes of
events such as those witnessed in Bradford and to debate how policing
as a social function can contribute to community safety. I would invite
The Police Journal, Volume 74 (2001)
187
To continue reading
Request your trial