1985 Handsworth riots
Encyclopedia
The second Handsworth riots began on 9 September 1985 and finished two days later. The riots were reportedly sparked by the arrest of a man near the Acapulco Cafe, Lozells
and a police raid on the Villa Cross public house
in the same area. Hundreds of people attacked police and property, looting and smashing, even setting off fire bombs. In its aftermath, two brothers (Kassamali Moledina, 38, and his 44-year-old brother Amirali)burnt to death in the Post Office
which they ran, two unaccounted for, 35 injured, over 1500 police officers drafted into the area, around 45 shops looted and burnt, and a trail of damage running into hundreds of thousands of pounds. As well as racial tension, unemployment was seen as a major factor in the riots; by the time of the riots, fewer than 5% of the black population to have left school that summer had found employment.
The riots were to spark a series of similar riots across the country, notably the Broadwater Farm riot
in London which also resulted in a fatality (the murder of policeman Keith Blakelock
). Filmmaker and artist Pogus Caesar
extensively photographed the second Handsworth riot, it was also witnessed by Bronx graffiti artists Brim and Goldie
, who documented the devastation in the Channel 4
documentary Bombing.
Lozells
Lozells is a loosely-defined inner-city area in the West of Birmingham, England. It is centred on Lozells Road, and is known for its multi-racial population. It is part of the ward of Lozells and East Handsworth and lies between the districts of Handsworth and Aston.Lozells has a high population...
and a police raid on the Villa Cross public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in the same area. Hundreds of people attacked police and property, looting and smashing, even setting off fire bombs. In its aftermath, two brothers (Kassamali Moledina, 38, and his 44-year-old brother Amirali)burnt to death in the Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
which they ran, two unaccounted for, 35 injured, over 1500 police officers drafted into the area, around 45 shops looted and burnt, and a trail of damage running into hundreds of thousands of pounds. As well as racial tension, unemployment was seen as a major factor in the riots; by the time of the riots, fewer than 5% of the black population to have left school that summer had found employment.
The riots were to spark a series of similar riots across the country, notably the Broadwater Farm riot
Broadwater Farm riot
The Broadwater Farm riot occurred around the Broadwater Farm area of Tottenham, North London, on 6 October 1985.The events of the day were dominated by two deaths. The first was that of Cynthia Jarrett, an African-Caribbean woman who died the previous day from a stroke during a police search of her...
in London which also resulted in a fatality (the murder of policeman Keith Blakelock
Keith Blakelock
The death of PC Keith Blakelock, an officer with the London Metropolitan Police, occurred on 6 October 1985 during rioting on the Broadwater Farm housing estate in Tottenham, north London...
). Filmmaker and artist Pogus Caesar
Pogus Caesar
Pogus Caesar is a British artist, television producer and director. He was born in St Kitts, West Indies, and grew up in Birmingham, England.-History:...
extensively photographed the second Handsworth riot, it was also witnessed by Bronx graffiti artists Brim and Goldie
Goldie
Clifford Joseph Price, better known as Goldie is an English electronic music artist, disc jockey, visual artist and actor. He is well known for his innovations in the jungle and drum and bass music genres, having previously gained exposure for his work as a graffiti artist...
, who documented the devastation in the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
documentary Bombing.
See also
- Broadwater Farm riotBroadwater Farm riotThe Broadwater Farm riot occurred around the Broadwater Farm area of Tottenham, North London, on 6 October 1985.The events of the day were dominated by two deaths. The first was that of Cynthia Jarrett, an African-Caribbean woman who died the previous day from a stroke during a police search of her...
- 1981 Handsworth riots1981 Handsworth riotsThe 1981 Handsworth riots were three days of rioting that took place in the Handsworth area of Birmingham, England in July 1981. The major outbreak of violence took place on the night of Friday 10/11 July, with smaller disturbances on the following two nights....
- 1991 Handsworth riots1991 Handsworth riotsThe third Handsworth riot occurred on 2 September 1991, when a power cut plunged the area into darkness and sparked a looting spree in local shops. 200 police officers in riot gear were called in to bring the unrest under control. This occurred around the same time as rioting in Oxford, Dudley,...
- 2005 Birmingham race riots
Sources
- Handsworth Songs, Black Audio Film Collective's 1986 film examining the roots of social disorder in Britain.
- "Handsworth Riots - Twenty Summers OnHandsworth Riots - Twenty Summers OnHandsworth Riots - Twenty Summers On is the name of an exhibition of photographs taken by Birmingham film maker and photographer Pogus Caesar during and in the wake of the Handsworth Riots, 9th - 11 September 1985....
Pogus CaesarPogus CaesarPogus Caesar is a British artist, television producer and director. He was born in St Kitts, West Indies, and grew up in Birmingham, England.-History:...
/ OOM Gallery Collection of archive photographs taken during Handsworth riots of 1985. - "Handsworth Riot" Pato BantonPato BantonPato Banton is a reggae singer and toaster from Birmingham, England. He received the nickname 'Pato' from his stepfather, and 'Banton' from the disc jockey slang for a "heavyweight DJ".-Biography:Born in Birmingham, Banton first came to public attention in the early 1980s when he worked with The...
A song by reggae singer Pato Banton depicting the events of the riots with lyrics including first person accounts from blacks and Asians.
External links
- Handsworth Riots - Twenty Summers On / OOM Gallery.
- - Burning Images Exhibition 2005
- Digital Handsworth photographs of the 1985 uprisings in Handsworth, Birmingham
- BBC Birmingham - Your Community - Handsworth Riots
- "A Different Reality" at Warwick University
- / Location photographs of Black Audio Film Collective filming Handsworth Songs 1985 / Pogus Caesar / OOM Gallery Archive
- Young Blacks, Political Groups and the Police in Handsworth by Gordon Weaver