Roots of a Riot

Written by Chris Millman Saturday, 25 June 2011

Bristol Green Party response to Evening Post editorial

The author of the Comment column in Saturday’s Post believes that he or she knows the cause of the Easter riots, and so calls for an inquiry are unnecessary.“The riots were triggered by a group of lawless louts challenging police from evicting squatters.”

That is not what the police say.  They have been at pains to point out that rumours of an eviction were untrue, and that they were actually responding to a threat made to petrol bomb Tesco.
The propagation of this myth in such an authoritative column demonstrates the need for an inquiry to get to the bottom of what actually happened that night.

Many people would like to know if it was really necessary to occupy the area with 160 officers from across the region (who from some accounts were highly aggressive from the outset) when the only threat appeared to come from a lone individual.  And was it wise to take such action at 9.00 pm on the evening preceding a bank holiday, when a negative reaction from drinkers and club-goers was almost guaranteed?  Would it not have been better to monitor the situation overnight and make an arrest in the morning?
And having occupied Cheltenham Road for five hours, why did the police then withdraw, leaving Tesco to the mercy of the rioters?  (I suspect Tesco would also like to know the answer to that one.)

These are not unreasonable questions, and I am sure that the police will be prepared to give a full account of their actions that night.  But it is not just about policing.  There are other questions that need to be asked, principally of Bristol City Council.

• Why was the property known as Telepathic Heights, which is owned by the City Council, allowed to become derelict and occupied by squatters?
• Why has the Council not intervened to prevent absentee landlords allowing buildings to fall into a dangerous state of disrepair?
• Was there any justification for the anger felt in the community towards a planning process that failed to take account of their views?

This is a complex situation that deserves to be fully investigated and understood so that any mistakes can be identified to ensure that they are not repeated in Bristol or elsewhere.  If you agree, please sign the petition at http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/epetition_core/community/petition/1531#div_sigs

ENDS

Contact:  Chris Millman, Bristol Green Party Press Officer: