As Notting Hill Carnival is cancelled for the first time ever, a reminder of one of the reasons it started: as a vibrant rejoinder to anti-black violence in West London. At the time, police said 1950s "race riots" were the work of the black and white gangs. But they weren't.
In fact, secret police documents only released in 2002 reveal armed mobs of white men, 300-400 strong, roamed the streets over the 1958 August bank holiday, looking for black people to harass. They referred to this as "n-word hunting".
West Indians were harassed, their property destroyed and five men seriously attacked in the initial outbreak of violence. One PC who intervened reported being told: ""Mind your own business, coppers. Keep out of it. We will settle these n-words our way. We'll murder the bastards"
Yet the police insisted on officially blaming the violence on "ruffians, both coloured and white".
Here's a Guardian piece giving an overview of what was contained in the police eyewitness reports that were hushed up. theguardian.com/uk/2002/aug/24…
Here's a Guardian piece giving an overview of what was contained in the police eyewitness reports that were hushed up. theguardian.com/uk/2002/aug/24…
Here's the scathing statement released by the Afro-West Indian Union at the time, in response to the violence.
"The Union holds the British government responsible for the conditions which have given rise to this racial violence".
Note the call to the British Labour Movement!
"The Union holds the British government responsible for the conditions which have given rise to this racial violence".
Note the call to the British Labour Movement!
And then this final page which is still so horribly relevant:
"As a result of imperialist oppression undermining the political and economic wellbeing of the colonial people, migration to Britain in search of a livelihood has taken place..." (1/2)
"As a result of imperialist oppression undermining the political and economic wellbeing of the colonial people, migration to Britain in search of a livelihood has taken place..." (1/2)
"...But in Britain colonial people find it tremendously difficult to overcome problems of housing, employment and racial discrimination. Only by organising together can we overcome our many difficulties here in Britain and in the colonies"
What's changed? (2/2)
What's changed? (2/2)
That statement from the Afro-West Indian Union can be found in Warwick Uni's digital archives, along w/a host of other documents. Also includes a furious letter attacking the TUC for condemning the attacks in a statement. The letter seems horribly modern. warwick.ac.uk/services/libra…
The writer denies racial discrimination exists - in fact, he insists, the racism is against poor white people who are 'suffering' from an influx of black migrants. Then he decries not being able to say the n-word. He accuses the TUC of being "undemocratic". Seem familiar?
Anyway, just a small, small reminder that what we face now is not new, it's not innovative, it's just the same tired old hatred with a brand new flat cap on.
