Discrimination And Violence Faced By South Asian Immigrants In 2001 Northern Riots – A Study

Background of the 2001 Northern Riots

The immigrant group include the persons who had migrated from their origin country to settle down in another country permanently. The immigrant group of South Asians had treated as aliens in Britain from the era of 90s and turned into a violence showed in 2001 northern Riots. The migrant group who were engaged in the riots include the South Asian group of youngsters including most of the Pakistanis. The riots began from Oldham in late May, extended to the Burnley and Bradford. From 26-29 May, the riots including 500 people in it, injured two police officers and three common people, extended to Burnley including 400 people in which 83 police officers and 28 common people got injured from 24-26 June. The riot became worst some weeks later in Bradford that injured the 326 police officers and 14 members of common public(Bagguley & Hussain, 2019).  According to the 2001 Census, 4.9% people in Burnley, 6.3% people in Oldham and 14.5% people in Bradford reported about their ethnic origin. 50% of the South Asian population were appointed as blue-collar workers and only few were employed as white-collar workers in these three towns. The British South Asian groups has always been treated as non-resident and faced discriminations(Bagguley & Hussain, 2019).

The police and media reported the racist actions conducted by the South Asian people and underreport the racist activities done against them. The support for the white people against the South Asian British encouraged the South Asian youngsters to take the drastic step of riots. This report shall analyse these discriminatory factors towards the immigrants and shall also discuss the role of police, politician and media to encourage the riots.

The report shall reflect the relevance of crime, and disorder towards these riots and the actions taken in the form of policies that has taken for community cohesion and community safety. The report replicate the evidences of community activism and the favourable actions taken to ensure the community safety.

The media and police plays an important part to encourage the British South Asians to take a violent action to protect their Ethical Community Rights. The police and media are the sectors who seems to be responsible towards every citizen living in a country. The biased nature of police and media could lead the hatred in the minority community. That is what happened in the 2001 Northern Riot. The police released a racist action report against the British South Asians regarding the areas where the white people had no authority to go. Before the riots took place, the political bodies and media built an image of South Asian men as “the Asian gang” and during 90s, the Muslims had seen as the most problematic group of Britain. The police reported the over 60% of racial incidents were held by the South Asian gangs.(Alexander, 2004).As per (Fuchs, 2012), the role of media to represent the Muslims and South Asian men as problematic factor urge the fire of Northern Riots of 2001.

The main factor to urge these riots were the BNP/National Front rally. The National Front had marched on the streets of Branford and chanting the racial abuse against white people. The police acted liberal with the National front members and applied to ban the march. The South Asian people now loses trust on the persons who should execute the law in the city, like police, media, and politicians(Bagguley & Hussain, 2019).

Role of police, politicians, and media in provoking the riots

The win of the BNP in elections also encourage the party to rule against the Muslims and in the march they had carried the slogan of “Islam out of the Britain”. The disorder of police results into the anger of the South Asian especially of the Muslims.

The social control is an important factor to raise crime in the state. The social control perspective refers the social factors that affect the person to choose the violent way to achieve their goals. The social control theory states that the social environment that made a person aggressive(Costello & Laub, 2020). In the Northern riots held in 2001, reflects that the society in which the British South Asians were living was not too supportive for them. The racist abuse they were facing and living the parallel life results into the aggression and take the face of riot. The Muslim community had targeted by the media, police and politicians and the society see them as problematic groups. The media, police and ruling political party leads to the aggressive behaviour of the South Asian migrant groups.

The social control perspective includes the disorder of the police and ruling party in the state who could balance the situation. However, they did not took any actions that were essentially needed to stop the provoking activities in the town and ignored the consequences of National Front march and lead to a criminal activity as 2001, Northern Riot. The media represents the South Asian Group as ‘The Asian gangs’ and referred them as problematic group. The riots help in 2001 were the responsive actions by the Bangladeshis and the Pakistani group who faced the social allegations without doing any crime(ojp.gov, 2009).

The above discussions proved that the riots held in Oldham, Burnley, and Bradford were the criminal activities had originally generated with the racist abuse in the state. The media, political parties, and police was not so supportive to the South Asians Groups and treated them as aliens. The riots raised in the state was the responsive action of the crime, disorder, and social control. The violence started by the National Front members on the South Asian people in the city centre destroyed the patience and tolerance of the South Asian Group and took the form of riots(Waddington, et al., 2009).

The increasing unemployment and deprivation issues raised in 1980s towards the blacks in Britain. The police were so involved in the irrationalism that made the minority immigrants aggressive to achieve their own rights. This wave of 1981s riot lead to the riots held in 1985.

Both these riots held to strike down the neo-fascist mobilisations. On 23^rd May 1981, the march against racist attacks had held by the 1000 people including Whites and the South Asians communities. These rallies had suppressed by the NF and British movement’s counter demonstration. This ignored the role of the South Asians in the riots and the problem of racist attack remained constant(Bagguley & Hussain, 2019).

The South Asian group were facing the racist abuse from years and the riots reflect their anger against the racial fear towards the South Asians.

Relevance of crime and disorder towards these riots

The media plays an important role to present a riot to the public. It is said that the media is less interest to give a favour to the social movements and covers the most appealing news of the movement. Media represents the news coverage according to the ruling party of that country. It deemed that media reflect the racist abuse faced by the whites by the South Asians. The biased interruption of media made high changes to raise a conflict between the South Asians and the local whites. The interest of media before the riots took place was on the issues raised on neo-fascist by the British National Party (BNP). At that time media highlighted the news of National Front’s rally even after banning it by the Home Office.

The biased press release influenced the South Asian group and one more news come across towards the attack on a 76 years old white war veteran. National newspapers declared this incident as racially motivated act and highlighted the term ‘Whites beware’ and ‘Beaten for being white’. Whereas the family of that man claimed that, it was not the racially motivated.

The politicians quick response to the riots was to made the riots as illegal and arrests the rioters. Second response towards the riot was to eliminate the word race from the news headlines(Kalra & Rhodes, 2009).  The most affecting response of these riots were to sentence the rioters in Bradfordwas longer than the usual sentences of the riots. The sentences given was upto 9 years which was a longer period of sentence given in the Oldham and Burley.

According to the 2001 Census, 4.9%, 6.3%, and 14.5% of Burnley, Oldham, and Bradford population respectively registered themselves as British –Pakistanis. 50% of this ethnic population had reported themselves in blue-collar employment. 

Source: Census population 2001 

Source: Census of Population, ONS

Source: Reports in Bradford Telegraph and Argus.

The 1986 Public Order Act ruled the sentences for rioters. Around 69 to 70% rioters had charged under the 1986 public Order Act. Remaining had charged violent disorder and other offenses. 

The community cohesion policies are the policies that put all the communities together and make the migrants a part of the country. As seen above, the politicians, media, police, and the people of a country treat the migrants as aliens and these migrants has to live a parallel life like a stranger. The results of this separation and differentiation lead to riots and aggressive behaviour of the migrants. After the 2001 Northern riots, the government realised the importance to treat the people of every ethnic community equally. These riots shifted the priority of government to the policies related to community cohesion also known as social cohesion, and to acknowledge the different aspects of the ethnicity, national identity, race, religion, and citizenship(Herbert, 2013).

The community cohesion had placed the concepts of multiculturalist and anti-racist policies and shifted the focus on British values for the other ethnic communities. The debates after the riots held in Northern States valued the causes of the riots and the discussion on these causes lead to the community cohesion. John Denham suggested in the Home Office to address the racial issues at least at the local level. In the Ouseley Report, 2001, the importance of community cohesion has been established to increase the value of life in urban areas of like Bradford. The Cantle Report enlighten the agenda of community cohesion from the ethnic values of Canada. As the Muslim ethnic community mostly engaged in the blue-collar works, the community cohesion works started with the New Labour communitarianism(Bleich, et al., 2010).

Social control perspective and the role of the police in raising crime in the state

The political debates now discuss the concepts of ethnic diversity and healthy racial relationship. The focus on residential segregation comes into focus after the riots. The agenda discussed in several reports shifted to Building Cohesive Community and took place by the Ministerial Group on Public Order. An independent Community Cohesion Team worked on the need of community cohesion after considering the common values and different cultural identities(Cowden & Singh, 2017).

The administrative process had broadly discussed in the reports of Denham and Cantle that described the agenda of the community cohesion after the riots and the need of policies to accumulate the balance between the immigrants and the British people. For the purpose of depoliticization, an effective actions related to mobilization of community cohesion is needed. The reports also discussed the unheard voices of the South Asian young generation by the policy makers as a cause of riot held in 2001(Cantle, 2008).

The riots attracted the need and importance of social cohesion and importance of taking care the people of different ethnic community groups. The subjects need to take care include the forced marriages and protect the public from other criminal activities raised in a community.Cameron’s speech described the new language of cohesion in which he mentioned the important terms like racial equality and segregation. The speech also mentioned the concept of liberal multiculturalism and supported the social cohesion to regulate the piece in the nation(Cowden & Singh, 2017).

Community activism refers to creating the group and work to bring the growth, change and try to increase their knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The community activism includes the movements and approach taken by a particular community towards the growth of their ethnicity. The community activists who were mobilizing for the rights of their community are still struggling for the benefits of their community. The activists including the Islamic Non-Governmental Organisations, Salafis are some activist who take appropriate steps to up bring their community and try to growth their community as citizens rather than migrants. These community activists try to have equality in England and not to be treated as aliens. These groups also assist their community to provide the basic necessity of their community and teach them to have faith in their religion.

After the riots held in Northern England, the community activists are trying to get the equality, diversity and community cohesion for their communities. The movements towards the growth of the South Asian migrants were suffering from racial abuse even after the 2001 Northern riots.

Even in today’s scenario, the South Asian community is rebelling for their rights. The community activist mobilised together against racial discrimination. As per their civil rights, they campaigned against racist abuse and demanded for equality. One of the community activist in Britain is Asian Youth Movements. They campaigned for their rights and acknowledged the Black Power movement. One more example is Anwar Ditta Campaign by AYM (lordslibrary.parliament.uk, 2021).

Another activist group who work for the immigrants living in Britain is South Asian Minority Right Group. The immigrants living in Britain suffered lot of racial issues and need activists to raise voice for their welfare and civil rights. The community activists also help the immigrants in providing the important services that help the immigrants to grow their knowledge and skills (Robinson, 2005).

Unemployment and deprivation issues faced by minorities in Britain

The Asian Youth Movements and South Asians Minority Right Group maintain the ethnicity of their community and help their community to live peacefully. The differences with the whites has to be reduce to enlighten the future of the immigrants in foreign countries and the white people has to stop treating the immigrants as aliens. The community activist has now become a requirement for the immigrants to reach their voices to the governmen (Robinson, 2005)t.

The policy of community cohesion has come in the policies of Britain but to implement it, the community activist has to take adequate steps. The community activists do different campaigns and movements to implement these policies of social cohesion to make live their community in equality with diversity.

Conclusion

Most of the Bangladeshis and Pakistani immigrants faced the racial abuse and treated as aliens by the white community. The hatred in white community towards Muslims showed when they had supported the rally against the Muslims by National Front. The racial discrimination is the reason for the aggressive behaviour of Muslims to held riots in Oldham, Burnley and Bradford in 2001. Another reason of the riots were the negative behaviour of police, media and politicians towards the South Asians men. The crime, disorder and social control played an important role for the abatement of the riots.

The statistics proved that the Muslim ethnic community has a high ratio of population in Bradford; hence, the riot in the Bradford was more drastic in nature. The quick actions taken by the government was the immediate arrest of the rioters and give them the longer sentences than what a normal rioter get. The government also realized the importance of community cohesion and many debates and reports mentioned the concepts related to multiculturalism and equality. The policies ruling in Britain include the application of community cohesion to maintain peace and equality in the state. Whereas, the community activists are still doing movements and campaigns for the applicability of these policies in Britain to obtain the rights of their South Asian community of immigrants. The policy of community cohesion had introduced by the government but the implication still needs awareness. These awareness for the growth of the South Asian Immigrants has been spread by different community activist battling for the rights of their community.

Hence, the above report concluded that the Britain has to maintain the equality with diversion through applying community cohesion to maintain the peace in their State. Every community of immigrants has right to live with dignity and the government has to maintain the same in the State. 

References

Alexander, C., 2004. Imagining the Asian gang: ethnicity, masculinity and youth after the ‘riots’.. Crit Soc Policy, 24(4), pp. 526-549.

Bagguley, P. & Hussain, Y., 2019. Ethnic Riots in United Kingdom in 2001. The Palgrave Handbook of Ethnicity, 30(1), pp. 1-16.

Bagguley, P. & Hussian, Y., 2016. Riotous Citizens Ethnic Conflict in Multicultural Britain. 1st ed. London: Routledge.

Bleich, E., Caeiro, C. & Luehrman, S., 2010. State responses to ‘Ethnic Riots’ in liberal democracies: evidence from Western Europe. European Political Science Review, 2(2), pp. 269-295.

Cantle, T., 2008. Community Cohesion: A new Framework for Race and Diversity. 1st ed. s.l.:Palgrave Macmillan.

Costello, B. J. & Laub, J. H., 2020. Social Control Theory: The Legacy of Travis Hirschi’s Causes of Delinquency. Annual Review of Criminology, Volume 3, pp. 21-41.

Cowden, S. & Singh, G., 2017. Community cohesion, communitarianism and neoliberalism. Virtual Themed Issues: Racism and Anti-Racism, 37(2).

Fuchs, C., 2012. Social media, riots, and revolutions. Capital & Class, 36(3), pp. 383-391.

Herbert, D., 2013. ‘Community Cohesion’ and English Disruptions of the Multicultural Peace: The Northern Riots, White ‘Backlash’ and the ‘Evocation of a Faith Sector’.. Creating Community Cohesion. Non-Governmental Public Action, pp. 49-86.

Kalra, V. & Rhodes, J., 2009. Local events, national implications: riots in Oldham and Burnley 2001. 1st ed. Burnley: Willan.

lordslibrary.parliament.uk, 2021. Asian Youth Movements in the UK: history and legacy. [Online]
Available at: https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/asian-youth-movements-in-the-uk-history-and-legacy/
[Accessed April 2022].

ojp.gov, 2009. Bradford Riot of 2001: The Diversity of Action. [Online]
Available at: https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/bradford-riot-2001-diversity-action-rioting-uk-and-france
[Accessed April 2022].

Robinson, L., 2005. South Asians in Britain: Acculturation, Identity and Perceived Discrimination. Psychology and Developing Society, 17(2), pp. 181-194.

Waddington, D., Jobard, F. & King, M., 2009. Rioting in the UK and France: A Comparative Analysis. 1st ed. s.l.:Routledge.  

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