31 May 2001 Edition

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Oldham explodes

BY FERN LANE

After weeks of increasing tension, the Oldham area of Greater Manchester finally exploded last weekend as hundreds of young Asian men rioted in protest against racism, economic depravation, police brutality and the presence of British fascists in the area. The demonstrations flared at around the same time that nationalists in Portadown were also protesting for the same reasons.

Oldham has been the focus of much British media attention in recent weeks. The serious beating of an elderly man as he walked through a predominantly Asian area led to allegations that young Asians have been determined to create no-go areas for whites, a claim denied by both local people and the local authority.

However, there is little doubt that in response to deep-rooted racism it has experienced over many years, the Asian community in Oldham has gradually withdrawn into itself. Younger, more militant Asians, unlike the older generation, are far less prepared to tolerate the racism to which their parents and grandparents have been routinely subjected, ranging from name-calling to brick and petrol-bomb attacks on homes and businesses.

Last weekend's rioting, and the sporadic violence since, was in no small measure initiated by the fascist British National Party who, intending to exploit the heightened racial tension, had planned to hold a march in Oldham. The British Home Secretary Jack Straw banned all political marches in the area (although, incidentally, neither the BNP, NF, Combat 18 nor any other British fascist groups are on the government's list of proscribed organisations) but several dozen BNP members travelled to the Glodwick area of Oldham anyway and began drinking at the Live and Let Live pub and attacking Asian homes.

Their presence understandably infuriated local Asian youths, who responded by attacking the pub and the situation began to run out of the control of community leaders, who had been struggling to contain the anger, when the Greater Manchester police in full riot gear went in to Glodwick in a heavy-handed attempt to quell the developing disturbances. Unlike Portadown, they were not permitted to use plastic bullets. They went in only after having escorted the BNP members away - initially without making any arrests. Since then, the police say that they have made 33 arrests of white people but have declined to say whether any are members of fascist organisations.

With its members having played a huge role in fomenting violence but, true to form, making a quick exit themselves as the fighting began, the BNP is hoping to capitalise on what it regards as a success and increase interracial strife by putting up candidates for election both to the British parliament and for the local council. Its leader, Nick Griffin, says he is confident that in the general election the party will retain its deposit and that it will gain council seats in the local elections. He advocates the usual rubbish associated with fascism, including strict racial segregation and the building of `peace walls'. He cites areas of Belfast where Catholics are under sustained attack by loyalists as his model.

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