More blood on the bike path
bristol |
community |
news report
Thursday June 18, 2009 16:13
by @bs5'er
What is to be done?
Last night saw another innocent victim battered on the Bristol to Bath bikepath. The 30-plus man, a self-employed carpenter, was returning to his home in Chelsea Park from a friends house off Devon Road, in Easton, a little before midnight. After walking the 100m along the path he was just about to exit via the small cut at top of Chelsea park when he was confronted by 3 youths. Attempting to walk through, he was grabbed by one, and resisted. The other 2 piled in and seconds later he was on the floor taking a beating. After the youths left he stumbled to his feet and to a neighbours house, who drove him to the BRI A&E.
The bike path - much better when its busy and in use
The result? Two head wounds stitched, a swollen head and an eye that wont be opening any time soon. Glasses broken/lost, faith in humanity dashed.
At the A&E were 2 cops. Apparently somebody had heard a commotion and called the cops, who had done a scout around the Chelsea park/bikepath area, but seen nothing, and then gone to A&E to see if anyone had come in. Subsequently, between clean ups, x-rays, and stitches, a statement was taken. Our victim reported he was done in by 3 youths in late teens, who he believed to be black, who were all hooded up, 2 probably with masks (scarves across face), one probably had a silver'ish bmx style bike. As a final twist, our battered victim had a tiny amount of grass in his pocket. One of the interviewing officers noticed the smell of it, and confiscated it. Obviously hadn't heard of its medicinal, pain-killing qualities!
Deja vu anyone – remember the spate of violent attacks last June/July on the bikepath, in roughly the same area (Easton community centre upto Bruce rd)? Recently this year in Easton there have been reports of incidents in and around the bike path – at least one attack with a claw hammer; a possible rape in the vicinity of the Chocolate factory within the last couple weeks; and various other incidents/attacks. All apparently involving black youth attacking unsuspecting locals, usually at night after dark. Some have fingered elements linked to the High St gang, some of whom have done prison time recently – if it was them then obviously prison failed.
Of course in the dark with hoods up and faces obscured, it can be difficult to tell someones ethnicity. The fact that most reporting attacks have been white doesn't mean there haven't been black victims too. Indeed most attacks go unreported, people think what is the point? Black victims will likely think this twice over. Indeed, what is the point, when crimes solved stats are so low. And this is an area known for its anti-police feelings.
What is to be done? There is a slow burning rising anger in Easton, at least amongst white people, over the viciousness of the attacks, and the fear it is installing in people. The failure of the cops/state to sort it out is rightly noted. Wouldn't be allowed to happen in Clifton/Cotham, would it? Some are arguing for a community response, on the streets – a good kicking and a warning to stay away, if the perpetrators can be caught...and presuming the right people are caught!? Another suggestion is a name and shame poster campaign of perpetrators, but again you gotta get the right ones. No doubt some are thinking 'citizens patrols', but that takes many hours late at night, every night...
Our political (mis)representatives, and self-appointed community leaders, will no doubt reopen the debate for more cops/cctv/lighting/cutting back the greenery etc. But none of these alone will solve what is an inherently social problem, and in any case may just move it to a few streets away (a la the St Pauls clean up). Lets face it, who wants more cops on our streets anyway – remember Ian Tomlinson? De Menzes? Or the recent tasering incident in Nottingham that followed close on the heels of a teenage death in custody? Then of course there's the growing expenses scandal amongst the cops, not just confined to the Met. Any cops charged and found guilty? Hmmm...if they cant catch their own when caught on camera, we dont want em on our streets no thanks.
Back when I was a nipper, there was a working class saying of dont shit on your own doorstep, go and mug the rish instead. Back then in working class communities, people could go out all day and leave their front doors open. Naughty youth got a clip around the ear, or worse. Of course back then, nobody had much worth stealing anyway.
Nowadays poverty is more relative, and in any case areas like Easton have a fair share of better off middle class types, or at least types pretending to slum it a bit but still having plenty of consumer goods. But to the unemployed youth, with no (hope of a) job and little or no benefit money, then just about anyone else seems better off, and therefore worth turning over. And if they haven't got anything worth stealing, there's always the excitement at the end of another alienated day of some quick violence in a no-lose situation.
For sure we have the right, and need, to protect ourselves and our communities, be it from bullyboy youth, killer cops, big business or dumb government. But its a long slow process, and for it to work it needs to include the wider community, not just bevvied up angry white men down some local boozer, treading a fine line between retribution and racism. Unless the youth can be convinced they have a commonality with those they are attacking, then we'll just have a spiral of tit for tat violence, police nickings and brutality, and that often tried and failed state solution of prison.
It could be a shit summer...
make this your indymedia front page
printable version
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (9 of 9)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9Where r the tough anarchists now?
Read the post with ever deepening dismay. Agree with frustration of the writer. Yes we will see a backlash - both on the streets and at the ballot box if something is not done to combat this sort of crime.
No doubt the beardy weirdys are already making up excuses about how it is really societies fault.
Good luck to James, and all the other victims of these attacks. I think there's a stronger feeling than ever that this has got to stop, that this problem needs to be confronted.
The 2 comments above make me sick. THEY are just as real a danger - the right wingers trying to turn this into a racist issue, or a political one.
This is, in fact, a COMMUNITY issue. The fact that the kids that do this are black (and it is a fact) is not an issue, apart from the problem that the black community in Easton can't or won't sort it's own house out - please prove me wrong.
Easton should be for everyone. All those 'hidden agenda' wankers who blame it on the 'beardy weirdies' are like the rats who say women who wear short skirts deserved to be raped. Just because you haven't got front shouldn't mean you should fear for your life every time you go out in the dark. And how about the fact that most victims are working class teenage men?
This is a case where a small group of 5-10 people, with an outer circle of hangers-on, think they can terrorrise a community of 10,000 people. Of course, they are wrong, and eventually they will pull the tigers tail so much it will turn round and bite. Then we have a serious danger of ANY group of young black men out late at night being targeted in revenge. No one seriously wants that to happen as it means there will be blood on both sides, and a serious disruption to everyone's lives.
But, this situation has been going on too long and has got to stop. I still hope against hopes that those with some influence in the black Easton community can take the lead on this. They can be sure that they would be supported by a lot of people, and they can be sure that their intervention would be the best thing for both sides.
Otherwise, one good suggestion I have heard is the naming and shaming of those WE KNOW have been involved in some of the attacks. I have heard names mentioned but am not 100% sure, and so will leave it up to those that are, and also think that kind of information should be passed face-to-face, and not over the internet.
Other communities have dealt with this non-violently, by demonstrations of people-power, I hope that we can do the same.
It is only the fault of the right wing section of society!
LOL!
Some possible inspiration and ideas:
"The first step was to bring every sector of the community together, including the church, the local businesses, education and youth services, health, welfare, elderly people, disabled people and so on and asked them to brain-storm in group meetings and asked them to come back with what they were going to do. Next came the Pride of Poleglass campaign: wiping off graffiti, planting trees, getting the burnt stolen cars removed, helping each other as we had done in the [RUC/Army] raids to repair damaged property. "Then a 'care package' was put around the around the kids who were in anti-social activity which involved family youth education and training and social welfare agencies.
"In some few cases where cooperation within the care package could not be achieved and 'anti-social behaviour persisted, In such situations, the community itself, confident and positive ostracised them. The irreconcilables were ostracised by the community, by 6' by 4' posters went up. There were marches to their doors. No would serve them; the shops, the pubs, the people ostracised them. People combined to make life intolerable for those who had made life intolerable for the community".
Such "simple easy steps" created the basis, Ferguson concludes, whereby "the working class in Poleglass were once again taking control of the their community."
"This strategy, which in addition to the march had seen rat-runs bricked up, 'not wanted' posters flying off lamposts, and discussions held with regard to how the suspension of perpetrators rights to community amenities might be implemented. Such was the alarm in the 'mugging community', many felt compelled to desist entirely, while others opted to leave the immediate Newtown area in the hunt for easier pickings. As one wag wryly put it 'they are now commuting to work'. "
Shows what a true community can do.
Not the class war nonsense of the Citizen Smith types.
Some good ideas there. It probably helps to have the threat of a jolly good kneecapping if the little s***s ignore their final warning.
I don't think the ideas above suggest vigilante violence at all, thats a total dead end and unlikely to result in any lasting change other than more violence.
I also think that if you look at the organisations involved (IWCA - Independent Working Class Association) their politics are clearly based around class divisions in society as being the root of crime and without some sort of change in this then crime will continue.
But they also recognise that in the short term communities need to develop some sort of response to deal with immediate issues of gangsters taking their lead from margaret thatcher rather than robin hood.
There is a lot of concern within Easton about a tiny minority of the community that find it acceptable to physically attack and rob other members of the community, this is anti social behaviour of the lowest order.
There are already a group of people who are taking steps to organise the rest of community to ensure that this tiny minority clearly understand that it is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
If you are concerned about the problem; you might already have been attacked, know someone who already has, doesn't want to be next, or are just concerned about what is happening to other people please get involved.
I would urge people to come along to the next Partners and Community Together (PACT) meeting in Easton next month, to discuss what action can be taken. The meeting will possibly be on Thursday 9th July, but I will post the confirmed date nearer the time. The meeting will give people a chance to discuss their issues with the police and with a council representative, but also to have a meeting afterwards for everyone interested in getting involved.
We are aware that the police and council have limited resources and may not be able to solve our issues, and some people feel that we should not be looking to the authorities to solve community issues, instead we need to organise ourselves. We would be looking to organise within the law, and will not be aiming to combat this violence with more violence.