Threatening arrest
When I arrived at about 8pm there was a group of local people, consisting mainly of mothers and children with a few young men standing on the corner of Cavendish and Broomspring Lane. I was told there had been a number of arrests following a conflict between some local young people and a group on Devonshire Green.
Shortly after I arrived a police officer asked why I was taking photographs and told me that “the police can be trusted to take care of the situation”. This seemed somewhat at odds with what I observed. One officer explained to me that their objective was to persuade both groups to disperse and return home, which seemed reasonable. However the officer pictured interpreted this as threatening “go home or I will arrest you.” When I asked him what the charge would be he said “Breach of the peace – there are people who have paid a lot of money to live in these flats, pointing at the West One complex.” I was disturbed that the young children there, many of whom I know, where seeing this image of community policing. In the end another officer restrained the one making these threats and led him away. After a further ten minutes some of the local young men ushered the children back towards their homes and told them not to return to the area.
We may be a little complacent about racist flare-ups in Sheffield and tonight’s incident was certainly very very low key but I did wonder about local police preparedness and policies in this situation. There were at least six police vehicles, there were dog handlers and there were armed officers. What there didn’t seem to be was a priority to present fairness and politeness to the local community.
Shortly after I arrived a police officer asked why I was taking photographs and told me that “the police can be trusted to take care of the situation”. This seemed somewhat at odds with what I observed. One officer explained to me that their objective was to persuade both groups to disperse and return home, which seemed reasonable. However the officer pictured interpreted this as threatening “go home or I will arrest you.” When I asked him what the charge would be he said “Breach of the peace – there are people who have paid a lot of money to live in these flats, pointing at the West One complex.” I was disturbed that the young children there, many of whom I know, where seeing this image of community policing. In the end another officer restrained the one making these threats and led him away. After a further ten minutes some of the local young men ushered the children back towards their homes and told them not to return to the area.
We may be a little complacent about racist flare-ups in Sheffield and tonight’s incident was certainly very very low key but I did wonder about local police preparedness and policies in this situation. There were at least six police vehicles, there were dog handlers and there were armed officers. What there didn’t seem to be was a priority to present fairness and politeness to the local community.
Comments
Hide the following 19 comments
Before You Forget
02.08.2005 22:16
A.C.A.B
As expected
03.08.2005 12:30
Keith
Oppose War - Oppose Racism
03.08.2005 23:48
Neo-Fascist or what???
What Britain needs is a revival of real, honest-to-goodness community-based co-operative leftist politics to free the marginalised from alienation, black, white, Asian, whatever. An end to global brands like Starbucks. And grass roots leftist politics that address the concerns of young people as well as community leaders. I see on the BBC leeds website that Science from Big Brother has been filming young people from marginalised communities, to discover what they care about, how society views young people, and what are their hopes and fears. If only "Tony Bliar" would remember his socialist roots (if he had any!!!!!)
GRASS ROOTS SOCIALISM
Anti-BLIAR
Somali gangs!
04.08.2005 08:58
Sheffield Forum
I concour
04.08.2005 12:08
This story has been written poorly infusing the view that this is some sort of police struggle against race problems.
I was there, Fight between some guys and a bunch of somalians, there community came out to see what was happening etc. no riots or anything like.
Ed
SheffieldForum is a neo-Nazi Loser
04.08.2005 21:11
Chavs commit crimes, too. As a matter of fact, criminality comes down to social status....
Those that are the powers that be, employers, etc, hold communities back through employment discrimination. If someone sounds Muslim or African, they fimd it more difficult to get a job.
Take away the level playing field, and you will get an increase in desolation, bad housing conditions, and crime.
Racism does exist you ignorant piece of shit!!!
Go and fall down some deep hole, and stay there, masturbating to pictures of Adolf Hitler, you cretin!!!!!
The Real Sheffield Forum
White Chav Gangs Commit More Crime in Sheffield
04.08.2005 21:14
SheffieldForum, you are indeed a complete and utter tosspot.
Are you a chav???
Lisa Lashes
"Sheffield Forum" Is A Pseudonym For Max
04.08.2005 21:19
SheffieldForum is actually a stupid alias for middle class, and sexually confused loser, Max.
Max is Hitler-worshipping Mark Collett, the guy who couldn't get a girlfriend.
I hope Collett gets locked up for life, and they throw away the key
Linda Lovelace
Max And The Less Than Angry Inch - sorry - centimetre......
04.08.2005 21:24
There are witnesses.
He will vigourously deny it, folks. If neo-Nazis can deny the Holocaust, they will deny anything......
Anti-Fas
Beware neo-Nazi BNP Infiltration of Indymedia
04.08.2005 21:41
So, mate, how can we spot them?
They appear to have a fascination with the following topics: -
(a) Eugenics
(b) White Supremacy
(c) Racial Violence
(d) Hitler Fetishism
And last but not least, they are laying blame upon one particular race, religion, or colour of skin, for criminality.
Scapegoating, they call it in the "far-right trade".
Their idea of a good night out, is hanging out in a crap pub, muttering racial epithets about no-white people, Muslims, gay people, etc, using such illegally hateful terms as p*ki, c**n, etc. You've got the story, folks, they are mentally ill, and liers to boot.
And they are cowards, carrying out racial attacks when the pubs chuck out, and trying to persuade others to join in, too.
Until undercover cameras catch them in the act.
One day, all neo-Nazis will be under lock and key!!!!!!
Stephen Lawrence And Anthony Walker Rest In Peace
Stop neo-Nazis From Exploiting Indymedia
04.08.2005 21:48
Then he killed them in the Holocaust.
Lessons must be learnt.
We cannot stand back when full-time middle-class racists like Max/AKA "Sheffield Forum" are on the loose, stereotyping black people as criminals.
People like Max are complete and utter cowards, with their wanky Redwatch cameras......
Damien Mc Grath
Then They Came For Me!!!!!!
04.08.2005 21:50
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.
Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945
Max(Min) is A Twat
04.08.2005 21:52
Sara HB
WOOOOOOO!!! WOOOOOOO!!!
04.08.2005 22:04
We women can achieve orgasm with just a little finger even! Or even a carrot.
So, don't worry, "Matchstick Men", there's no reason to turn to race hate, just if you're not so well endowed.
Take up trainspotting instead of sex. Self-loathingly isn't clever....... and it definately isn't big.
Forgetting that...... there's always Viagra, "Page Three Of The Sun", or those penis implants to see advertised on Spam.
Ivor The Engineer
Agreed
05.08.2005 12:20
Get a life, Max, you neo-Nazi piece of shit!!!
Horna
Neo-Natzi?? dont be so stupid
07.08.2005 11:48
The asian lads in my group who i knew reasonably well would just mention racism to a tutor and he would not have a go at them or anything just gave them extra time to complete because they were so scared of racism.
the term white boy is deemed acceptable for a ethnic minority to shout out.
Can the same be said for the reverse?
I think not
It works both ways.
And what i have just said is not racist in anyways so just chill your ass's out
Ed
Only White Racism Is Politically Organised
27.08.2005 03:43
Not so anti-white racism. There is no Asian or Black BNP.
"Sheffield Forum" is simply Max the loser neo-Nazi.
We know your tricks, Max(Min)
Remember Anthony Walker, Rest In Peace, the victim of young Liverpool Nazis......
Peace, yo!!!
Sairah
Perspective
27.08.2005 03:51
The BNP, racially attacking local black and Asian people, under the cover of a well organised gang of football hoolies.
This is well documnented, even by the police in Greater Manchester and West Lancashire, which hardly helped those poor Asian families under seige.
Racists of all colour are indeed evil, but like the other poster said, only anti-white racism is organised.
Recently, there was a gang of 100 18 year olds beat up two young kids in an ujnprovoked racial attack in Oldham.
Tell me this violent, almost homocidal attack on two young defenceless kids (child abuse in my book, by young adults), wasn't organised???
Tina
stainless
23.09.2005 15:24
stainless