21:30CDT - 08 July 2001Series of EmergencyNet News Reports Concerning Racially-Motivated Civil Unrest in Bradford, England: 07 July 2001 to 08 July 2001
INSTANT
21:30CDT - 08 July 2001
Police Urge Calm in Bradford Tonight
Preliminary and largely unofficial reports coming in to EmergencyNet News suggest that there may be at least some sporadic violence this evening, despite a large number of police reinforcements. One such report says that a gang of white youths attacked a Asian restaurant earlier this evening, and a bar largely inhabited by whites was set on fire. But, by and large, the violence was described as "much less" than that which occurred last night. Few other official details concerning damage or injuries were immediately available. EmergencyNet News continues to monitor events in England and will bring you additional details in Monday's Emergency Service Report. (See additional reports below)
*****
INSTANT
08:30CDT - 08 July 2001
ENGLAND
Review: Night Of Riots In Bradford
After a night of what was described as "senseless criminality," West Yorkshire police say they have restored calm to the streets of the city of Bradford. In what was called some of the worst rioting in England for many years, 120 police officers were injured and 36 people were arrested during several hours of running street battles between riot police and about 1,000 mainly Asian youths. Buildings and cars were burned, and shops were looted in the Manningham district of the city.
Disturbances began in the city center, after crowds gathered to protest against a planned National Front rally. More than 900 riot police were sent to deal with the violence. An extra 425 officers were dispatched in from the forces in Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Merseyside, Humberside, Cleveland and Northumbria, when it looked as though West Yorkshire's 500 officers would be overwhelmed.
Police said 36 people were arrested, 23 of whom were Asian, and 13 white. Two white men sustained knife wounds - one suffering a slash injury to his back and the other a stab wound to a leg. The worst of the violence was on Whiteabbey Road, one of the main routes through Manningham.
*****
22:30CDT - 07 July 2001
At Least 80 Police Officers Injured in Riots in Bradford
Bradford, England (EmergencyNet News) -- More than eight hours of major disturbances have struck the city center and largely Asian Manningham area of Bradford tonight. Only 18 people have been arrested as police have tried to show what they are calling "maximum restraint" in dealing with the rioters. In the process, at least eighty (80) police officers have been injured...some seriously. Police sources told EmergencyNet News that officers had been struck with rocks, bottles, sticks, and petrol bombs (Molotov cocktails). Police described the scene as involving hours of "running skirmishes" with the protestors.
At times, the police said that they faced a mob or more than 1,000 youths. A number of cars were set on fire and burning barricades were erected by the rampaging crowd. Considerable damage was also done to stores in the city center area, according to merchants. Chief Superintendent Phil Read, of the West Yorkshire Police, said that at least some of the unrest was "racially motivated" and that the cause of the unrest would be investigated. Other purposefully unidentified sources told EmergencyNet News that they believed the riots had been "facilitated by outside agitators," who didn't live in Bradford. EmergencyNet News continues to monitor events in England closely and will provide updates as the circumstances warrant...
© EmergencyNet News Service, 2001. All rights reserved. May not
be redistributed or otherwise published without the expressed permission of ERRI/EmergencyNet
News.
Emergency Response & Research Institute
6348 N. Milwaukee Ave., #312
Chicago, IL. 60646
(773) 631-3774 - Voice
(773) 631-4703 - Fax
(773) 631-3467 - Modem/Emergency BBS On-Line
http://www.emergency.com - Main Webpage
webmaster@emergency.com - E-mail
Return to the EmergencyNet News page