Talk:1981 Toxteth riots

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POV & weasle words[edit]

I've removed the most obvious POV and weasle words from this article, although the whole article could really do with more sources. MattUK (talk) 11:51, 21 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Indeed. I was working in the Liverpool courts at the time and saw it from a criminal law, if not a political or social, perspective. Since then, of course, different points of of view have matured with the benefit of hindsight. To be honest, what did Michael Heseltine actually do for Toxteth? I'd rather take the opinions of Margaret Simey, who actually lived there, and whom I knew, rather than some outsider or the Chief Constable, who lived in Formby (if I remember correctly). Not to excuse criminality, because I do remember a lot of people arrested in these riots who didn't live in Toxteth, so that doesn't cut much ice for me; and I also remember minor copycat disturbances in places like Leasowe that didn't really mean that much. However, this article does need some work, and it's now on my list. --Rodhull andemu 00:53, 19 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Retitle

I've been bold and moved this article, simply because (a) race was only one dimension of the riots and (b) to bring it into line with other articles on similar incidents in 1981. --Rodhull andemu 20:14, 7 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I agree, there's a wealth of material to develop this article - but little say it was a 'race riot' - there were racial causes, but the basic causes were social exclusion, unemployment and rather heavy handed policing. The people who rioted were predominantly from the black community - but other races were represented - so, it wasn't a 'race riot' - it was a riot against authority and the social conditions of 1981 Britain. I don't want to underplay the racial element to that situation, but race was not the trump card. Kbthompson (talk) 00:09, 8 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Well, if I can get my Scarman Report out of storage, that would be a starting point. --Rodhull andemu 00:13, 8 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I added some context to 1981 England riots, but there is more to be done to make these encyclopaedic articles. Scarman reported end of 1981, so no effect on events at Toxteth; I think there was a separate enquiry for Harmondsworh. cheers Kbthompson (talk) 00:26, 8 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Just having looked at that article, I agree that it needs sourcing and analytical perspective. The whole thing should come within a minor effort to make it encyclopedic, and hence useful to a reader. --Rodhull andemu 00:41, 8 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Moving forwards[edit]

"One main cause of poverty in the area was containerization at the nearby Liverpool Docks, destroying thousands of waterfront-type jobs." Toxteth was an inner-city area with a largely ethnic minority population, and had been for about 20 years previously to the riots. This text, unsourced, seems to be unencyclopedic polemic having little to do with the riots. Having said that, I expect to have my Scarman within a week or two, adn will be able to cite from it. Rodhull andemu 16:41, 3 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]