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The Oldham Riots
The Oldham riots of May 2001 have branded the town. You'd think from the way they're remembered- from the way Khalid remembers them- that the whole place was in flames. In fact they were highly localised- confined to one or two streets. We live less than a mile from the epicentre and all we heard or saw was the police helicopter chugging overhead.
Oldham does have a problem with race. It simmers under. The Asian communities had been harassed and taunted and put upon for decades and finally the anger boiled over. No-one was seriously hurt, a few cars were burned, the police got a smacking they almost certainly deserved, the windows of one or two racist pubs were put in- and notice had been served that things had to change. I've always thought the rioters deserved our thanks.
Oldham does have a problem with race. It simmers under. The Asian communities had been harassed and taunted and put upon for decades and finally the anger boiled over. No-one was seriously hurt, a few cars were burned, the police got a smacking they almost certainly deserved, the windows of one or two racist pubs were put in- and notice had been served that things had to change. I've always thought the rioters deserved our thanks.
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