Liverpool's shame
Update on the police hunt for the killers of Anthony Walker is here.
For those of you outside the UK who haven't followed this story, Anthony Walker, a black teenager, was killed by an axe blow to the head last Friday evening in Huyton, Liverpool. What provoked this assault? The fact that he was a young black man, who had the temerity to walk down the street with his cousin and white girlfriend.
Anthony's death is not only devastating for his family and friends, who are no doubt struggling to understand how and why this could have happened to their boy, but to the whole of Liverpool and beyond. What the hell was going through the minds of the gang of white men who ambushed him before killing him in cold blood? This wasn't the action of a sole lunatic, but a group of men acting together, who between them must have somehow rationalised their attack on a defenceless teenager.
Comparisons have, rightly, been drawn between Anthony's killing and that of Stephen Lawrence 12 years ago. Like Anthony, Stephen was killed simply because he was black - there was no argument, no provocation, no history of bad-blood between him and his killers - he just happened to run into a bunch of people who decided that the colour of his skin made him fair game.
Hopefully one difference between the case of Anthony Walker and Stephen Lawrence is that the Police act quickly and professionally to bring those responsible to justice - Merseyside Police have already pledged to avoid the dreadful mistakes made by the the Met during that investigation.
Anthony's death says a lot not just about the men who carried out this murder, but the whole issue of race in cities like Liverpool. Like most people from the city and its surrounding area, I'm immensely proud of where I come from, and the fact that the city is one of the most racially diverse and multi-cultural in the UK. But its clear that beneath the surface there are lots and lots of unresolved issues and racial tensions.
Outside of Liverpool 8, the city is overwhelmingly white. In the north of the city, and across the water on the Wirral where I live, there are very few black faces and for years (things have got better recently), few black and Asian workers were employed in the city centre's shops. While things have again got better on the football front, its a fact that there is still a vocal minority in the support of both Liverpool and Everton who think the odd-bit of racist chanting and abuse is all part and parcel of going to the match (especially travelling away).
Does all this make Liverpool any worse than anywhere else? No - but it doesn't make it any better either, and its a point of shame for us all that a young black man can't walk his girlfriend home without being set upon by a gang of cowards. We can do all do our little bit - even if its just challenging those who say 'I'm not racist, but...' You can bet your house on the fact that none of the group who ambushed Anthony Walker were members of the BNP or NF - they were just low level racists, the sort that we all normally ignore, but who on this occasion, no doubt emboldened by their numbers and a few pints, took their 'banter' a few steps further.
Along with so many other people in Liverpool and beyond, my heart goes out to the family and friends of Anthony - lets hope they get justice.
posted by Paul @ Tuesday, August 02, 2005
3 Comments:
I grew up in Eltham, near where Stephen Lawrence was killed.
Eltham, like the area where Anthony Walker was killed, was overwhelmingly white and working class.
It seems to me that racism is more and more endemic is the poorer white areas of the UK - usually ones with low levels of ethnic minorities.
I think a great deal of this racism can be attributed to fear - fear usually spread by the tabloid rags and a small minority of rumour mongers in each community.
The best weapon is education - like all bigotry, racism in this country is caused because of ignorance.
I agree that racism is becoming more and more of a problem in white working class areas.
To your list of reasons 'why' I would add the loss of voice that many of these communities feel - turnout in the General Election for Knowsley South was barely over 50%,and this falls to 25-30% for local elections.
Without idealising local Labour Party's its clear that the collapse of many local Party structures has resulted in whole layers of these local communities being alienated from the political process.
Politically re-engaging them is just as important as - in fact is part of -tackling the ignorance and fear you talk about.
It's events like this that make it imperative that fascist groups such as the BNP are proscribed.
I'm sure you're right to say that the murderers, whoever they turn out to be, are highly unlikely to be card-carrying members of far-right political parties. But the continued legal existence of organised fascist parties, able to stand in elections and use the discourse of democracy, legitimises violence against black people and other minority groups.
Your point about the decline of the Labour Party as a street political force is also well made. If we don't take our arguments to the working class, you can be guaranteed that the scum will have the political playing fields all to themselves.
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