On 9 September 1985 at about 5.15pm a dispute started between a traffic motorcyclist and a local resident over a parking ticket outside the Acapulco Café in Lozells Road. The officer called for back-up. When other officers arrived fighting broke out. Eleven officers were injured. At 7.40pm the Villa Cross Bingo Hall was set on fire. At 7.55pm the first petrol bombs were thrown at the police, by 9pm the Lozells Roads shops were attacked, looted and set alight. Burning barricades were placed across roads. The evening turned into an orgy of violence and damage. During the riot two Asian men, Amirali and Kassamili Moledine, suffocated to death in their Lozells Road post office which was attacked by the mob intent on stealing from it and setting it alight. Rioting continued the next day. 290 people were arrested, 79 officers were injured, 35 members of the public were injured, 83 premises and 23 vehicles were damaged. There was a total of nearly 400 offences over the two days (9-10 Sept.)
Posted on: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 08:53:07 +0000
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