The first mass public unrest in the UK of the 20th century occurred in 1919. Areas in South Shields, Glasgow, Salford, Hull, Liverpool and the East End of London were affected by anti-immigrant riots, but the epicentre of the troubles was South Wales – principally Cardiff, Barry and Newport – where four people were killed.
In 1947, there was anti-Jewish unrest across Lancashire after the murder of two British soldiers in Palestine while, 11 years later, the Caribbean community in London’s Notting Hill came under siege. The disorder resulted in 108 charges of GBH, affray, rioting and possession of offensive weapons. Of those in the dock, 72 were white and 36 were black.
An infamously bad year in British history, 1981 saw riots in Toxteth, Brixton, Handsworth, Chapeltown and Moss…
