More blood on the bike path

bristol | community | news report Thursday June 18, 2009 16:13 by @bs5'er

What is to be done?

Last night saw another innocent victim battered on the Bristol to Bath bikepath. The 30-plus man, a self-employed carpenter, was returning to his home in Chelsea Park from a friends house off Devon Road, in Easton, a little before midnight. After walking the 100m along the path he was just about to exit via the small cut at top of Chelsea park when he was confronted by 3 youths. Attempting to walk through, he was grabbed by one, and resisted. The other 2 piled in and seconds later he was on the floor taking a beating. After the youths left he stumbled to his feet and to a neighbours house, who drove him to the BRI A&E.

The bike path - much better when its busy and in use

The result? Two head wounds stitched, a swollen head and an eye that wont be opening any time soon. Glasses broken/lost, faith in humanity dashed.

At the A&E were 2 cops. Apparently somebody had heard a commotion and called the cops, who had done a scout around the Chelsea park/bikepath area, but seen nothing, and then gone to A&E to see if anyone had come in. Subsequently, between clean ups, x-rays, and stitches, a statement was taken. Our victim reported he was done in by 3 youths in late teens, who he believed to be black, who were all hooded up, 2 probably with masks (scarves across face), one probably had a silver'ish bmx style bike. As a final twist, our battered victim had a tiny amount of grass in his pocket. One of the interviewing officers noticed the smell of it, and confiscated it. Obviously hadn't heard of its medicinal, pain-killing qualities!

Deja vu anyone – remember the spate of violent attacks last June/July on the bikepath, in roughly the same area (Easton community centre upto Bruce rd)? Recently this year in Easton there have been reports of incidents in and around the bike path – at least one attack with a claw hammer; a possible rape in the vicinity of the Chocolate factory within the last couple weeks; and various other incidents/attacks. All apparently involving black youth attacking unsuspecting locals, usually at night after dark. Some have fingered elements linked to the High St gang, some of whom have done prison time recently – if it was them then obviously prison failed.

Of course in the dark with hoods up and faces obscured, it can be difficult to tell someones ethnicity. The fact that most reporting attacks have been white doesn't mean there haven't been black victims too. Indeed most attacks go unreported, people think what is the point? Black victims will likely think this twice over. Indeed, what is the point, when crimes solved stats are so low. And this is an area known for its anti-police feelings.

What is to be done? There is a slow burning rising anger in Easton, at least amongst white people, over the viciousness of the attacks, and the fear it is installing in people. The failure of the cops/state to sort it out is rightly noted. Wouldn't be allowed to happen in Clifton/Cotham, would it? Some are arguing for a community response, on the streets – a good kicking and a warning to stay away, if the perpetrators can be caught...and presuming the right people are caught!? Another suggestion is a name and shame poster campaign of perpetrators, but again you gotta get the right ones. No doubt some are thinking 'citizens patrols', but that takes many hours late at night, every night...

Our political (mis)representatives, and self-appointed community leaders, will no doubt reopen the debate for more cops/cctv/lighting/cutting back the greenery etc. But none of these alone will solve what is an inherently social problem, and in any case may just move it to a few streets away (a la the St Pauls clean up). Lets face it, who wants more cops on our streets anyway – remember Ian Tomlinson? De Menzes? Or the recent tasering incident in Nottingham that followed close on the heels of a teenage death in custody? Then of course there's the growing expenses scandal amongst the cops, not just confined to the Met. Any cops charged and found guilty? Hmmm...if they cant catch their own when caught on camera, we dont want em on our streets no thanks.

Back when I was a nipper, there was a working class saying of dont shit on your own doorstep, go and mug the rish instead. Back then in working class communities, people could go out all day and leave their front doors open. Naughty youth got a clip around the ear, or worse. Of course back then, nobody had much worth stealing anyway.

Nowadays poverty is more relative, and in any case areas like Easton have a fair share of better off middle class types, or at least types pretending to slum it a bit but still having plenty of consumer goods. But to the unemployed youth, with no (hope of a) job and little or no benefit money, then just about anyone else seems better off, and therefore worth turning over. And if they haven't got anything worth stealing, there's always the excitement at the end of another alienated day of some quick violence in a no-lose situation.

For sure we have the right, and need, to protect ourselves and our communities, be it from bullyboy youth, killer cops, big business or dumb government. But its a long slow process, and for it to work it needs to include the wider community, not just bevvied up angry white men down some local boozer, treading a fine line between retribution and racism. Unless the youth can be convinced they have a commonality with those they are attacking, then we'll just have a spiral of tit for tat violence, police nickings and brutality, and that often tried and failed state solution of prison.

It could be a shit summer...