The Failed Multi-Cultural Experiment — 200th Person Jailed for Bradford Riots
The 200th and final person to be jailed after the 2001 Bradford riots has been sentenced to 30 months in prison. Mohammed Sheikh, 33, from Ealing, west London, was jailed for riot, at Bradford Crown Court, after earlier admitting involvement in the violence.
The riots resulted in 297 arrests, 187 people being charged with riot, 45 charges of violent disorder and 200 jail sentences totalling 604 years.
The estimated damage was more than £7m and more than 300 officers were hurt.
Some 1,000 police officers and support staff were involved on the night of the violence and nine police forces sent assistance.
The court heard that Sheikh was among those throwing stones and bricks at the police lines. He was identified in 2004 as a result of a 10-month police poster campaign, which urged the public to name people wanted in connection with the riots.
Speaking after the sentencing, Det Ch Supt Max Mclean, Head of Crime at West Yorkshire Police, said: “It was a pointless act of self-destruction for Bradford citizens” after admitting that an attempted march by the tiny National Front organisation had been turned away and that there had been no reason to riot at all.
What began as a riot turned into a race-related disturbance, with Asian targeting businesses and cars, along with numerous attacks on shops and property. A notable point of the rioting was the firebombing of Manningham Labour Club, at the time a recreational centre. A 48 year old Asian man was jailed for twelve years for the arson attack. Between 60 and 100 south Asian youths smashed windows and threw Molotov cocktails into the club, forcing the 28 occupants to flee upstairs until the attackers were dispersed by riot police.
Exits were blocked by burning cars so the occupants could not flee the burning building, apparently an attempt to prevent escape.
The most expensive act of the riot was the arson attack of a BMW dealership, which had previously been attacked in a 1995 disturbance. It was so badly damaged that it had to be demolished entirely. Several public houses were also attacked by Asian youths.
