The Bristol Riot of Stokes Croft

Why was a new Tesco Express in Stokes Croft the cause of the biggest riot seen in the area for many years? 

The strength of feeling of local residents. Picture from

http://stokescroft.wordpress.com/page/9/

Tesco had been open for less than a week when, in the early hours of the 22nd April, it was severely damaged. Rioters were throwing petrol bombs, smashing windows, breaking the shutters and stealing goods. Riot police urgently tried to take control of the situation but a violent battle between police and protesters continued for over five hours.

At its peak at around 2.30am, there were about 160 police officers equipped with riot gear and shields. The violence ended at about 4am, during the clashes one police officer had his teeth knocked out and others were treated for neck and shoulder injuries.

Joe Jackson, a student told me that “A paving stone was dropped on a police officer’s head from a 20ft high building. I saw this stone dropped and crushed the policeman like a piece of paper, I’d never seen anything like it. The whole crowd went silent, that’s when we knew it was serious.”

Banksy Graffiti, Bristol. Image By Rob Weitz

Local traders now fear the Easter riot will create huge losses and setback the reputation of the area for many years. Stokes Croft is a place that is renowned for its' bohemian character, creativity and artistic colony with the graffiti garden on Picton street. It is also home to the famous Banksy graffiti ‘The Mild, Mild West’ which features a teddy bear aiming a molotov cocktail at riot police.

Several local businesses were damaged, next door, Fred Baker Cycles – a family business established for 40 years had one of its window panels smashed. Geoff Gardiner, 41, owner, said: “Plate glass of that size will cost about £600 to repair.” ‘The Bristolian’ cafe on Picton Street also had its door panel ruined.

Local residents claim that Tesco - the UK's biggest supermarket chain - is the opposite of what Stokes Croft is about. Before it opened the local community made it clear, during a year of campaigning, that Tesco was not welcome: 2500 people sent postcards to the council opposing the establishment of the store. In a recent survey 96% of the 500 local residents questioned said they did not want another supermarket in the area: as there were already five within a mile.

During the course of the anti-Tesco campaign, local protesters warned in 2010: “If Tesco does open in Stokes Croft, the battle is not over. Stokes Croft is our Cultural Quarter: an area defined by its local culture. If Tesco decide to open, with an overwhelming local opposition, then we must ensure that Tesco, and the devious methods employed by Tesco, do not prosper.”

When Bristol City Council considered planning permission for the site in 2009 they did not know that it was for a Tesco store, as the application was made by a third party. This meant no one had the opportunity to object at that stage as  there was no indication that a Tesco was planned in Stokes Croft. The campaign to stop the Tesco started in February 2010 after word spread that a new Tesco shop was trying to obtain planning permission through a third party company.

WHAT CAUSED THE RIOT?

From 9.15pm on Thursday night 21^st April crowds started to gather around the police on Stokes Croft. The police had sealed off Cheltenham road to traffic and had earlier raided a squat known as ‘Telepathic heights’.  Squatters were suspected of planning a petrol bomb attack on the Tesco Express, four people were arrested and petrol bombs were allegedly recovered.

A local resident said: “It was not clear whether the riot was sparked off by these arrests” .

As police started leaving the squat they arrested another man on suspicion of acting with intent to threaten lives. People began to barricade the road with furniture, bikes and bins which were set on fire. Tension heightened when a police 4x4 was smashed up and set on fire. By midnight bottles and stones started to get hurled at the police from the crowd which now numbered around 200 anti-Tesco activists, local residents and drinkers coming out of pubs.  

Violent clashes between the protesters and the police carried on until four in the morning in the streets around Stokes Croft including: Cheltenham Road, Ninetree Hill, Picton Street and Jamaica Street.  “It was very surreal,” said Jesse Webb, 34 from Ninetree Hill, “There were so many police right from the go. I think they were a bit heavy handed.”

Another resident Phineas Claydon said: “It seemed like an excuse for other crimes and muggings, I saw one person  beaten over the head with another person’s crutch and then have his wallet and phone stolen.  A lot of things that happened were never reported.”

Tesco Express after the riot on Cheltenham Road. Image by Rob Weitz

‎ Alana Bloom, a local resident, wrote on Facebook: “Eight Police officers were allegedly injured? What about the countless people who were bitten by police dogs, pushed to the ground, hit over the head  and trampled by the police?”

The police were also said to have used an aggressive technique known as “kettling” where the crowd were forced into a confined area. Other witnesses say it was 50/50 split between the aggression of the protesters and aggression of the police.”

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset police, Mr John Hansen said: “It was a violent confrontation. Many people did comply with our directions and protested in a peaceful, law-abiding way, but there was a hardcore who continued to be violent.”

Claire Milne, co-ordinator of the ‘No Tesco in Stokes Croft’ says she had repeatedly warned Tesco and the city council that violence would erupt and believes that backlash was inevitable.

By Rob Weitz