Brixton, a vibrant district in South London, was the epicenter of violent unrest in April 1981, which lasted for three days. The riots were catalyzed by a volatile mix of economic deprivation, social marginalization and the general feeling of anger at police violence and discrimination against minorities. The upheaval gave bright, public light to long-building tensions, issues and fractures in the community. There was a growing antagonism between black youths and the cops. The damage from the riots resulted in over 300 injuries and £7.5 million worth of damage.
The violence in Brixton was symptomatic of a much deeper crisis. Operation Swamp, a short term police operation that used the controversial and discriminatory “sus law” led to more than 1000 stop-and-searches in the space of just six days. This blunt response just stoked existing anger and discrimination felt by many of Brixton’s residents. A subsequent public inquiry, led by Lord Scarman, admitted that there was indeed a racial disadvantage, and a severe one at that, in Brixton. It also found no evidence of institutional racism in the Metropolitan Police.
Civil rights activist and barrister Rudy Narayan intervened with a campaign to address the community damage. For this reason, he suggested a peace-making cricket match to build bridges between its warring members. Held in 1982, one year after the riots, the match featured the Brixton West Indies team facing off against a squad of police officers. The action was meant to represent healing and reconciliation between the community and law enforcement.
Lord Scarman came to watch the cricket match and commented on its importance saying,
“A game of cricket does everyone good… it’s fun, and that’s what human relations should be.”
The match drew attention as a unique gathering where both police and residents participated in a common interest—cricket. The win by the West Indies Brixton team propelled the community spirit even more.
Well known as a pioneer of baseball diplomacy, Michael Collins emphasized the historical importance of cricket in unifying communities. He concluded that the event was a testament to the vision of people such as Learie Constantine, who recognized the ability of cricket to unite us all.
Not everyone in the community saw the game as a meaningful act of reconciliation. Lloyd Coxsone, a well known local personality and local DJ on the sound system circuit, was doubtful about the event effecting change. He stated,
“I don’t think this cricket match built any bridges between Brixton and the police.”
Coxsone’s party highlighted that, with all the celebrations, not enough was being done to tackle structural issues. He noted that a lot of the residents were apprehensive about going up against law enforcement. “Quite a few people in the community said we shouldn’t play the match against the police – but it’s cricket,” he added.
Fifth local observer Patrick Russell echoed this sentiment, comparing the cricket match to a summer community festival. The police wanted to show how nice they were,” he said. He highlighted all that law enforcement has done to rebuild trust with the communities they serve.
Despite its intentions, the cricket match did not erase the underlying tensions or address the systemic issues that plagued Brixton. As one local resident pointed out,
“The real value is what goes on in the streets – the marketplaces and at the grassroots level in Brixton, and at Brixton police station.”
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