The Brixton Uprising

Story Hotline

In 1981 a riot broke out in South London between police and the locals – most of them black people who had been maligned for years at the hands of police and systematic racism. These clashes were so monumental that they were dubbed The Brixton Uprising.
But what caused the events? How did locals respond and what was the aftermath? In this episode we jump headfirst into this huge part of British history. Riots get a bad rap (people crying about broken property), and we think it's time instead to direct that energy at the reason for the riots – hello, people are being denied human rights.
Here are some additional resources

• The Windrush Scandal is still a major issue with black and brown people left uncertain about their future in the UK. Sign this petition to stop all charter flight deportations to Jamaica and other Commonwealth countries. #Jamaica50
• The Battle for Brixton documentary on YouTube – this is where the clips in the episode are from
• Article on BlackPast.org – a site dedicated to documenting the worldwide experiences of black people
• The Black Cultural Archives – this gallery/exhibition space/cultural centre on Windrush square was created in response to many of the events mentioned in the episode. It strives to create positive representation of black people in media and culture
• Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire – bestselling book by Akala
• Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race – bestselling book by Reni Eddo-Lodge

We would like to acknowledge our vast privilege as two non-black people learning about this rather than experiencing it. We are committed to listening, learning and taking action to be actively anti-racist.