KDIS HomeJuly 2001


Fascist pleads guilty to hate crime (17 July, 2001)

Lone fascist sparks riot (8 July 2001)

Police Chief hands victory to fascists (5 July 2001)

Bradford ready for NF threat. (1 July 2001)


Fascist pleads guilty to hate crime

17 July, 2001

[David Appleyard]

A well known fascist David Appleyard admitted trying to spark a fight with asian youths in the city centre on the afternoon of the Bradford riots.

Appleyard, 35, of Trafalgar Square, Scarborough, pleaded guilty to "racially aggravated threatening behaviour" at Bradford Magistrates court on Monday. He was remanded in custody until August 20th for sentencing at Bradford Crown Court.

Appleyard was in Hall Ings when he shouted racial abuse at the group of youths. He later told police that he was on his way to the bus Interchange when he became the "victim of an unprovoked attack".

Mitigating for Appleyard, solicitor Javed Arshad said that Appleyard came to Bradford to see his daughter and ex-partner, but when he was unable to get in touch with them he went to the city centre to have a few drinks. Mr Arshad said that Appleyard was then caught up between asian youths and the police like "piggy in the middle".

Mr Arshad said that even though Appleyard did shout racial abuse at the youths he was not involved in any right-wing groups.

The incident was shown on national television, where Appleyard was clearly seen giving nazi salutes, before a man struck him on the back of the head with a brick. Appleyard then hopped into the arms of nearby police officers where he was arrested.

Appleyard is a well known and notoriously violent fascist who has been involved with many extreme right-wing groups, including the National Front, the BNP, the Ku Klux Klan and Combat 18. He also seems to lead a charmed life with his dealings with the police.

He was spotted in the centre early Saturday afternoon leading a crowd of several men. At one point he was questioned and searched by the police in Centenary Square. He was later involved in a confrontation outside Addison's pub which sparked off the riot.

Police then allowed him back into the city centre where the Anti-nazi league were holding a rally.

Update August 20: Following a private hearing in chambers with the judge, David Appleyard changed his plea to "not guilty" and was released on bail. His case was referred back to the magistrates court.


Lone fascist sparks riot

8 July 2001

[Police battle with rioters in Bradford]

A confrontation with a well known fascist provided the spark which led to a night of terrifying violence in the city.

Huge areas of Manningham were left devastated as hundreds of mainly Asian youths battled with police throughout the night. The ferocity of the riot has shocked many people.

After a planned National Front march had been banned, police said that the fascists would be allowed to hold a provocative meeting in the city. But in the end the NF, who had claimed it's members were coming from all over the country, never showed up.

A lunchtime protest meeting by the Anti-Nazi league passed off peacefully, before the mixed crowd were hemmed into Centenary Square by a heavy police cordon.

Meanwhile the appearance of a well known and notoriously violent fascist leading a small group of men from pub to pub around the city centre raised tensions. It was a confrontation with this man outside a pub in Ivegate which led to the first of a number of ugly violent incidents.

In a statement issued yesterday afternoon, Bradford TUC said that the police had been talking in the street with this man, "a known associate of Combat 18 and a man with a history of violence" at 1.30 p.m.

"(He) was not detained but was seen in several Bradford pubs during the course of a tense afternoon. He was openly provocative.
"In the end, (he) emerged from Addison's pub on Ivegate and goaded the crowd to attack him in front of several police officers. A young Asian man was assaulted and left on the ground. (He) was clearly visible stamping on this young man's head whilst the police officers present waved their batons to prevent this young man's friends retrieving his injured body. In the fracas that followed the police seemed to concentrate on confronting anti-fascists and Bradford Asian young people and aggressively forcing them out of Ivegate. They still made no attempt to detain (him). Within an hour of the incident (he) was observed walking in Centenary Square."

After further incidents it seems this fascist was finally set upon by a group of youths before being rescued by the police. Police said he was subsequently arrested.

The TUC statement continued:

"We urge people not to be provoked into the kind of disturbances which the Nazis engineered in Oldham and Burnley. The National Front's agenda is clearly to try and whip up disruption and rioting in Bradford which they can then seek to exploit."

But it was too late. Police finally cleared the centre, but later huge groups of youths gathered in and around the Manningham area to battle with the police.

An easy result for the fascists and a tragedy for Bradford.

[Asian youth attacked in Ivegate]

[Youth lies unconscious]

 

Update 10 July: 21 people appeared in court yesterday in connection with Saturdays events, 19 of whom were from Bradford. The 2 others were David Appleyard, a 35 year old from Scarborough charged with racially aggrevated threatening behaviour, and Paul Evans from Essex charged with violent disorder. Both were remanded in custody until July 16th.

Update 13 July: Yesterday saw the official publication of the report of Sir Herman Ouseley "Bradford Race Review", which was completed before Saturday's riots. Although it has been met with differing responses, it is generally accepted as a good starting point for developing strategies for the future. Copies can be obtained free from the Council's Equality Officer (tel: 754832) or can be downloaded from the internet at http://www.bradford2020.com/pride/index.html .

See also: T&A coverage


 

Police Chief hands victory to fascists

5 July 2001

[Bradford festival finale cancelled by Chief Superintendent Richardson (insert)]

Bradford South Police Chief David Richardson last night cancelled this Saturday's weekend festival finale, to make way for the National Front.

Chief Superintendent Richardson said that he could not guarantee public safety at the event. He went on to say that although a planned NF march had been banned, he could not stop them having a meeting.

His decision has been met with outrage and demands for his resignation.

Veteran anti-fascist Geoff Robinson told KDIS:

"The police decision to say that they cannot deal with 30 nazis is disastrous. Instead of 10,000 of us celebrating music and culture we are faced with the whole of Bradford City centre being shut down.
"Those who want to show their opposition to the NF will be portrayed by the police to be troublemakers. By taking out the organised anti-fascist movement the police will create the very chaos they say they want to stop."

The police tactics appear to have played right into the hands of the tiny fascist group, who will claim the move as a victory. It also gives the fascists carte blanche in future to frustrate any event they choose.

In a statement Bradford Festival said:

"Due to advice from West Yorkshire Police, we have decided to re-arrange this weekend's Bradford Festival Finale because of the risk of demonstrations in the city on Saturday."


 

Bradford ready for NF threat.

1 July 2001

[NF at Leicestershire

Anti-fascists throughout Bradford are preparing to greet the National Front, should they try and gather in the city next Saturday.

The fascists have declared that they will be holding a march in the city and claim on their website that a formal application has been made this weekend. It seems likely that any such march will be banned.

However, there is a real danger that even a small number of fascists turning up could spark trouble, which is, of course, exactly what they intend. Asian youths are known to be well prepared to meet any fascist attacks. Trade Unionists and other anti-fascist groups are meeting at a number of assembly points in a low-key mobilisation.

Police are said to be treating the situation seriously.

Saturday sees the finale of the 2001 Bradford Festival, with it's a "world in a city" festivities in Centenary Square, where anti-fascists will no doubt join thousands of other revelers to await developments.

See: full story


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