LOZELLS and the neighbouring area of Handsworth are known as the frontline of racial and economic tensions in Birmingham, Britain’s second biggest city.

Most of the black community in Lozells and Handsworth came to Britain from Jamaica in the Fifties.

They were invited here to work in low paid jobs in Birmingham’s textile and car industries and on the transport system and in hospitals.

The majority Pakistani community came to Britain in the Sixties and Seventies, but have been more economically successful. The Asian community now owns a majority of retail outlets on the Lozells Road.

These two communities have more recently been joined by a growing Bangladeshi population, as well as recent arrivals from Somalia, Eritrea and Eastern Europe.

But the different groups united yesterday afternoon to hold a press conference condemning the street violence and urging all members of the community to work towards peace.

Anthony Gordon, who was one of 70 self-styled community representatives to agree a statement calling for an end to the violence, said further rumour-mongering would “fan the flames” of a potential race war. He added: “This must be nipped in the bud today so there is no more loss of life or loss of property, or innocent people being cut up.

“In every single community you have differences. But what has not happened so far is having black people and Asian people on the cusp of a race war.”

Another representative, Salma Yaqoob, said: “A precious life was lost in tragic circumstances. Others have been badly injured and a police officer has been shot and injured while carrying out his duties.

“We join with police in calling for calm at this tense time. We acknowledge community tensions, but escalating violence is not the answer.

“We utterly condemn those who are endeavouring to stir up hatred and discord. We condemn those who are perpetrating crimes in the name of the community, and we call upon everyone to stand together.”

Justice Williams, another community representative added: “We have just lost a sense of togetherness. It is very sad how a few people can hijack that. There’s a few young people running around, and they are not representative of the community itself. We are scared because innocent people are losing their lives.”

Lozells is also one of the poorest areas of Birmingham. According to the city council, it suffers from high unemployment, drug problems and is a magnet for organised crime gangs.

Asian gangs such as Sheree-Punjab, the Muslim Birmingham Panthers, the Redheads and the Lynx used to work with black gangs such as the Burger Bar Boys and Johnson Crew.

The gangs were originally set up in the Seventies to protect themselves from racially orchestrated violence, but have evolved into opposing crime syndicates. In the Eighties, Asian and black gangs in Lozells were recognised as importers of guns and drugs by West Midlands Police, and in 1985 Handsworth was at the centre of riots in which more than 200 shops were looted or burnt down. Racial tensions between Asian shopkeepers and black youths was identified as a factor in the riots.

In 2002, an Asian woman shopkeeper was attacked with a machete by a black man in Lozells, which increased tensions. Gang crime in Lozells again came to prominence in January 2003 after the shooting of Charlene Ellis, 18, and Letisha Shakespeare, 17, in nearby Aston. The four men convicted for the crime — all members of the Burger Bar Boys — were seeking revenge on the rival Johnson Crew. The girls were innocent victims.

DIVIDED DISTRICT

8.4 per cent in Birmingham

Jewellery retailers are ward’s largest employers

PREVIOUS RIOTS

1958 Trouble flared in the Notting Hill area of London between whites and West Indian blacks

April 1981 Brixton riots over police stop and search tactics. Over 300 injured including more than 200 police. Prompted the Scarman report

July 1981 Riots in the Toxteth area of Liverpool, Leeds, London and the West Midlands

1985 PC Keith Blakelock killed by a mob at Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham, London

2001 Asians riot in Bradford. At least 260 police officers injured

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