The Chapeltown riots of 1987 took place in the

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

district of Chapeltown in

West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. Widespread rioting in Chapeltown also occurred in

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

and 1981. During the

1981 riots 1981 riots may refer to: * 1981 England riots ** 1981 Brixton riot ** 1981 Chapeltown riots ** 1981 Handsworth riots ** 1981 Moss Side riot ** 1981 Toxteth riots * 1981 Hong Kong riots Multiple disturbances broke out on Christmas Day of 198 ...

, rioting took place not only in Chapeltown, but also in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

and

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

. The riots of 1987 began Sunday, 21 June, when a black teenager, 17 year old Marcus Skellington, was arrested and beaten by police. It is estimated that 70 teenagers participated in smashing shop windows, looting and attacking police officers 22 and 21 June. On 23 June, shops, cars, and windows were burned, bombed and stoned, including a sex shop which was completely burnt down. The burning of the sex shop was particularly significant for two reasons. First, it was not widely supported or wanted by the local community and had been protested prior to the riots. Second, it was believed that the police carried out surveillance of the Hayfield Pub car park for marijuana dealing from above the sex shop, despite the sex shop operating illegally at times.

References

External links

Chapeltown: One Year One. 1987. Documentary. Yorkshire Film Archives.
Chapeltown Chapeltown race riot Crime in Leeds History of Leeds Riots and civil disorder in England Chapeltown, Leeds 1980s in Leeds June 1987 events in the United Kingdom {{england-stub

See also

References

External links