ON THURSDAY 11 September 600 police, most in full riot gear, raided the St. Pauls district of Bristol — the centre of Bristol's black community. It was a direct police attack on the black community which has been condemned not only by tions but by the Bristol labour movement. SALLY JONES outlines the racist attack on St. Pauls. The police codenamed it 'Operation Delivery'.
Whether this was because they arrived concealed in Turniture lornes ana nurea vans isn't clear. 'OperaSaturation' would have been a The fact Diale ala. that they handed out letters assistant chief constable Popplewell, saying they were there to search tor drugs and apologising for the insimply added insult to injury.
The police arrived at 4.15 pm. At 4.30 the canvass sides OTI the lorries were rolled back on target addresses. One of black organisathe targets was the Black and White Cafe made famous as one of the flashpoints of similar events in 1980.
At about 5pm, the police started putting. on Le nol den ance r along Grovenor Road us. oi a little ston-throwing in response to the raid. Local people urged them to withdraw quickly as their heavy presence behaviour was bound to create a response. But they stayed Tor more la turce tours.
aven when they did 'withdraw' at 7.45 it was LuC immediate Grovenor Road area. And they left 20 cops in riot gear by the Grovenor Road flats, even then. Inevitably people gravitated towards them . jeering. Meanwhile police Vali raced down Grovenor Road at high speed. it was a clear attempt to provoke response. couple of petrol bombs and stones were thrown and a car set on tire Lines of police quickly returned. then on ow ponce the area in military formation. Grovenor Road was sealed off. People were not allowed to walk down it.
Ted Fowler, Avon Labour county councillor for Ashley ward. which covers the St. Paul's area told how he was "terrified There is nothing mand There nothing more rounded in a small place people armed to the eyeballs'.
The so-called antidrugs raid recovered no hard drugs at all, just of • Wall juana. Out of the 85 people arrested. dragged out of their homes in handcutts. charges have beer brought out against just 18 most of them IO alleged minor public order offences.
The following night the was once again salute again using the pretext of stone-throwing police Inevitably their occupation of the area led to further clashes This hasn't led to a withdrawal, LOWCYCL despite the urging of local community leaders. Over a week after the operation, St. Paul's not because 'violent community as the police allege but becaus everywhere you go ther are vanloads of police, 650 in all in support units from seven forces.
BOTH BRISTOL CLPs have backed an emergency