§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the 308W Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis concerning incidents of public disorder which occurred in Balham, London, between 17 June and 1 July 1983; what was the ethnic breakdown of the persons involved; and if he will make a statement concerning the substance of the report.
§ Mr. HurdI understand from the Commissioner that the only such incident of note occurred at about 6 pm on 29 June at Balham London Transport station. Police tried to detain a man suspected of robbery and were confronted by a predominantly black crowd of about 50 people. Other Local officers and six district support units attended the scene, but the suspect escaped during the disturbance. Five other men were arrested for public order offences, and seven police officers received minor injuries.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis concerning incidents of public disorder which occurred in All Saints Road, North Kensington, on Monday, 1 August 1983; what was the ethnic breakdown of the persons involved; and if he will make a statement on the substance of the report.
§ Mr. HurdI understand from the Commissioner that at 4.30 pm on 1 August two police officers arrested a man in All Saints Road on suspicion of committing a drug offence. The man was placed in a police van and a large crowd, mostly black, gathered and tried to open the doors of the van. Other officers quickly arrived and dispersed the crowd, allowing the van to leave.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis concerning incidents of public disorder which occurred in Brixton, London, between 29 March and 4 June 1983; what was the ethnic breakdown of the persons involved; and if he will make a statement concerning the substance of the report.
§ Mr. HurdI understand from the Commissioner that the only such incident of note during this period occurred in Railton Road, Brixton, during the early evening of 4 June. Two police officers arrested a man suspected of a drug offence. The man tried to escape, and while detaining him the officers were attacked by a group of ten to 15 men. The officers were punched and kicked and one of their radios was stolen as they tried to call for assistance; the suspect made his escape and the assailants dispersed. Some time later the police received information that one of the attackers was still on Railton Road. The man was arrested and taken away in a police van, while a crowd numbering about 150 gathered and stoned the van. After the van had left, the crowd overturned a police car which was temporarily unattended in Railton road and set it alight. Six district support units were deployed in the area and one of these recovered the police car. The crowd quickly dwindled and normal policing of the area was then resumed. One man was arrested on charges of assaulting a police officer and theft of a radio. The crowds involved in the incident were predominantly black.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis concerning incidents of public disorder which occurred in Stonebridge, London, between 20 May and 3 June 1983; 309W what was the ethnic breakdown of the persons involved; and if he will make a statement concerning the substance of the report.
§ Mr. HurdI understand from the Commissioner that two incidents of public disorder took place in Stonebridge park during this period. In each, the crowd involved was predominantly black. At about 7.30 pm on 31 May an officer on patrol in the Stonebridge park estate saw a man wanted for questioning in connection with a serious assault. The man made off and was enabled to escape by a group of men obstructing the police officer. Other officers arrived and approached a youth club into which the men who had obstructed their colleague had run. A disturbance took place outside the club, during which three officers received minor injuries and a police car was damaged by a brick. Four men were arrested before the crowd, which numbered about 100, dispersed.
At about 3 pm on 3 June three officers went to the Estate to collect an abandoned safe. A milk crate was thrown at one of them, striking him in the face. The man believed to be responsible was chased and arrested, but a crowd of about 40 people gathered and a disturbance followed in which one officer was hit on the head by a bottle. More officers attended and the crowd dispersed without further incident.