Police Restore Order after Whites and Asians Clash
Owen Fairclough, PA News (UK), Scotsman.com , Jul. 23
Police were today investigating a second successive night of violence between young white and Asian neighbours.
Officers had to restore order in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, where 20 teenagers clashed in the street.
The violence erupted 24 hours after 100 residents fought each other in a street around the corner.
Both episodes were sparked by claims that the tyres of a car belonging to a member of the Asian community had been slashed in a racist attack.
Police spent an hour restoring order after they were called to Princes Street at 9pm yesterday.
One man needed hospital treatment for serious head injuries and a 17-year-old girl was arrested for a racially-aggravated public order offence.
The previous evening, police had to request assistance from colleagues in neighbouring forces when tensions boiled over around the corner in Edward Street.
During the clear-up operation, police recovered an iron bar and scores of broken bottles.
A Warwickshire Police spokeswoman said officers would be keeping a “close eye” on two streets tonight to stop a repeat of the trouble.
“The initial cause of the trouble was the tyres being slashed on a car and there were accusations that this was racially-motivated because there had been similar criminal damage in other areas of the town.
“However, there is no substance to that assumption and we have spoken to members of the community to inform them of this.
“We believe that now this has been explained, there will not be any further trouble.
“But we will be keeping a close eye on the area.”
The teenager arrested in connection with last night’s trouble was bailed to appear before Nuneaton Youth Court on July 28.
Four other teenagers were arrested in connection with the fighting on Wednesday evening.
A 14-year-old girl arrested for assaulting a police officer was given a reprimand in relation to the offence.
A 15-year-old boy, arrested on suspicion of public order offences also on Wednesday, has been charged with a public order offence.
Two other boys, both 16, have been bailed to return to Nuneaton Police Station on August 17 pending further inquiries.
