Words by Erdington Local editorial team
For the second week running there will be an anti-racism protest on Erdington High Street.
The protests are in response to reports of a black family and teenage boy being racially abused and attacked by a group of men from local businesses, over an alleged parking dispute outside a shop on the High Steet.
The first protest was held on Saturday 1 June, with organisers calling for a follow up event to take place on Saturday 8 June at 1pm – billed as the ‘Racist Attack – Shut It Down – Black Pound Protest’.
Erdington resident Leon Bedward, also known as DJ Warren G, his pregnant partner, and sister were attacked outside the shop on Erdington High Street on 17 May. Mr Bedward also identified a young black teenager who stepped in to help the family, who was in turn also attacked.
West Midlands Police confirmed three victims were “struck during the altercation” and are now investigating.
The police have further confirmed five men, aged from 22 to 45, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and racially aggravated assault, and have since been released on bail.
A West Midlands Police spokesperson told: “Several people were involved in verbal abuse following an alleged parking dispute.
“A man, a woman and a teenage boy were struck during the altercation. We are working through CCTV in the area to establish the cause of the disorder and who was involved.
“We also ask anyone who witnessed what happened and hasn’t spoken to us, to contact us via Live Chat on our website or by calling 101 quoting crime reference 20/450892/24.”
Reports of the attack, which took place on 17 May, has been widely shared on social media causing much anger and upset in the local community.
On Saturday 1 June, black community leaders and Mr Bedward, aka DJ Warren G, gave speeches through an amplified megaphone outside the shop and plan to do the same at 1pm on Saturday 8 June.
Bishop Desmond Jadoo MBE is one of the organisers of the protests and stressed the importance of keeping race on the agenda as the country gears up for a General Election on 4 July.
Bishop Jadoo is also currently leading the ‘Justice 4 Dea-John Reid’ campaign, which wants a law to ensure juries represent the demographic and racial profile of an area.
He told Erdington Local: “Last week was a success, a peaceful demonstration by the black community calling for racist abuse on Erdington High Street to end.
“The attack on Warren is not an isolated incident and we need to show it is not fashionable to attack people.”
He added: “We are in the middle of a General Election and race has to be on the agenda. Race has fallen off the agenda in recent years, but the politicians need to be reminded it is still an issue.
“And the politicians who want to represent Erdington after this election need to show they are aware of the problems which are blighting the High Street, especially for the black community.”
Mr Bedward also stressed the event on Saturday 8 June must be a “peaceful protest”, and called for a boycott on the shop where the incident took place and for “the black pound” to be spent within the Afro-Caribbean community.
He said: “The purpose of this protest is to shed light on the racist behaviour exhibited by the store staff towards my partner and sister.
“As a result of the attack, both myself and my partner were hospitalised. This peaceful protest aims to raise awareness within the community and encourage a boycott.
“I initially tried to address this issue through Instagram, but I was subsequently attacked by 15 to 20 individuals, possibly more, from the shop staff and surrounding shops.”
He added: “It is also an opportunity for the black community to come together and support our own shops, ultimately building a stronger community for ourselves.”
In October 2005, Warren G was a DJ on a local pirate radio station and broadcasted reports coming from the local community that a black teenage girl had been gang raped by Asian men in the Beauty Queens salon in Perry Barr.
Beauty Queens is an Asian owned shop selling Afro-Caribbean products, based on Wellington Road in Perry Barr, and following the alleged attack the DJ encouraged a boycott of the business.
Warren G further organised “a peaceful protest” to highlight the issue which sadly ended in widespread violence and the tragic death of a 23 year old man, Isiah Young-Sam, who was stabbed to death.
Statements from West Midlands Police at the time told how they were “pursuing routine lines of inquiry” but that there was “no evidence to either confirm or deny the (rape) allegation”.
The ‘Racist Attack – Shut It Down – Black Pound Protest’ is being held at 1pm on Saturday 8 June at the top end of Erdington High Street, near the Six Ways Island.
