Broadwater Farm Enquiry; police staged riot test run

About this item

This document is a press release from the Broadwater Farm Inquiry held in 1986, discussing police preparations and actions on the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham. It reveals claims that police conducted a 'practice run' for a riot shortly before the actual disturbances in October 1985. The inquiry highlights tensions between residents and the police, focusing on how policing strategies may have contributed to escalating conflict.

Key points:
– Police reportedly staged a practice riot simulation on the Broadwater Farm estate weeks before the 1985 disturbances.
– Rumours of an imminent riot were spread by police despite no real cause on the estate, according to the Youth Association.
– Youth worker Stafford Scott confirmed that Tottenham Police had detailed plans and maps to control the estate in case of unrest.
– Every year, Tottenham Police prepared for potential riots during summer, deploying extra officers as a preventive measure.
– The police had anticipated and planned to control riots at Broadwater Farm from 1983, before any actual disturbances occurred.

The Broadwater Farm Inquiry is a crucial episode in Black British political history, reflecting long-standing mistrust between Black communities and the police in Tottenham. The events around the 1985 riots, and the policing strategies revealed here, underscore broader issues of oppressive policing and institutional racism that Bernie Grant and others sought to challenge through local government and activism.

Source note: The OCR transcript shows minor inconsistencies and some formatting issues, but the core information about police preparations and community testimonies is clear and reliable.