Reducing tensions in Hyde

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 11 February 2012, 08:49

The awful assault on Daniel Stringer-Prince and Kavan Brown in Hyde, Greater Manchester, last week has ignited a wave of anger that is quickly being exploited by the far right. Unchallanged, their actions will undoubtedly add to the tensions of an already worried community.

Daniel Stringer-Prince and Kavan Brown, both 17, were attacked by a group of eight Asian men last weekend. Stringer-Prince suffered a fractured skull and two fractured eye sockets. Kavan Brown suffered a broken nose. The picture of Daniel's badly beaten face has been shared over 20,000 times on Facebook and has led to many people calling for violent revenge.

The police initially described the attack as a racially-motivated hate crime but now they are not convinced. Several people have already been arrested, with more likely to follow soon.

Whatever the true motive for the assault, it was both horrific and needs to be condemned. However, far right agitation will only make things worse. First the EDL announced a march on Saturday 25 February and then, a couple of days later, so did the BNP. There is also the real risk of tit-for-tit violence amongst local gangs.

HOPE not hate is working closely with local activists and community leaders to reduce tensions and ensure that the far right groups are not able to whip up trouble and further divide communities. We are looking into the possibility of producing cross-community material, stressing the need for communities to come together against hate, and we are calling on the police to be left alone to carry out their investigation.

At this stage we will not be supporting demonstrations to counter the planned EDL/BNP events - as this will only add to the tension in the local community and they unlikely to receive the support of local people - but rather we are looking at local initiatives that can reduce tensions and bring people together around a message of peace and HOPE.