Eight policemen were injured and a newly opened Tesco store was smashed during riots in Bristol’s Stokes Croft neighbourhood in the early hours of Friday, April 22nd.
The riot was sparked when police raided a squat in the bohemian neighbourhood where they say petrol bombs destined for a controversial Tesco Express store were being manufactured.
Assistant Chief Constable Rod Hansen said in a statement: “The fact that we seized petrol bombs illustrates the seriousness of this situation and the reason why we took this positive action.”
During the raid on the “Telepathic Heights” squat, police arrested three people on suspicion of public order offences and another person on suspicion of threats to cause criminal damage with intent to endanger life. Joseph Foster, 20, from Filton, was later charged with possession of a petrol bomb with intent to destroy possession belonging to Tesco, while three others where charged with obstruction, violent disorder, and public affray. The large police presence attracted a crowd.
“When 300 people congregated and a small minority from that group started small fires and throwing bottles, stones and other items at officers, we used well-rehearsed plans, which involved the use of officers from neighbouring forces to control what had become a volatile situation,” said Hansen.
Police made eight arrests during the riots, as 160 policemen battled with rioters hurling paving stones and other missiles. A police land rover was smashed, rioters chanted “Whose street? Our street!” and attempted to block the road with wheelie bins, street furniture, and a trailer, despite the street having already been closed to traffic by police ahead of the raid. Men hurled rocks at the windows of the Tesco store and attacked it with hammers. Masked youths dressed in black, reminiscent of recent London riots, wielded home-made shields. Police defended accusations of heavy handedness and called their actions “fully justified”.
Bristol MP Kerry McCarthy witnessed the events and described the participants on her blog: “There were those lobbing great big lumps of concrete and bottles at the police, some of whom may have been politically motivated but most seemed to me to be drunk or, to steal a phrase from one of the online comments I saw, out to get their Scouts’ ‘riot’ badge.
“Then there were what I‘d call ’typical Stokes Croft’ people, peacefully protesting by laying their bicycles in the street, playing bongoes, a trumpet and at one point climbing on top of the bus shelter outside Telepathic Heights, the squat where it first kicked off, to play their saxophones. (...) Some of them were wearing lampshades on their heads.
“Then there was the vast majority of people who were there, like me, to see what was going on. Either on their way home from drinking in one of the bars, or locals who had heard the news and were curious. (…) Some of these ended up getting caught up in the trouble. Some ended up causing it.”
The first protest against a Tesco opening at 140-142 Cheltenham Road, Stokes Croft (the site of former comedy club “Jesters”) took place in February 2010. Protesters occupied the building and stayed there until the police evicted them in March. On December 1st, 2010, another protest took place without violence. This didn’t stop councillors from granting planning permission on December 8th, 2010. In March 2011, opponents applied for judicial review. The store opened on April 15th.
Tesco UK CEO Richard Brasher said in a statement that “the Stokes Croft Express will remain closed for the time being to assess the situation and to allow police to continue their investigation”.
Mr Brasher said: “There has been a vigorous local debate about the future of this vibrant but economically deprived community. Our contribution is to seek to provide good local jobs and much better access to fresh quality food. Many local people have welcomed this, while others have a different vision. But Thursday’s violence stemmed from the illegal actions of a few individuals, and we agree with those who say it plays no legitimate part in any debate.”
Tesco has been accused of abusing a near monopoly status in certain areas and of treating suppliers unfairly. In 2009, Tesco won an appeal against the UK’s competition watchdog, which wanted to introduce new rules that would have made it more difficult for Tesco to open more stores. This followed a two-year investigation by the Competition Commission into the grocery sector. In recent years, a number of protests have taken place against Tesco stores over fears they will put local shops out of business.
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