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July 22, 2006

UK: Muslim Dies In Asian-White Conflict But It's Not A Racial Crime?

About forty people clashed in an estate in Preston, Lancashire this morning, shortly before 1 am, and a 20-year old Asian Muslim was stabbed. Shezan Umraji (pictured left) died later of his injuries.

The fighting was between white and Asian youths and men on the Callon Estate. Bottles, knives and baseball bats were used in the fighting, and several other people were injured. Four Asian and white individuals have been sent to hospital.

But bizarrely, police are trying to play down the suggestion that this white/Asian conflict had anything to do with race or ethnicity.

Police Superintendent Peter White stated: "I can understand why people might think there is a racial element at play but so far, as far as I know, there is nothing to indicate that this was a race crime."

The news is carried by the BBC with an additional early report, by the Guardian, ITV.com, Monsters & Critics and Reuters.

White, who is Operations Manager for the force's Central Division wrote in a statement: "The community here are very shocked and concerned that this will be made out to be a racist crime, when there is no evidence that it was."

Superintendent Richard Bailey stated: "We are treating this as a very serious incident and are working closely with the local community to reassure them and they are helping us with our inquiries. A number of people have been arrested. However, as numerous people were in the vicinity at the time, we are asking them to contact us."

Lancashire Constabulary has deployed 80 police officers to the area, and local officers in normal uniform will be patrolling the area overnight, to prevent any reprisals of the earlier brawl.

Reuters notes: "Tensions between whites and Asians in northern towns have boiled over in the past. In 2001, there were serious riots in Bradford, Oldham and Burnley."

Mr Umarji's family have appealed for calm. A spokesman for the family said: "The family are grief-stricken and deeply shocked by the tragedy and are appealing for members of the community to come forward and help police if they can."

UPDATE - 23 July.

The Telegraph quotes an eyewitness who said the fighting continued as Shazan Umarji lay dying: "There was no life in him whatsoever. He just bled to death, but everyone was standing around him still screaming, crying and fighting."

In another report, the Telegraph states that Preston is the location with the highest incidence of racial conflict in Britain (3.82 cases per 1000 population), followed by Leicester (3.80) and Hounslow (3.57). The figures come from 2004/5 where police recorded cases where a crime was reported as "racially motivated".

The three areas listed above have Muslim communities of some size, and it appears that Asians are more likely targets for racial attacks than blacks. In Preston, the majority population is white (85%) and in the year 2004/5 there were 500 cases of racially motivated crime reported.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at July 22, 2006 4:57 PM

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Posted by: T Laskaris at July 23, 2006 5:56 AM

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