The New Cross Fire

13 DEAD AND NOTHING SAID

New Cross Fire Victims



http://www.ligali.org/images/new_cross_fire_victims_400.jpg



Learning from the New Cross Fire 30 years on

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Some 20,000 people marched through central London on the Black People’s Day of Action in March 1981 (Pic: John Sturrock)

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/chimage.php?image=2011/2282/actionday.jpg

The 18^th January 1981 was a tragic day when 13 black young people died in a house fire at 493 New Cross road.  They were just 13 ordinary young people at Yvonne Ruddock birthday party,  a happy occasion for what was to be their last.  Many believed and suspected it was a racially motivated attack, but however an inquest concluded and returned an open verdict.

In the 1980s the black community faced a series of racist attacks in South London, such as fire bombings in nightclubs in New Cross and Deptford.  The community blamed the press and the police for the lack of investigation and sympathy for the victims.  This led to the press and politicians going against the local community.  The Sun reported negative images of The Black People Day of Action on Monday 2^nd of March in 1981 headlines read “The Day the Blacks Ran Riot in London”  The New Cross Fire (1981).

The black People Day of Action was the biggest mobilisation of black people ever in Britain, over 20,000 people marched from Fordham Park to Hyde Park carrying plaques and banners read ‘Thirteen dead and nothing said,’ Blood nah go run if justice no come’ and ‘No Police Cover-up. The New Cross Fire (1981)

The images of the victims of the New Cross Fire were taken to document what happened, a historical record.  Also as reminder for memory for the families and friends of the victims in order for them to be remembered, a visual record.

It is now 2013 and no one or persons have been brought to justice.  Its been over 20 years and no further investigation, no answers we are stilling waiting.  However on the same weekend  a number of white teenagers died in a fire at a disco in Ireland, which prompted an immediate response of condolence from Buckingham palace.  To the Black families of those who died in Deptford nothing, which added fire to the fuel that the police and the establishment regarded the deaths of the Black children as unimportant.  To Yvonne Ruddock and others you are important,  gone, but not forgotten.

New Cross Fire 1981 video WATCH & DIGEST

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG9ah0WCRt0



Now at 439 New cross Road is a smart terraced house, but a plaque has been placed on the building in remembrance of those who died.  It's an official recognition of the site where a tragedy occurred.

http://853blog.com/2011/01/18/the-new-cross-fire-30-years-on/

References

AfricansArise (2010) New Cross Fire: 1981. [Online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG9ah0WCRt0 (Accessed 21/03/13)

AfricansArise (2010) New Cross Fire: Black community Responds. [Online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7ASlNOnA_E (Accessd on 22/03/13)

Barling, K. (2007) BBC-Barling's London: New Cross Fire-a turning point?  [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/kurtbarling/2011/01/new_cross_fire_-_a_turning_poi.html (Accessed 21/03/13)

4WardEver Uk (2008) The New Cross Fire. [Online] Available at: http://4wardeveruk.org/cases/youth-cases-uk/miscarraiges-2/the-new-cross-fire/ (Accessed 12/03/13)

SuperXavier30 (2010) Bejamin Zephania 13 Dead wmv. [Online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Chm8TtUQp4 (Accessed 22/03/13)


http://mylens1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/the-new-cross-fire_23.html