1981 Chapeltown riots

The Chapeltown Riots of 1981 took place in the Leeds district of Chapeltown in West Yorkshire, England, during a time when many other areas of the UK were suffering similar problems (such as London, Birmingham and Liverpool). The riots unfolded in July 1981 from a background of racial tension, inner city poverty, poor housing and high unemployment (which was rising rapidly as a result of the recession at the time).^[1] This brought high tension, particularly amongst the area's Caribbean community, culminating in attacks on the local police.

The Yorkshire Evening Post reported on the events from a 'law and order' perspective, quoting police and council sources. The Leeds Other Paper reported on the social and community aspects of the disturbances, including the root causes.^[2]

These were not to be the last riots in the area. In 1987 there was further rioting in Chapeltown and in 2001 there was widespread rioting in nearby Harehills.^[3]

References

^ Libraries, Leeds (11 October 2019). "The 1981 uprising". The Secret Library | Leeds Libraries Heritage Blog. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
^ Harcup, Tony (2013). Alternative Journalism, Alternative Voices. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-52186-4.
^ "Leeds footsoldiers and London bombs | openDemocracy". Archived from the original on 24 August 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2008.

Riots in England

12th–17th centuries

1189–1190 Massacres of the Jews
The revolt of 1196
1355 St Scholastica Day riot
1381 Peasants' Revolt
- Treason Act 1381
1517 Evil May Day
1668 Bawdy House riots

18th century

19th century

20th century

1900s–1960s	1907 Brown Dog riots 1919 Epsom riot 1919 Battle of Bow Street 1919 Luton Peace Day riots 1932 Old Market riot (Bristol) 1932 National Hunger March 1936 Battle of Cable Street 1943 Battle of Bamber Bridge 1944 Park Street riot 1945 Aldershot riot 1958 Notting Hill race riots 1968 student riots
1970s	1970 Garden House riot 1974 Red Lion Square disorders 1975 Chapeltown riot 1977 Battle of Lewisham 1979 Death of Blair Peach
1980s	1980 St Pauls riot 1981 England riots 1981 Brixton riot 1981 Chapeltown riots 1981 Toxteth riots 1981 Moss Side riot 1981 Handsworth riots 1985 Handsworth riots 1985 Brixton riot 1985 Broadwater Farm riot Murder of Keith Blakelock 1987 Chapeltown riot 1989 Dewsbury riot
1990s	1990 Poll Tax riots 1990 Strangeways Prison riot 1991 Meadow Well riots 1991 Handsworth riots 1992 Hartcliffe riot (Bristol) 1993 Welling riots 1994 Criminal Justice Bill riot 1995 Manningham riot 1995 Brixton riot 1996 Trafalgar Square riots 1999 Carnival Against Capital riot

21st century

2000s	2001 Bradford riots 2001 Oldham riots 2001 Harehills riot 2005 Birmingham riots 2009 G20 London summit protests Death of Ian Tomlinson 2009 Upton Park riot
2010s	2010 UK student protests 2011 Stokes Croft riot (Bristol) 2011 UK anti-austerity protests 2011 London anti-cuts protest 2011 England riots Killing of Mark Duggan House of Reeves fire Timeline
2020s	George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom Actions against memorials in Great Britain during the George Floyd protests 2022 Leicester unrest