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Respect the residents of Blackstock Road! |
Respect activists and MP George Galloway visited a number of shopkeepers and also spoke with customers in Blackstock Road on Saturday, to gauge reaction to the massive police raid in the area two weeks before.
George commented after the visit:
"What I've found here is a large number of very unhappy law-abiding people. This police raid seems to have been a massive over-reaction. They effectively invaded the area military-style. In the course of the raid equipment in a number of shops was broken.
"I am very concerned that shopkeepers, particularly of Algerian origin, were targeted. I made the visit to assure them of my support as an MP and as, I hope, a future member of the London Assembly. The Finsbury Park area is vibrant and friendly and the Algerian community has added colour and life.
"There has been much adverse tabloid publicity over the last few years about Finsbury Park which completely belies the reality. Many of those who were raided by the police had hitherto had confidence in the police but that has now been lost and it will be difficult to bring it back. The police claim they had to deploy very large numbers in order to avoid violence but deploying hundreds of police in this way is an act of violence.
"No proper explanation, never mind an apology, has been made to the many shopkeepers who were affected. I intend to write to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to pass on the concerns that have been expressed to me and to raise more general questions about the nature of policing in the area." |
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