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Burnley violence mirrored that in other northern towns By BBC News Online’s community affairs reporter Cindi John. The involvement of Asian youths in civil disturbances and violence at the recent Pakistan/Australia cricket matches has painted a picture of a rebellious generation. But there are conflicting views among Asians themselves. One community leader said the recent disturbances involving Asian youths were the result of “yob culture” not race issues. “Yob” — “boy” spelled backwards — is, according to the Webster’s, “A rowdy, destructive youth; a hooligan or ruffian.” Manzoor Moghal, chairman of the Leicester-based Federation of Muslim Organisations, said many British-born Asians in the riot-hit towns had assimilated the worst of English culture. He said: “They have the yobbish culture, they are defiant, not so obedient to their parents any longer, they don’t comply with the peace and quiet the family want, the way their parents lived here and they are rebellious. They are following the norms of the youth culture of this country. Then because they come from a different racial group things do tend to acquire a racial complexion.” While the current disturbances have involved mostly Muslim youth, Hindu communities have been drawn in at times. Sociologist Dr Virinder Kalra of Manchester University says the recent troubles are not a new phenomenon. He said: “Twenty years ago twelve Asian and African-Caribbean young people were arrested for making petrol bombs in Bradford, the so-called Bradford 12 case. “Their argument in court was they were defending their communities against the National Front. And in 1976 in Southall the murder of a young Asian taxi driver sparked a riot,” Dr Kalra said.

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