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LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, June 29, 2001: Lancashire county has again become victim to racial attacks as the situation between disaffected Asian and white youth gangs continues to escalate. Community leaders of Asian and white origin fear that the racial violence is out of control. The towns of Burnley, Oldham, Leeds, and Bradford have been hit the hardest and a right-wing British party called the British National Party is advocating that the two races be physically separated. Others, such as MP Alan Simpson, told the Commons, “I know the leader of the House will be as appalled as anyone else about the rioting that has taken place, and the ways in which the National Front and the BNP have targeted areas in order to ferment divides that split and devastate communities.” A member of the House of Lords, Tony Greaves, has stressed that the police should work closely with the community leaders in areas where racial tensions exist. However, the police are often reluctant to handle the sensitive problems in fear of provoking the large ethnic minorities. Quoting the article, “In 1999-2000, there were 249 racist attacks reported by whites in Bradford. This has leaped to 324 in 2000-2001. The number of attacks on Asians rose by nine percent to 275.”

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