Michael Newland
Born in Jamaica in 1953.
Attended Tulse Hill Comprehensive School and now works as a bricklayer.
Is a local resident. Experienced the Brixton Riots and has knowledge of local youth gangs.
View Michael's interview here
Below is an abridged version of Michael's interview:
00:00 Michael talks about where he was born, his educational background and current occupation.
00:44 The Afro-Caribbean Community Association (ACCA) is a community centre that was started after the riots. The government gave us money to start a centre to keep kids off the street.
01:11 The police in the 80s were mostly racist. The prison system was like that too.
01:26 The relationship between black and white youth was better when I was young. People used to get on. We knew that racist groups existed but they weren't in Brixton. Gangs were more separated out.
01:50 The police were the main cause of the Brixton Riots. They planted drugs on people and picked people up for things they had not done.
02:12 The Lord Scarman Report. Politicians didn't listen to what Lord Scarman was saying. The report hasnt brought much change. It is diplomatic slavery now. The same things are done, just in a different way.
02:49 The situation has got worse over the years. There is more killing now.
03:03 Brixton today has more facilities. The people who live here get on better. But there are more foreigners living and working here.
03:31 The event that has had the most impact on my life is the Brixton Riots. The devastation that happened, the things that I saw really affected me.
04:04 The main ideas in my life that have affected change are talking to kids and sharing our experiences with them. It is good to share experiences because you need people who have been through it to tell kids the right way of doing things. It is good to share that knowledge.
04:46 There is a demonic force going round the youth of today. It is disturbing their minds. It is all about knives and guns for them. They need to be calmer, need God with them. They are too proud, need to be more humble.
05:17 There should be more community places for youth to go. They need experienced people to talk to the kids, who know how to treat kids who are involved in crime. Kids will listen to people like that because they know where they are coming from.
06:02 My message to the youth of today is to honour your mother and father. Try to be more humble and live more loving. Don't let pride get the better of you. Parents need to take more responsibility. Try and bring kids up in a more Christian way. They should talk more to their kids.
