Coming of Age : 1976 and the Road to Anti-Racism

supported by the police, and meant we were islands on our own, no wonder Indians took to
owning shops, as they thought they could get some control of their lives, even as isolated
units.
At school I heard someone talking about a new group tackling anti racism and I was
suspicious. It was about white male rockers with long hair, I thought this was a bizarre idea.
Why would those white haired rockers stand up for people like me and my parents? By now
punk had changed the music landscape, I was put off by the more aggressive bands like the
Sex Pistols, ‘why would they want to put safety pins in their noses?’, but other bands like
the Clash seemed to be different. They used black music, reggae, and played homage to it
openly, clearly something was changing.
I began reading about Rock against Racism’ and how they were going to have a march
from Trafalgar square to Victoria park to stand up to the National Front in their own back
yard. I was intrigued, I wanted to go and see what this was about. I told my parents I wanted
to go on the march, but they were not happy, they said, “you’ll be protecting the NF, and
they’ll be violent why would you want to put yourself up this in their way.. you’ll be beaten
up and arrested.. no way.. your place is here with us, safe in the shop”. To be honest, part
of me agreed with them. I must be mad putting myself in the way of all that aggression, but
I also felt that I was on the brink of new ideas, of thinking that possibility I could climb of this
sheltered trench. Afterall these bands putting themselves out there speaking out about racism,
even if nothing came out, it worth at least checking out.
So I misdirected them, I told my parents I was going to CandA to get a new —- jacket. I
was too scared to go to Trafalgar square, so I went to Victoria park on my own.
I arrived in the vast empty park while the clash were doing a sound check. Wow, Joe
Strummer showed up, I watched them and when band finished I wondered around alone for
a bit but nothing was happening, No crowds, no audience building nothing, and after a couple
of hours hanging around I thought to myself it was a good try, but nobody cares enough
to come out, or maybe like me they were intimidated by the threat of violence and stayed
away. Either way I proceeded to the gate to make my way home, but as I approached the
gate I started to hear this bizarre sound a kind of high pitch buzz that was growing louder
and louder. What was it, should I run away? But then I heard music and chanting. I headed
for the gate and found a old box to stand on.
When I looked down the street what I saw changed my life forever, from that moment I
became the political filmmaker I am today. What I saw was hundreds and hundreds of people
marching side by side in a display of exuberance and solidarity, and most importantly
victory. I couldn’t believe my eyes, these were quite English people, some with long hair like
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