Brixton Riots Ritzy Cinema

Description of the Ritzy Cinema

Sitting on the corner of Coldharbour Lane and Brixton High Street in Brixton, London the Ritzy Cinema is one of England’s first purpose-built cinemas. Originally showing classic silent films, the Ritzy Cinema has gone through many developmental changes since its construction in 1911. During its early years, when it had tattered and poor conditions, it was known as the “flea pit”. After having expanded into the adjoining building and bombed during the air raids of World War 2, the cinema began renovating and updating its facilities in the early 50s. Although it gained a reputation as a cinema of the arts by 1976, it became an important political and social centre for the community. Located in the centre of Brixton, the cinema has played a key part in the local nightlife scene and offering locals a platform for free expression. From open discussions about prominent issues and underlying messages portrayed in movies, the Ritzy Cinema was an important part of the Brixton culture. However, there has always been a difficulty in meeting the expectations and desires of the community, as many public issues important to particular citizens, were not discussed. Despite the outreach to improve public relations that businesses like the Ritzy Cinema took part in, tension and overlooking of important issues continued to exist. Becoming the centre for the demonstrations of unrest and violent behaviour of the black community, angered by the death Wayne Douglas, the Ritzy Cinema played an important part in the 1996 Brixton Riots. The Ritzy Cinema, although offering the stage for public expression and speech on issues, became the focal point for the citizens who'd been denied this right for so long. As a whole, the Ritzy Cinema is an important location to the area’s history, as it became the foreground for public expression regarding personal issues and difficulties that affect their daily life, as seen in the 1995 Brixton Riots.

MacBride, M. (2015, Jan 30th). From Electric Pavilion to the Little Bit Ritzy: The story of a legendary landmark. Retrieved from http://www.brixtonblog.com/the-story-of-the-ritzy- cinema/27445.

O'Sullivan, O.(2011, Oct 5th).Cine-files: Ritzy, Brixton, London. Retrieved from https:// www.theguardian.com/film/2011/oct/05/cine-files-ritzy-cinema-brixton

Bogus, S.(1995, December 15th). Angry words that ignited the tinder-box. Retrieved from http:// www.independent.co.uk/news/angry-words-that-ignited-the-tinder-box-1525753.html

Victor, P., et al. (1995, Dec 15th). .Brixton: Who was to blame? Retrieved from http:// www.independent.co.uk/news/brixton-who-was-to-blame-1525741.html

Malik, K. (1995, Dec 17th). Too many killings to ignore. The Independent, 8. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/too-many-killings-to- ignore-1526160.html

Bennetto, J., & Victor,P.(1995, Dec 15th). Alienated youth still harbours deep grudges. The Independent. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/alienated-youth-still- harbours-deep-grudges-1525746.html

Malik, K. (1995, Dec 17th). Brixton opts for a kind of apartheid … . The Independent, 8. Retrieved from http://www.lexisnexis.com.proxy.library.brocku.ca/hottopics/lnacademic/

Being at the centre of Brixton and the area's main location for expressing personal belief concerning important issues, the final events of the Brixton Riots on December 13th of 1995 played out in front of the Ritzy Cinema[1]. After picketing outside the Brixton police station, the demonstrations and protests of civil unrest that detested the death of Wayne Douglas, a black man who died in police custody, moved toward the Ritzy Cinema[2]. Unlike the crowds that amassed in the 1981 and 1985 Brixton riots, which was a majority of youth from the black community, rioters of the 1985 riots consisted of both black and white residents from the area[3]. Although much like the riots in years previous, rioters eventually began robbing storefronts, attacking police and burning cars as they continued to march down the road towards the Ritzy Cinema[4] As an expression of their issues concerning their alienation from a society already impoverished, the Ritzy Cinema became a suitable location for rioters, as it was a place that permitted freedom of expression[5]. The riots only lasted for around 5 hours, having been put to rest outside of the cinema. Aside from the damage of property and vehicles that came as a result of the violent crowds of protesters, the cinema suffered no major damage after the riots were contained[6]. In closer examination, the Ritzy Cinema's purpose to the community of Brixton further draws attention to themes of freedom and prejudice. Although a platform for free expression, it was only through demonstrations of distress and outrage outside the Ritzy Cinema, that the black community could express their issues with alienation and racial prejudice[7]. Besides screening documentaries on Angela Davis, a black political activist and member of the Black Panthers, there was little done by the cinema to find effective solutions to issues regarding racism[8]. Avoiding issues such as racism because of it being a sensitive issue to discuss, the Ritzy emphasizes the theme of prejudice that is seen from the past and the present. It was the minimal coverage of racial issues that made public institutions like the cinema intensify the tensions with, and alienation of the black community[9]. Despite innovations for free speech and screening films important back community members, the Ritzy Cinema was influenced by public opinion, and as a result lead police to again resort to violence as their solution[10]. Crucial to understanding the tours focus on institutional racism, the Ritzy Cinema despite wanting to discuss important subjects, didn't want to alienate their customers and stood as the only stage from which the black community could express their anger with racial prejudice.

Kenan Malik, "Too many killings to ignore," The Independent, Dec 17th 1995, p. 8 http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/too-many-killi...

Jason Bennetto & Peter Victor, "Alienated youth still harbours deep grudges," The Independent, Dec 15th,1995 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/alienated-youth-...

Steve Bogus "Angry words that ignited the tinder-box," The Independent, December 15th 1995 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/angry-words-that...

Kenan Malik, Brixton opts for a kind of apartheid …," The Independent, Dec 17th, 1995, p. 8. http://www.lexisnexis.com.proxy.library.brocku.ca/...

Olivia O'Sullivan, "Cine-files: Ritzy, Brixton, London," The Guardian Oct 5th, 2011, .https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/oct/05/cine-...

Peter Victor et al, Brixton: Who was to blame? The Independent Dec 15th, 1995, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/brixton-who-was-...

A First Hand Look at the Riots outside the Ritzy Cinema

This tour of locations involved in the Brixton Riots shows minority communities faced constant struggles and turmoil on a daily basis. The faces of society and populations throughout the world were changing as immigration became more prevalent after the second world war. Starting with the Windrush generation, minorities mainly form the African Caribbean community, experienced overt racism and oppression from local police. The purpose of this tour is to show the history of institutional racism within Brixton, that continues to be a problem today that the community of Brixton and the government are trying to reconcile. Another motive of these governing bodies is to acknowledge the past and look toward improving the community for the future. As a community within London, Brixton was one of the first areas within England to 'welcome' postcolonial immigrants after the war. They hoped to establish a multicultural society, but what came of it was violence due to prejudices. From this tour, we can compare the experiences of Brixton minorities to many communities around the world that faced, and still do face, prejudices. The Brixton riots are among a few examples that demonstrated how situations regarding racial prejudice within the community, economy, and politics led to tensions within Brixton. The main lesson to be learned is that the institutional racism that was experienced by the black community within Brixton, continues to be a problem for that community today. Although we can learn from the past, it seems today that the Brixton riots reflect what is doing on currently with minorities throughout the world. The Brixton riots shows that with little attempt to reconcile with its people, violence is believed to be the best way to try and get some acknowledgment and recognition for what was happening.

MacBride, M. (2015, Jan 30th). From Electric Pavilion to the Little Bit Ritzy: The story of a legendary landmark. Retrieved from http://www.brixtonblog.com/the-story-of-the-ritzy- cinema/27445.

O'Sullivan, O.(2011, Oct 5th).Cine-files: Ritzy, Brixton, London. Retrieved from https:// www.theguardian.com/film/2011/oct/05/cine-files-ri...

Bogus, S.(1995, December 15th). Angry words that ignited the tinder-box. Retrieved from http:// www.independent.co.uk/news/angry-words-that-ignite...

Victor, P., et al. (1995, Dec 15th). .Brixton: Who was to blame? Retrieved from http:// www.independent.co.uk/news/brixton-who-was-to-blam...

Malik, K. (1995, Dec 17th). Too many killings to ignore. The Independent, 8. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/too-many-killi... ignore-1526160.html

Malik, K. (1995, Dec 17th). Brixton opts for a kind of apartheid … . The Independent, 8. Retrieved from http://www.lexisnexis.com.proxy.library.brocku.ca/...

Jefferson, T. (2012, Mar 7th)."Policing the riots: from Bristol and Brixton to Tottenham, via Toxteth, Handsworth, etc" Criminal Justice Matters Vol. 87, Iss. , p. 8-9, https://doi.org/10.1080/09627251.2012.670995

Unsworth, C.(1982)."The Riots of 1981: Popular Violence and the Politics of Law and Order." Journal of Law and Society, Vol. 9, No. 1 , pp. 63-8, www.jstor.org/stable/1410346?seq=1#page_scan_tab_c...

Waddington, D & King, M.(2009)."Identifying Common Causes of UK and French Riots Occurring Since the 1980s." The Howard Journal, Vol 48 (3), p. 245–256 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-...

Elliott, Chris. "Recollections of the riots." The Guardian. August 18, 2011. Accessed November 10, 2017 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/aug...

"How smouldering tension erupted to set Brixton aflame – archive, 1981." The Guardian. April 13, 1981. Accessed November 09, 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/1981/apr/1....

Solomos, John(1993). Race And Racism In Britain. Second Edition. London: The MacMillan Press Ltd, https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/bfm%3A978-1-...

Hoskisson, Mark. (1981, April). "Brixton riots 1981: the fight against racism." Workers Power archive, http://www.workerspower.co.uk/2011/04/brixton-riot...

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