Today in Labor History April 11, 1981: The Brixton Riots (4/10/81-4/12/81) were occurring in London over racist abuse of black residents by white police. They began in response to the police's increased use of racist stop-and-search practices, and the deaths of 13 black teens and young adults in the suspicious New Cross house fire earlier that year. Over 100 vehicles were burned, including 56 cop cars. As many as 5,000 people participated. No one died, but hundreds were injured, including nearly 280 cops.

The Clash song "The Guns of Brixton" came out in 1979, but its lyrics depict the police abuse that was rampant in the neighborhood. However, several other songs were about the riots, like Black Uhuru's song "Youth of Eglington" (1981) was inspired in part by the Brixton riot, and features lyrics referencing Brixton, Angelic Upstarts’s "Flames of Brixton" (1982), Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue" (1982) and Linton Kwesi Johnson's poems "New Crass Massahkah" and "Di Great Insoreckshan" (1984).

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