Editorial

There has always been an "uneasy" peace in Tottenham amongst the African-Caribbean population who have lived in the area for over forty years, and the "newcomers" like the Turkish-Kurdish community, who in a matter of a decade have acquired chunks of retail units in the area, provoking a great deal of resentment from the local black community.

The murder of an innocent young man, Kasey Gordon who was black, by a Turk who was named today, who was said to have been known in the area as having psychological problems, will add to rising levels of tension in Tottenham between the black community and Turkish-Kurdish community.  

Pirate radio stations operated by black community groups have already started debating a boycott of Turkish shops in Tottenham, as a protest to the murder of Kasey Gordon.

One Turkish businessman on Phillip Lane who wanted to remain anonymous said to the London Daily News:

"I am really scared, we have seen lots of anger in the last days directed towards us from black customers, and we are not to blame because some mad man did this.  We are sorry to the boy’s family, but more violence does not help anyone".

Local community efforts must be escalated to create dialogue and understanding by black and Turkish community groups, in order to prevent the incidents of the past that will help nobody.

Turkish and Kurdish businesses operate throughout the day and night in some cases, providing fast food and retail operations in Tottenham, without them the local Tottenham economy would be non-existent.  Both communities need to mourn the loss of good young man, Kasey Gordon, but there must be restraint on both sides to prevent more violence.