Exposition: White Riot

White Riot

o Winner of Grierson Award for Best Documentary – BFI London Film

Festival 2019

o Special Mention Crystal Bear – Berlin International Film Festival 2020

1976. Amidst growing support for the National Front and the rise of sus-laws targeting Black youth, Eric Clapton got on stage and declared, “Get the foreigners out. Keep Britain White!” Clapton’s words became a call to action: “Our fight to be accepted as musicians – as people – was ramped up,” explains Mykaell Riley of reggae band Steel Pulse. And so, in the same year, Rock Against Racism, a political and cultural movement that aimed to bring Black and white fans together in their common love of music, was born. The rise of Rock Against Racism, from a grassroots organisation to the host of the 1978 Anti-Nazi Carnival at Victoria Park, is the subject of Rubika Shah’s >>

Pauline Black and The Selecter

latest documentary, White Riot. Deriving its name from The Clash hit-single, the documentary recounts the racism embedded in Britain’s ‘70s music scene. It was an era in which some punk bands had National Front followings – a fact which, as Mykaell Riley reflects, meant that when he toured with Headline as a supporting act for Bad Manners, the band had to be escorted out of the venue by police after the audience started performing Nazi salutes. Instead of music reinforcing racial divides, however, Rock Against Racism believed music was the key to uniting the British youth. “We wanted music that breaks down people’s fear of one another, music that knows who the real enemy is: love music, hate racism,” explains one of the founders, Red Saunders. It’s a message as relevant today as it was in the ‘70s. While work on White Riot commenced in 2016, Rubika Shah notes how recent events, such as the election of Donald Trump and rhetoric of the Brexit campaign, demonstrate that racism is still prevalent, just far more insidious. Nevertheless, as Zak Cochrane of Love

Music, Hate Racism reflects, music remains a universal language that has the potential to unite disparate communities. Just look at the way Grime music, fronted by Black artists like Skepta, Stormzy and Dizzee Rascal, has been welcomed as the new sound of Britain and unites young people of various backgrounds annually at events like London’s Wireless Festival. Before Grime, though, there were iconic Black musicians like Steel Pulse, Matumbi and Pauline Black, front woman of The Selecter. Featuring contributions from their members, the documentary

Steel Pulse

also serves as a celebration of these iconic acts.

But, the resounding message of White Riot, as Rubika Shah states, is “for people to feel they can come away from it and do something about the issues they feel passionately about.” Zak Cochrane agrees, “Ordinary people have the power to change the world around them. You have the power to make the difference in your community.” Hannah Shury-Smith

White Riot is released in UK cinemas on 18 September from Modern Films.

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The Old Guard © Amy Spinks/Netflix