The riots were reportedly sparked by the arrest of a man near the Acapulco Cafe, Lozells and a police raid on the Villa Cross public house in the same area.

Hundreds of people attacked police and property, looting and smashing, even setting off fire bombs.

Racial tension and friction between the police and the local ethnic minority communities was seen as a major factor in the riots.

[2] Two other people were unaccounted for, 35 others injured, more than 1500 police officers drafted into the area, about 45 shops looted and burnt, and a trail of damage running into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

[5] And they were witnessed by Goldie and Bronx graffiti artists Brim, who documented the devastation in the documentary Bombin' (1987).