Symbolic location
Encyclopedia
A symbolic location is an expression coined by Sir Kenneth Newman
, when he was Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police Service
(the Met) from 1982 to 1987. The term was used by the police in London in the 1980s to refer to a no-go area
, one regarded by local youths as their territory, where police were viewed as intruders. John Smith, former deputy commissioner of the Met, said in 1991 that the term was no longer in use.
Symbolic locations were identified with high unemployment, a high crime rate, drug dealing, and illegal drinking and gambling. Newman said in 1983 that they "equated closely with the criminal rookeries of Dickensian
London," and symbolized the inability of the police to maintain law and order. In a report that year to the Home Secretary, he offered as examples Broadwater Farm
in Tottenham, Railton Road
in Brixton, and All Saints Road in Notting Hill. Stonebridge Estate in Harlesden
was cited as another example, as was the Notting Hill Carnival
.
P.A.J. Waddington wrote in 1999 that the police sought on occasion to restore—"take back"—symbolic locations as public spaces, leading to raids under a pretext of breaking up criminality. The term was criticized for identifying largely black communities in England with crime, or as a social problem. John Solomos and Les Black argued in 1996 that such thinking was an example of "profound historical amnesia," because, they wrote, Britain has a long history of civil unrest.
Kenneth Newman
Sir Kenneth Leslie Newman, GBE, QPM was Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from 1982 to 1987 and Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary from 1976 to 1980...
, when he was Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police Service
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
(the Met) from 1982 to 1987. The term was used by the police in London in the 1980s to refer to a no-go area
No-go area
A no-go area or no-go zone is a region where the ruling authorities have lost control and are unable to enforce the rule of law.-Rhodesia:The term 'no-go area' has a military origin and was first used in the context of the Bush War in Rhodesia...
, one regarded by local youths as their territory, where police were viewed as intruders. John Smith, former deputy commissioner of the Met, said in 1991 that the term was no longer in use.
Symbolic locations were identified with high unemployment, a high crime rate, drug dealing, and illegal drinking and gambling. Newman said in 1983 that they "equated closely with the criminal rookeries of Dickensian
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
London," and symbolized the inability of the police to maintain law and order. In a report that year to the Home Secretary, he offered as examples Broadwater Farm
Broadwater Farm
Broadwater Farm, often referred to simply as "The Farm", is an area in Tottenham, North London, straddling the River Moselle. The eastern half of the area is dominated by the Broadwater Farm Estate , an experiment in high-density social housing built in the late 1960s...
in Tottenham, Railton Road
Railton Road
Railton Road runs between Brixton and Herne Hill in the London Borough of Lambeth.In the 1970s, Railton Road was a run down area that was known as "The Frontline" locally. The 1981 Brixton riot, the most serious riot in the United Kingdom during the 20th century, started here...
in Brixton, and All Saints Road in Notting Hill. Stonebridge Estate in Harlesden
Harlesden
Harlesden is an area in the London Borough of Brent, northwest London, UK. Its main focal point is the Jubilee Clock which commemorates Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee....
was cited as another example, as was the Notting Hill Carnival
Notting Hill Carnival
The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual event which since 1964 has taken place on the streets of Notting Hill, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea , London, UK each August, over two days...
.
P.A.J. Waddington wrote in 1999 that the police sought on occasion to restore—"take back"—symbolic locations as public spaces, leading to raids under a pretext of breaking up criminality. The term was criticized for identifying largely black communities in England with crime, or as a social problem. John Solomos and Les Black argued in 1996 that such thinking was an example of "profound historical amnesia," because, they wrote, Britain has a long history of civil unrest.
Further reading
- Davis, Jennifer. "From 'Rookeries' to 'Communities': Race, Poverty and Policing in London, 1850-1985", History Workshop, No. 27, Spring 1989, pp. 66–85.