On The Record concluded an excellent oral history project about Centerprise this year with the publication of a superb book, audio tour and other resources.
They now have a new project on the notorious “Sus Laws” which empowered police officers to stop and search people purely on the grounds of “suspicion”. The effects of this at a time when the police were institutionally and endemically racist should be fairly obvious. The Sus Laws were infamously used to search 1000 black youth in Brixton as part of “Operation Swamp” in April 1981, triggering the Brixton riots…
On the Record is recruiting a freelance Youth Coordinator for their exciting new project Fighting Sus: Resisting and Repealing Stop and Search 1970-81. We are looking for someone with experience of both youth work and drama production.
Download the application documents here and read the project’s press release here.
Please send queries and applications to us at info(at)on-the-record.org.uk
They are also interested in hearing from you if you are:
– A 16-25 year-old interested in taking part
– Over 25 years-old with memories of the ‘sus’ era
– A theatre, school or community group interested in hosting or helping with the performance.
The press release (linked above and well worth read) starts with a poem from Hackney / Antiguan poet Hugh Boatswain:
‘Hey boy, what have you just done?’
‘Me officer – nat a ting.’
‘Why you running then?
‘Late sa’, gotta meet de dartah?’
‘Sorry son, going to have to take you in,
lots of crimes in this area
come on down to the station for questioning.’
Nex’ morning black boy come from station,
No bookings, no charges, just a heap full of bruises.’
The Sus Laws were also covered by Boatswain’s fellow poet Linton Kwesi Johnson:
The Radical History of Hackney 
Pingback: ‘He was our godfather’: Bristol musicians remember Mark Stewart