Police ensure calm in Oldham

Hundreds of police patrolled streets to deter trouble

Oldham has had its first peaceful night since racial tensions spilled over into rioting at the weekend.

Hundreds of police officers patrolled the Greater Manchester town and there was no repeat of the violence which resulted in the arrests of 33 white people and 16 Asians.

Work is continuing on rebuilding cross-community relations in Oldham, where 13% of the population is from an ethnic minority.

Trouble flared on Saturday night and escalated into stand-offs between Asians and police in the Glodwick area, in which petrol bombs were thrown and vehicles set on fire.

The rioting was apparently sparked by an argument between two teenagers outside a takeaway although police also blamed far-right activists for stirring up conflict.

'Multicultural challenge'

The unrest continued to a lesser degree on Sunday and Monday nights but Greater Manchester Police said broken windows at three pubs were the only incidents on Tuesday night.

Violence was most severe on Saturday

Earlier, William Hague stepped into the controversy by publicly disagreeing with Tory peer Lord Tebbit's remark that "happy multi-cultural societies are rare".

The Tory party leader said: "I think it is true that it is always a challenge, different communities living alongside each other, but it's a challenge we should be up to.

"This is a multi-cultural society and it's going to remain a multi-cultural society and we have to make the best of that. It's a strength for our country."

Far-right extremists

Racial tension had been brewing in Oldham since reports that Asian youths, critical of the police response to attacks on their community, had planned to create "no-go zones" for white people.

Community leader Abdul Basit-Shah said: "The National Front have caused the problem and broke the relationship between communities and the police."

The police also lay much of the blame on far-right groups for exploiting tensions between the town's whites and Asians - mainly Pakistani, Kashmiri and Bangladeshi.

Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Alan Bridge said part of the problem had been "brought about by the intervention of outside elements" operating under the guise of "raising political awareness".

BNP deny blame

But Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National Party, said it was "ridiculous" to blame his party for the trouble.

"It's not us who had up to 1,000 people throwing things at the police and attacking their neighbours because they are a different colour," said Mr Griffin, who is contesting the Oldham West seat in the general election.

He said the Asian community had overreacted to an attack on the home of a pregnant Asian woman.

"Days and days of rioting, petrol bombs thrown at the police, white homes attacked and their windows cut through - it's a massively disproportionate response."

The BNP is to field candidates at election time in both Oldham constituencies and in neighbouring Ashton-under-Lyne.