Letter: The role of poverty in this summer's riots
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Your support makes all the difference.Sir: James Spencer attributes the recent riots on housing estates to poverty, asserting that they 'have taken place on deprived inner-city housing estates' (letter, 27 July). Leaving aside that some or most of these estates are not inner-city - a Labour councillor described one as 'model' with good amenities for the young - it is well to recall that in the prosperous Eighties we had winter riots on the soccer fields - riots that were extended into Europe by hooligans not short of a bob or two.
Some members of 'firms' set up to attack rival supporters boasted of their affluence: one of those organising the violence gave his occupation as 'company director'.
Faithfully,
E. PAULL
London, SW16
27 July
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