Birmingham Race Riots: Full video report Urban pirates rule the airwaves?
30 June, 2006
Residents of Lozells are still torn over why their town was set ablaze during last October’s race riots.
Local councillor of Lozells and Handsworth, Mahmood Hussain denied that the riots even occurred and said: “It wasn’t a riot, it was a small disturbance”. 
Mr Hussain stated that the ‘disturbance’ took place purely as a response to the rape allegations that two pirate radio stations, Sting and Hot, broadcast.
Whilst this is the opinion of the local authorities, many people have had other explanations as to why the clash between blacks and Asians took place, and the subject remains sensitive.
Liam King, a hairdresser from Birmingham, said that there were underlying tensions between the communities and that the broadcast only “triggered something that was already there”.
New Style Radio station manager, Dennis Edwards, agrees. He said: “These areas are not heavily funded and when you have the local authorities choosing black over Asian, or the Asian community over the black community, tension builds up.
“The pirate radio stations here are the culprits, because they know of these tensions and they still broadcast the allegations. In my opinion, they should have been gagged.”
Mr Hussain has said that since these broadcasts, Sting and Hot FM are not operating any more. He added: “The authorities are trying to work together to minimize the problem where it occurs”.
Mr Hussain’s colleague, Councillor Don Brown, of Afro-Caribbean origin, left the interview and declined to comment.