The riot on Saturday night over football needs to be put into context. I like others condemn those who did it and any racist overtones or undertones. The other posting on racism against the Portuguese community is quite right - and this has gone on for too long. Yes, there is a class and ethnic element to it and more work should be done on this issue. Where, for example, is the progress on Racial Discrimination proposed by ex-Deputy Matthews over ten years ago?

My other concern, however, is the knee jerk reaction of Chief Minister Walker - asking for a court clampdown apparently because he thinks the Island's image as a tax haven has been tarnished. Chris Steel has already put an excellent posting up on this site about the illegality of certain events associated with the Jersey tax haven - to this list can be added countless more examples, including Duvalier, Noye and Brinks Mat, Mark Thatcher, Cantrade, Guinness, Abacha, Pinochet, etc etc So, Mr Walker, when dirty money and money laundering, the proceeds of drug trafficking and dictatorships siphoning off political funds, arms manufacturing investments and slush funds, tax avoidance and evasion, international transfers of funds that could be spent on alleviating poverty and improving health, are all integral to the past, present and future of the Jersey tax haven, I think we have every right to ask WHO ARE THE REAL YOBS?

Another interesting question - and i make no allegations here - is domestic violence any more excusable than the events that happened on Saturday night? Some might suggest that Saturday night was a one-off drink-fuelled football-related event, many arrested might have been just caught up in the moment, many might be normal honest sons of good Jersey working class families - if there was a racist element this should be dealt with accordingly, as 'aggravated', but my own feeling would be that most lads caught up in this unfortunate event are not inherently racist - therefore the event should be put in context, looked at contextually - those arrested should be given every right to defend themselves and offer mitigating factors. They ought not to be sacrificed on Mr Walker's altar - we know that 'political stability' is essential to continue the dirty money trading - it always has been - that's why oppositional movements in the Island are crushed and why the Jersey media (with NO record whatsoever of investigative journalism) is so crass and obedient.
[Submitted by kropotkin]