A Public Inquiry Is Being Demanded Into The Plight Of An Elderly Couple Said To Be Living In A State Of Siege Because Of Racialist Attacks On Their Home At Rothwell

A report on the effect of racist attacks on a man and woman at their home in Rothwell, Northamptonshire.

In the town of Rothwell, Northamptonshire, the exterior of a terraced house is shown with every window boarded up because the occupants say all the glass has been broken with bricks, stones, wood and roofing tiles. Inside the house 47-year-old Shantilal Virji and his wife Janet Virji sit on a sofa to talk with Anglia TV reporter Greg Barnes about the abusive behaviour they have experienced. Mr Virji talks about the attacks on the property and threats against their lives. He says it is terrifying, like seeing a bad television play happening in reality to us. Mrs Virji has been asked why they don’t move. She says they would go out to their car when they had one, and she would sleep in the back. One cold day when they were eating sandwiches in the car she decided to go back into the house and stick it out. She and her husband have endured racist abuse for twelve years. She says this is intended to get them to move out, but she will not be threatened by the bullies, and she will not move now. Mr Virji used to work as an upholsterer, but now he stays at home rather than leave his wife alone. Following incidents near the house, he has been charged by the police with criminal damage and threatening behaviour, but he is being supported by Wellingborough Unity Against Racialism. Greg Barnes talks to Paul Crofts from that group, who is also Community Relations Officer with Wellingborough District Community Relations Council. He says he has worked with community relations councils in London, and he is shocked by the attacks experienced by Mr and Mrs Virji as the worst example of racial harassment he has seen, particularly as this is happening in a small town in the peaceful English countryside. This video was made to be shown in a news story that a public inquiry is being demanded into the plight of Mr and Mrs Virji. The story was shown on Anglia Television early evening news / magazine programme About Anglia.

Keywords

Racism; Racial harassment; Crime; Damage to buildings; Vandalism' Violence; Fear

Additional Description

The surname Virji is of Indian origin and worldwide it is most common in India, Canada, England and the USA.