Forum Topic

Local hero shah ali of Beauty Base catches mugger

On Thursday just gone at approx 11.45 am, a man of afro carribean origin grabbed a ladies bag in the Ealing Broadway shopping center. He was given chase down Windsor road by security gurds and 2 other men. However he outran them.My friend shah ali who owns the beauty and hair salon called Beauty Base was going about his business when he heard the shouting and screaming. He also gave chase after being affected in the riots (his salon was vandlasied and looted).Shah manged to tackle the mugger and restrained him while the poice came.Shah told me how he felt. He was really upset by the fact his business had been looted. When he told me what had happened, I thought that it was very important that our community know that we have people out there that are brave, courageous and help other's.

keith green ● 5351d25 Comments

Jaz is right. My father is Irish but no one suggests that I am not British, having been born here, whereas if my dad was, say, Jamaican, it might be a different story. It's not about immigration, as such, but about skin colour.

Susan Kelly ● 5337d

To continue the discussion on race.  I'm of Polish descent, not born in Poland but of a long line of Poles.  I do not consider myself Polish but British.  So I'm just one generation.  Is that helpful?On a second point.  It's a funny thing but I can tell just by looking at someone whether they are Polish.  Its a game we play in restaurants, "guessing waiters' nationality".  Occasionally I'm wrong but if I am then the waiter, or waitress of course, is from a nearby Eastern European country; so - close.  I also think that you can tell the difference between Afro-Caribbeans and Africans.  I think Africans have a darker skin.  And the Africans I know wouldn't be upset with me saying so.  I think I can tell the visual difference between a Nord and a Mediterranean too.  You wouldn't just say "white"; wouldn't you qualify it if you wanted to give a description of say a missing person?  My husband has mediterranean characteristics - is it racist to say so?  Must he be either white or black?  And if I were to say "I saw a man of mediterranean characteristics.  He looked Greek to me." is that racist too?

Barbara Yerolemou ● 5338d

Hi Graham,I think you missed my point, maybe I should have used British instead of English, but I could imagine that most second and third generation white people whose Grandparents or Great Grandparents were not British would be described as British or English and even describe themselves as so. Most second and third generation black British people would describe themselves as British or English or Black British, but would be referred to by people like you as Afro-Caribbean, implying that they are not British, therefore foreign, irrelevant of where their ancestors came from. Do you get what I am saying? And quite honestly I do not know of any people who refer to a black man  as automatically Afro-Caribbean. It is so old school. Saying that being of Afro-Caribbean descent is something to be proud of, just as being of any culture should be something to be proud of.I was asked recently in a questionnaire what community I belonged to as in Irish, Somalia, Asian,  I wrote the West London community.

Jaz Brown ● 5342d

I am pleased that confusion has been cleared here but from personal observation I know that people will still erroneously use this as a synonym for black, and do it innocently as I did. 'When do white people who were born here become English?' No easy answer. IMO it has more to do with culture than race. It also has to do with how you see yourself. The English are a mongrel race and Englishness is not easy to define culturally. What I do sense is that those of us so identifying would in the past have been happy to be merely British. But immigration and devolution has led to a resurgence of Englishness which has nothing to do with the EDL or anything else far right field. I now prefer St. George's Cross to Union Flag.

Graham Weeks ● 5344d

I have no reason to doubt the baon-fides of either poster; but an easy way to detect 'internet multiple personalities' is to check on the IP address/range of posters. Something that the site admin would need to do. Just a thought.

Nigel Brooks ● 5345d

Probably because, whilst it would be easy to prove Keith Green exists if he does, it would be very difficult to prove he does not.

Katherine Kieslowski ● 5345d

There are white, Asian and Chinese Caribbean's, in the Caribbean they are from what ever Island they are from, e.g Jamaican, Grenadian, Cuban etc  But my point is there are people of Somalian descent, Ethiopia descent,(East Africa) Nigerian descent, West African descent, Caribbean descent, Irish, Polish descent, other European countries. How many white people living in England with Irish or Polish Grandparents or Great-grandparents etc, if arrested are described as a man of Irish descent was arrested, or polish descent. When do white people who were born here become English? One generation, two, three ? When do black people become English? You tell me. To state a person was of Afro- Caribbean descent when you don't know if he is, he could be 5th generation English, French, Scottish, implies a lot of racial overtones. he mugs therefore he is Caribbean!!!It says so much about the writers views on Caribbeans.  Maybe if people mixed more and discussed these things they may have far more understanding.  Don't be afraid to describe what someone looks like, blonde, brunette, black, white, olive, tall short etc, but don't presume where they are from, that is your opinion based on your views not fact. (unless you absolutely know from the persons mouth)

Jaz Brown ● 5346d

If Mr Ali is posting under different names then I'm surprised he hasn't been suspended yet.

Susan Kelly ● 5346d

"Euphemism from the States, where 'black' is somehow unacceptable and everyone is African-American, even Nelson Mandela!"Even more hilarious when Americans call black British people "African Americans", and then realise their mistake and flounder around trying to find the right word.And I wonder what they call a white african in America?A Wafrican American?African American is a ludicrous word.

Clare Mulvany ● 5347d

I have no opinion either way on that claim, but I do note that the posts by Mr Green and Mr Ali contain identical grammatical errors (apostrophe for plurals).

Alex Weel ● 5347d

What people in Acton seem to be saying is that there is no such person as Keith Green but the original post was made by you. This would be very easy for you to disprove and you would be owed a huge apology.

Katherine Kieslowski ● 5348d

I plead guilty to misunderstanding this term. My on line dictionary says, Afro Caribbean =a person of African descent living in or coming from the Caribbean. I had taken it to mean any black whether from African or Caribbean descent. But then I am left wondering if there are words for Caribbeans not of African descent?I was bemused in California to read about the coming of the Euro Americans. In my youth is was white men.

Graham Weeks ● 5348d

Claire, why not check out the story with the local police. would you like the badge number of the officer's involved?? I guess you must be a friend of other's that mock me. Thats why you are also trying to turn the good people of Ealing against me. what have I eve done to you? Please answer me this.

Shah Ali ● 5348d

Euphemism from the States, where 'black' is somehow unacceptable and everyone is African-American, even Nelson Mandela!

Susan Kelly ● 5348d

"Do you mean that a black person born in UK is not of afro caribbean origin.?"No. If they are of Afro Caribbean origin then that's what they are. But you can't tell someones ethnicity by a cursory glance.Would you call a Nigerian or a Ghanaian "Afro Caribbean"?I presume that the muggers place of birth, or country of ethnic origin is unknown.Surely as far as appearances were concerned, he was just "black"?

Clare Mulvany ● 5348d

'However, it is an assumption to state the a black person is necessarily of afro caribbean origin.'Do you mean that a black person born in UK is not of afro caribbean origin.?

Graham Weeks ● 5348d

Graham, I do understand it,although I also understand the point you are making.Merely observing that someone is Afro Caribbean is not racist.However, it is an assumption to state the a black person is necessarily of afro caribbean origin.personally I feel a straightforward description of "black" would be more precise and less loaded.Shah Ali has "previous form" on W3 and his heroic actions are not being so warmly hailed there.Because I am aware of this, I am more than a little dubious about this story.

Clare Mulvany ● 5349d

'He may have been Black, but to state he was of afro caribbean orgin is actually being racist'.I do not understand this. Are there Black folk whose race does not come from Africa or the Caribbean?

Graham Weeks ● 5349d

To elaborate further, are all white people from England?

Jaz Brown ● 5349d

I totally agree with Viv Ellis, how did the original poster know he was of afro-caribbean origin. He may have been Black, but to state he was of afro caribbean orgin is actually being racist.

Jaz Brown ● 5349d

Well done Mr Ali. May more be prepared to follow your good example.Walking yesterday from EB Station to St Mary's I was impressed by the number of premised with boards in place of windows where posters said it was business as usual.But' I really don't think it helped to describe the alleged mugger as "Afro Caribbean".'Why is it that people want to keep mention of ethnicity out of some things? We have a whole race relations/equalities industry doing unneccesary work with pointless questionairres, statistics etc etc. Yet when the ethnicity of someone is mentioned it is decried.To report on ethnicity does not imply any causal link. It is merely part of the description of an individual.I am happy to be, in no particular order., an English male Christian

Graham Weeks ● 5350d

well done Mr Ali and to all local traders/people who are recovering and getting back to normal but ..... given that he had been apprehended, I really don't think it helped to describe the alleged mugger as "Afro Caribbean".

Viv Ellis ● 5350d

ShahI think the message that needs to be shouted loud and clear is "business as usual".I pray to God that last week's problems were a 'one-off' and that people will be reassured by seeing as many businesses as possible back to normal as soon as possible. It is in the council's interests as well as that of central government to ensure the scum who perpetrated these crimes get the clear message that their actions have not disuaded the 99.999recurring% of decent people from living their lives.And me a culpa, I've been going to your branch in Hounslow (great service)for years without checking out Ealing.Good luck with getting back to 100% ASAP.

Nigel Brooks ● 5350d

Thanks Nigel for you kind words. It's disgusting how rioter's are able to do so much harm and get away with it. And I thought this man was a rioter so I wanted to ensure he was caught.It has been a nightmare recently for small business. Picking up the pieces will take time, but the most important thing for the community is to continue supporting local business. I feel that local people may still be afriad to venture out or they think businesses are closed. However, I urge people to go about business in the normal way. The area is safe. Police patrol the area and I honestly believe that the riots are over. Today a bank worker told me that a women who use to come to the bank daily had not been for fours days as she was afraid. Some of my clients have not dared to venture outside until today. I guess people need to feel safe. And it will take time. I wonder if we, the community can do anything to restore confidence?

Shah Ali ● 5350d

Good on Mr. Ali.Let's hope that he and all the other affected business are 'back to normal' very soon as that send out a clear message.

Nigel Brooks ● 5351d