We made some errors when we attempted to clarify a quote from rapper Homeboy Sandman in New Review last week. When talking about police violence in the US, he said: “The thing that set the country on fire in ’91, that happens every single week.” We said: “He’s referring to the death of Rodney King, the black taxi driver beaten by police officers after a car chase. When video emerged of the incident, it sparked the race riots of 1992.” Rodney King was severely beaten by police in March 1991, but he did not die (he drowned more than 20 years later). A video of the beating prompted vehement protests, but not riots. They occurred later after four of the police officers directly involved in the beating were acquitted of using excessive force in April 1992. (“Conscious hip-hop? That’s just silly…”, New Review, last week, page 28).
In an election feature article on the target seat of Exeter, which the Conservatives are aiming to recapture, we mistakenly reported that former Liberal Democrat city councillor Jean Hadley was considering voting for Labour next week. We should make it clear that she has no such intention (“Amid the posh sausages and mulled cider, there’s little fear of the Scots”, In Focus, last week, page 26).
Write to Stephen Pritchard, Readers’ Editor, the Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, tel 020 3353 4656 or email reader@observer.co.uk
