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Places featuresYou are in: Berkshire > Places > Places features > Are gang fights the real reason behind Mela axing?  Slough Mela: a community event Are gang fights the real reason behind Mela axing?By Linda Serck The Slough Mela has been axed for a second year running. While organisers cite high policing costs as the main obstacle, members of Slough's Asian community say gang conflict is the real reason. Have your say on this issue via the message box below.The Slough Mela has been axed for a second year running, and the organisers are citing extortionate policing costs as the main reason. But members of Slough's Asian community have highlighted a probable cause for Thames Valley Police charging £31,000 for the one-day event, which was due to be held on Sunday 19 July 2009. Read the BBC News Online article here:  The Mela attracts big name Asian artists They say the Mela has a reputation for attracting trouble because of the violent conflict between Muslim and Sikh gangs in Slough. "The two communities get together and just fight," says Salma Mez, "it happens every year. "Past 8pm it's an opportunity for them to argue and fight." Debelah Islam says: "When a crowd get together and watch whatever is on show, one will push another and then a fight will break out. "They'll all start attacking each other and then the police would get involved." Plenty of people in Slough are upset by the cancellation but they're not surprised as the Mela has gained such a bad reputation. Chami Dhillon from Slough says: "I live just round the corner from where the event is held every year and I think it's a shame that it's no longer running. "But the event has changed from what it used to be. Originally it was a family event and we could all take our grandparents and young children. But now the youths in the area have made it as a point of conflict, people go there to start a fight with people, and now you can't take your family there.  Up to 30,000 were expected this year "And so I think the police are justified in asking for so much money and I think it's a shame that it's come to that." Az from Slough says: "We've got a lot of problems in Slough, there's a lot of politics going round within the Asian community and you can't do anything about it. "It is a shame, I was looking forward to going to it with my family." Salma however has been put off attending a Mela in Slough altogether. She says: "It's better off that it didn't happen because then it won't cause that conflict. "I'm not that bothered either because I wouldn't go - I know what would happen.  The Mela is usually a popular event "It's a bad crowd, say a fight breaks out and you're in the middle and there's knives and stuff like that - you don't want to be there." It's not the first time the Slough Mela has been cancelled. It's been running for the last 15 years, reportedly attracting up to 30,000 visitors, but there's only been one Mela since 2005. Events manager Sabha Siddique says: "It's a well-loved and welcomed event, people really want it back. "It has had a coloured past, we wanted to put all of that in the past and leave it in the past, bring the event back and have a fantastic day out." With the biggest Asian population outside London, Sabha says organisers need more help from authorities to make sure Slough Mela 2010 actually happens. "You've got Bradford, Birmingham and Manchester," she says, "the majority of those are council-run and council-funded. "I think their needs to be more involvement not only from the council but also the police and it needs to be a joint effort." last updated: 26/06/2009 at 11:41 Have Your SayPlease be aware that all messages are moderated before appearing here.
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