In Pictures: Mods and Rockers in Sussex 1964 It is almost half a century since the Mods and Rockers first clashed on the South Coast. The May Bank Holiday weekend saw large numbers of each group coincide in Brighton - and trouble started. Trouble had already flared in Clacton, Essex, over the Easter weekend, but the events in April were far worse. Mods and Rockers clashed along the Brighton seafront and clashes were to continue throughout the summer. May 17th, 1964 saw more riots in Brighton. More than 1,000 teenagers were involved. Police made dozens of arrests and city magistrates sat throughout the day. It was estimated that up to 3000 young people had come to the town. Trouble moved down the coast to Hastings later in the year. Police had to be flown into the town to deal with the situation. Rockers, with their love of American music and motorcycles, were very different to the Mods who favoured scooters and Italian clothing. Arrests were made again and there was more trouble in Brighton as well as in other coastal resorts. The violence was widely condemned in newspapers of the time, but today some Mods and Rockers are on the record saying that some photos from those days were staged by photographers desperate for a picture. Yet the genuine violence - and the sight of two youth cultures in confrontation - shocked many people at the time. Two police officers keep the peace between rival groups. If you were a Mod or a Rocker on the South Coast in 1964, or if you have strong memories of those days, please contact sussex@bbc.co.uk.



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