Two black boys brothers from Manchester aged 13 and 14, both promising army cadets, who attended a Greater Manchester ACF a weeklong summer camp. A proud Mancunian Mum had wanted her boys to do the Duke of Edinburgh Award, to help build their character, and attending Camp was a route to that goal. Both boys were keen and excited, having recently joined the local Cadets in January.
The Camp was in Otterburn, which is just north of Newcastle on Tyne, close to Scotland.
These young brothers were only a handful of Black cadets, on the course that was predominantly white, with in excess of over 400 young people from across the UK taking part. Both the brothers report, name-calling and suffering from racist abuse while at camp.
These young brothers were only a handful of Black cadets, on the course that was predominantly white, with in excess of over 400 young people from across the UK taking part. Both the brothers report, name-calling and suffering from racist abuse while at camp.
During camp, the cadets were playing a game. trying to take sweets from each other when the elder child inadvertently touched a white girls bum. Though the contact was unintentional, when the girl raised the issue telling everyone, "he touched my bum", the boy simply explained it was an accident, and apologized.
Another child became involved and spoke to the girl, who then decided to escalate this further and reported that she been assaulted to the Cadets.
Now this story, gets entirely predictable here on in and we all know,
shit happens when black boys or men are accused of touching white women, don't we?
Now this story, gets entirely predictable here on in and we all know,
shit happens when black boys or men are accused of touching white women, don't we?
We call it "Southern Belle Syndrome" in reference to how, in the Antebellum American south during the Jim Crow era, enslaved Africans would be lynched at the mere suggestion of touching a white woman.
The Army immediately overreacted and forcibly isolated both the brothers, treating them as though they were homicidal maniacs. The Camp rang Northumbria Police who attended eventually and arrested the two boys. The brothers were then placed in handcuffs and driven in public all the way to the police station.
Bear in mind now, that Northumbria police station was over an hour away from the camp. Unbelievably, the Army did not contact the Mother to inform her of what happened, that was left to the police to do.
The boys were told, that the older boy was being arrested for a serious sexual assault and the younger brother for racially abusing a girl in camp.
These boys were then kept in separate cells for over 10 hours from 4pm to 2am the next morning, until they're the petrified mother, who literally drove to down to Newcastle from Manchester, arrived to collect them. They were kept in disgusting shite and urine stinking cells, and all the while, the elder brother was consoling his hysterical younger brother, urging him to go to sleep so as help calm his fears.
Stop there...lets recap, these boys have been falsely accused, humiliated and treated as if they've committed murder, and in the midst of this racist mayhem, the elder boy gently consoles his younger brother, in a dark stinking cell, gently consoles him, urging him to go to sleep, I shed a tear when I read that.
Like Suprecat, I cried for these youths, seriously. I cried as a big man. I cried because I recognised our impotence and the fact that we see these repeated abuses of our children, I cried because that could have been my grandson or your child. I cried hot tears of anguish and rage at our continued state of powerlessness.
Like Suprecat, I cried for these youths, seriously. I cried as a big man. I cried because I recognised our impotence and the fact that we see these repeated abuses of our children, I cried because that could have been my grandson or your child. I cried hot tears of anguish and rage at our continued state of powerlessness.
I cried for a community that allows its young people to suffer the repeated nightmare of such vicious, hostile and on occasion racism. I wept because I know this situation could have ended up in a whole different scenario had those boys been just two years older.
Where was the safeguarding, where was the proportionality, where was the duty of care, and why wasn't procedure followed? Because these 'rules', claimed to be universally applied, rarely apply to black people. When we are involved, rules and procedures are not applicable.
I know that will be a shock to many, but seriously do you believe that in this country, black people are all equal before the law and, that justice is equally applied and dispensed to all regardless of colour?
If you do, seek medical help immediately.
I know that will be a shock to many, but seriously do you believe that in this country, black people are all equal before the law and, that justice is equally applied and dispensed to all regardless of colour?
If you do, seek medical help immediately.
Back to the story.
Mum drove the boys back home that night and all were in deep trauma and shock, the boy's dreams of Duke of Edinburgh Award had been shattered and now one of them stood accused of being a sexual pervert, the most heinous cromes. The little one will be equally traumatized for life. The drive home was long and Mum was eventually glad to get home and all emotionally and physically exhausted.
Then unbelievably, that next day only a few hours after arriving home following this nightmarish ordeal, the Police rang Mum to say all charges had been dropped.
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| Statement on behalf of the family. |
They talk of safeguarding procedures - these are strictly reserved for the privileged and any time, you and I make the mistake of believing that these rules apply equally to all, then my friend, we’re in for an almighty rude awakening.
Out of interest, I looked at the Army Cadet recruiting page and surprise, surprise, there isn’t a black face on there. Not one.
What should happen now?
I say the least these boys should be given is a full and unqualified apology, compensation, total removal of any record of this incident from their personal records; they need their fingerprint and DNA samples destroying. They also need expert and culturally appropriate counselling for their undoubted deep trauma, plus two free places on the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme.
I think its a mistake that these boys names are in the public domain, which is why I've not identified them here. I fear it leaves them open to further teasing and bullying etc. However, notwithstanding that, this is an awful and depressingly familiar tale.
Please attend a public meeting to take place Monday 12th August 6pm - 8pm West Indian Sports And Social Club, Westwood Street, Moss Side, Manchester M14 4SW contact Kids of Colour for more information. Please share this flyer and article across your social networks. Write in support of the boys to:
Army Cadet Force Association
Holderness House
51-61 Clifton Street,
London
EC2A 4DW
51-61 Clifton Street,
London
EC2A 4DW
