tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43833245218306806112024-03-15T10:10:09.267+00:00Lee Jasper Official BlogLee Jasperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941960163596740027noreply@blogger.comBlogger655125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-1184536816253973642024-03-14T14:08:00.003+00:002024-03-14T16:34:06.206+00:00Unprecedented Coalition Rallies for Diane Abbott Amidst Racism Row and Political Hypocrisy<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h3 style="border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJjFKF4IP4M_-75uf1UJSPNoqChmCyNSmWB50TEzC1AIK2HP6Zg0Y7hUfRhWVMCe0Oe53ZwfgQVuOh6xET1RPUytjGzR_fcK7BaPzcGC0NdpX9TtrKjcgD-HIeVxV8VQNi1MHWGpgnYYKIZU_bKybOAxeio2MQE2wUY-0_Qo9L4G91AfpmD27hkdHMMnnv" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="294" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJjFKF4IP4M_-75uf1UJSPNoqChmCyNSmWB50TEzC1AIK2HP6Zg0Y7hUfRhWVMCe0Oe53ZwfgQVuOh6xET1RPUytjGzR_fcK7BaPzcGC0NdpX9TtrKjcgD-HIeVxV8VQNi1MHWGpgnYYKIZU_bKybOAxeio2MQE2wUY-0_Qo9L4G91AfpmD27hkdHMMnnv=w380-h221" width="380" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><p style="border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a remarkable show of unity, a broad coalition of leaders from the UK's most influential UK African Asian and Caribbean organisations committed to ending racism has penned an open letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, spotlighting the unsettling and alarming circumstances surrounding Diane Abbott, MP, the UK's first black female MP, and the broader issues of racism and hypocrisy within the nation's political landscape.</p><p style="border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">Diane Abbott, a veteran Labour MP, has found herself at the heart of a contentious racism row involving a significant Tory donor, Frank Hester, whose derogatory remarks about her have ignited widespread outrage. In addition, Hester's call for Diane to be shot in an age of increasing political violence is a criminal act worthy of prosecution. This controversy has been further inflamed by the Labour Party's attempt to leverage the scandal for fundraising purposes, despite Abbott's ongoing suspension and the party's reluctance to confront issues of racism and sexism within its ranks head-on.</p><p style="border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">In an email to its members, the Labour Party expressed indignation over the Conservative Party's refusal to return a £10m donation from Hester despite his definitive and unambiguous racist comments towards Abbott. This cynical fundraising approach has drawn sharp criticism from Abbott herself, who decried the rank hypocrisy of using her situation as a fundraising tool. At the same time, she and many Africans and Asians remain marginalised within the party, and Black communities across the UK read the Forde Report with anger and disgust. Kier Starmer's response to the Forde report's devastating findings has been sloth-like cosmetic and and performative. </p><p style="border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Speaker of the House humiliated Diane 40 times during the debate on Hester's comments. This enraged people throughout the country, as he quite doggedly and determinedly refused to call Diane. Millions of people stood with her each time she stood, and she persevered with tremendous strength, dignity, and poise. </p><p style="border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">The coalition's letter to the Prime Minister criticises the government's slow response to denounce Hester's comments as racist, suggesting it reflects a wider reluctance to tackle racism decisively. This reluctance, the coalition argues, not only undermines the fight against racism but also hints at a tacit acceptance of such ideologies within the political discourse.</p><p style="border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">The letter calls for immediate action, urging the Conservative Party to make a clear statement against racism and engage in meaningful dialogue on systemic racism. It emphasizes the need for the UK government to lead by example in the fight against racism and promote a society where equality, respect, and inclusivity are paramount.</p><p style="border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">This unprecedented coalition, including representatives from Operation Black Vote, Action for Race Equality, Runnymede Trust, Black Equity Organisation, Muslim Council of Britain, Racial Justice Advocacy Forum (representing the Black church) and many others, highlights the severity of the situation and the urgent need for a united stand against racism in all forms.</p><p style="border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">The situation surrounding Diane Abbott not only raises questions about political fundraising ethics but also casts a spotlight on the ongoing challenges of racism and sexism in UK politics. It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of consistent and principled stands against race discrimination and the need for all political parties to reflect deeply on their policies, practices, and responses to racism within their ranks.</p><p style="border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">As this situation unfolds, it is clear that the coalition's call to action goes beyond a single incident, urging a comprehensive and enduring commitment to combating racism across the political spectrum. The unity and resolve demonstrated by this diverse group of leaders offer a beacon of hope for meaningful change and a more inclusive, equitable society.</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihb6lAl4rQKUN3tAQei08a3klyEt_lhyQoxyit1bDPyrTWbn_Os1MbraaDDIk7gOVEY6YsMvvK_gXNtzpcCeHb5l345f0bAJBSoF7iyaaNuf28XwYc0M_bhQk-iqTpEThz2by6IprrculYvc6aHRMU0yU-fKzpQVS6oHcv05FqaJsKa7TWOHTAEHXi5d7z" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="902" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihb6lAl4rQKUN3tAQei08a3klyEt_lhyQoxyit1bDPyrTWbn_Os1MbraaDDIk7gOVEY6YsMvvK_gXNtzpcCeHb5l345f0bAJBSoF7iyaaNuf28XwYc0M_bhQk-iqTpEThz2by6IprrculYvc6aHRMU0yU-fKzpQVS6oHcv05FqaJsKa7TWOHTAEHXi5d7z=w609-h226" width="609" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihb6lAl4rQKUN3tAQei08a3klyEt_lhyQoxyit1bDPyrTWbn_Os1MbraaDDIk7gOVEY6YsMvvK_gXNtzpcCeHb5l345f0bAJBSoF7iyaaNuf28XwYc0M_bhQk-iqTpEThz2by6IprrculYvc6aHRMU0yU-fKzpQVS6oHcv05FqaJsKa7TWOHTAEHXi5d7z" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfV5lWfkctze4MnWsuLwGKF78QgrqpFks4t8Sttn0Ve0DhnCasRahNC3Mzc7gri577Y44FLmXqwcGnwyJ8K8hJrDHzNGx69qeKwXuyAhY88ZjnSuIDmtLKAHoUCxgY-oVapRm3s9ClHuJJ6TgY96At-AP8mOcfUSjdyzddjKBergkpH8yfsHTbJUDA0eyZ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="24" data-original-width="200" height="27" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfV5lWfkctze4MnWsuLwGKF78QgrqpFks4t8Sttn0Ve0DhnCasRahNC3Mzc7gri577Y44FLmXqwcGnwyJ8K8hJrDHzNGx69qeKwXuyAhY88ZjnSuIDmtLKAHoUCxgY-oVapRm3s9ClHuJJ6TgY96At-AP8mOcfUSjdyzddjKBergkpH8yfsHTbJUDA0eyZ=w231-h27" width="231" /></a></div></div></div></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">To: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> 10 Downing Street, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> Westminster,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> London SW1A 2AA, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: right;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Thursday, 14 March 2024<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Dear Prime Minister Rishi Sunak,</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Subject: Diane Abbott MP</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">We write to you collectively as concerned citizens and representatives of various national organisations committed to ending racism and promoting equality in our society. With a heavy heart and deep concern, we address the recent revelations surrounding Mr Frank Hester’s remarks and the Conservative Party’s response to them.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Firstly, we must express our profound disappointment and concern over the initial reluctance of Downing Street and Conservative ministers to denounce Mr Hester’s remarks as racist categorically. While we acknowledge the subsequent statement labelling the comments as "racist and wrong," this delayed response is emblematic of a broader, troubling trend within the current government's approach to addressing racism. The hesitancy to immediately and unequivocally condemn such remarks not only undermines the fight against racism but also signals a tacit acceptance of such ideologies within the political discourse.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Moreover, the fact that Mr. Hester felt emboldened to express such vile sentiments, to begin with, speaks to an increasingly normalised culture of racism that has been allowed to fester under the current administration. This normalisation is further compounded by the government's persistent denial of the reality of systemic racism, which has significant implications for the inclusivity and cohesiveness of our society.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">The remarks made about Ms Diane Abbott MP are not only abhorrent and frightening, especially considering her status as Britain’s longest-serving Black MP and the personal impact these comments have had on her, but they also reflect a broader issue of racism and sexism that cannot be ignored. The donation of £10m to the Conservative Party by Mr Hester and his company, under these circumstances, becomes a matter of ethical concern and raises questions about the integrity and values that the Party wishes to uphold.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">We, therefore, call on you, the Prime Minister and the Conservative Party to take immediate and tangible steps to address this situation. This includes a clear statement that the Conservative Party does not endorse racism in any form and is committed to taking a stand against it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">We also urge your government to engage in a more meaningful dialogue on systemic racism, acknowledging its existence and working collaboratively with communities and organisations to dismantle these deep-seated inequities.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background: repeat white; color: #444746; font-size: 11pt;">We note that you have celebrated the diversity of your cabinet and government. We would invite you to take this opportunity to champion the cause of anti-racism and to lead by example, </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">demonstrating that the UK government is unequivocally committed to fighting racism and fostering a society where equality, respect, and inclusivity are paramount.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Sincerely,</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 1pt windowtext; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0cm;">David Weaver Chair Operation Black Vote</span></b><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 1pt windowtext; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0cm;">Shabna Begum CEO Runnymede Trust</span></b><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 1pt windowtext; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0cm;">Timi Okuwa, CEO of Black Equity Organisation</span></b><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 1pt windowtext; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0cm;">Jeremy Crook, CEO of Action for Race Equality </span></b><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 1pt windowtext; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0cm;">Lee Jasper Chair Alliance of Police Accountability </span></b><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="background: repeat white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 17.633333px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Zara Mohammed, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain. </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 1pt windowtext; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0cm;">Viv Ahmun Co-Founder Blaksox</span></b><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 1pt windowtext; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0cm;">Lord Simon Woolley</span></b><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 1pt windowtext; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0cm;">Revd Wale Hudson-Roberts: Justice Enabler for the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Minister at John Bunyan Baptist Church, Oxford.</span></b><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;">Dr <span style="border: 1pt windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Richard Reddie, Director of Justice and Inclusion: Churches Together in Britain and Ireland<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 1pt windowtext; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0cm;">Jabeer Butt OBE CEO Race Equality Foundation </span></b><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span face="Aptos, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b> </b></p></div><br /><br /></div><p><br /><br /> </p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-37451460187695745792024-02-06T14:45:00.001+00:002024-02-06T14:45:49.941+00:00Race and Labour: In 2020 Starmer took the knee; today, he's just taking the piss<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b>Keir Starmer's Ideological Blind Spot on Systemic Racism: A Black Critique.<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzWCqjdFtZh6XdPYjWjkL_duQHZU9TcOqtb7tC3vT1JMpZP6ItikgMtLYJmBNSZXEJjmc3oSjfR_dQt9bI7DD-9pOi5T2GuRiJ7732XK0QUoFV-Iw73HmEsJO2fGiKZfoNQwRO7x7HCjzeUkssOaASkfl9rVeu6Q3yOYlaFohjQO9_na9VxBv8XZSADYN/s272/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="272" data-original-width="185" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzWCqjdFtZh6XdPYjWjkL_duQHZU9TcOqtb7tC3vT1JMpZP6ItikgMtLYJmBNSZXEJjmc3oSjfR_dQt9bI7DD-9pOi5T2GuRiJ7732XK0QUoFV-Iw73HmEsJO2fGiKZfoNQwRO7x7HCjzeUkssOaASkfl9rVeu6Q3yOYlaFohjQO9_na9VxBv8XZSADYN/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" width="185" /></a></div><b> </b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b>Written by Lee Jasper, Co-founder of Operation Black Vote, Former Senior Political Adviser to the Mayor of London, Former London Criminal Justice Board Member, and Chair of the Alliance for Police Accountability (APA)</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">In the aftermath of the 2019 general election defeat, Keir Starmer assumed the mantle of leadership of the Labour Party with promises of unity, pragmatism, and renewal. Yet, as Starmer's leadership unfolds, a critical and disconcerting ideological blind spot has become glaringly evident: a profound misunderstanding and neglect of systemic racism within the United Kingdom. This oversight not only alienates a chunk of Labour's base but also starkly undermines the party's historic commitment to social justice and equality.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The pivot under Starmer's leadership towards a centrist stance, symbolized by an embrace of patriotism and the Union flag, has marginalised crucial discussions on race and systemic inequalities. Starmer and his team blocked internal constitutional reforms proposed by Black Labour members by providing constitutional guarantees with a focus on tacking Labour Party's lack of Black representation, disproportionate disciplinaries targeting Black and Asian employees and racism in candidate selection and deselection process. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b>In 2020 Starmer took the knee; today, he just taking the piss</b>. <br /><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">This shift, at a time when global movements across the world demand bold leadership on racial justice, highlights Starmer's reluctance to directly address systemic racism, revealing a significant ideological blind spot, a jaundiced view nurtured and weaned on the British societal and political culture of racism and xenophobia. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The treatment of high-profile Black MPs and activists, characterised by disciplinary actions and investigations, signals a troubling trend of silencing important voices in the fight for racial inequality. This issue, combined with Labour's lukewarm response to the Black Lives Matter movement and a notable absence of a comprehensive policy agenda to combat systemic racism, raises substantial doubts about Starmer's understanding of these critical matters.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Moreover, Starmer's leadership has been marked by notable inaction in implementing the recommendations from crucial reports like the <b>Lammy Review, the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, </b><b>The Forde Report and the Baroness Casey Review. </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The slow response to the Forde Report's revelations of racism within the Labour Party itself underscores a lack of commitment to meaningful change. This ideological blind spot extends into Labour's policy and messaging strategies, with the scaling back of ambitious racial equality plans and cautious rhetoric around policing, immigration, and racial justice.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Such an approach suggests an overarching concern with not alienating Daily Mail readers. This benign neglect destroys what’s left of Labour's overhyped reputation as the defender of the marginalised. The stone-cold fact is Labour quietly marches with the Tories on race. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">A stark illustration of this failure is the launch of Labour's 'race action plan' fronted by Annaliese Dodds MP on Monday, 5th February 2024. Described as a total shambles and a debacle, the launch was first cancelled and then hastily rearranged online under some bullshit pretext of ‘Gaza security concerns.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The back of a “fag packet plan” was heavily criticised by a range of Black institutions for its lack of any real substance, lack of community engagement with Labours Black members and pithy launch that spoke volumes. Such is the level of blatant disrespect, even the of the Black press were excluded. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The chaotic nature of the event, as reported by attendees, underscores the initiative as a cheap PR stunt, a poorly organised tick-box exercise, deeply insulting to Black communities. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Frankly, a group of sixth-form students could produce more credible strategies and policies contained within Labour's plan. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The Labour Party's hesitance to address racial justice, evidenced by the Forde Report debacle, the marginalisation of Black and Asian members, and the failure to condemn racial atrocities unequivocally, reveals a superficial commitment to anti-racism. Labour's race equality proposals, dismissed as cosmetic and performative, epitomise a leadership that takes Black votes for granted, offering little in the way of substantive policy changes to dismantle systemic racism.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">As Labour stands at this critical crossroads, it must confront its failings on systemic racism decisively. Without critical introspection and transformative action, Labour risks not only its electoral prospects but also its very soul. The party must embrace a bold stance on systemic racism to rebuild trust with Black, Asian, and ethnic minority communities, affirming its commitment to the principles of equality and justice it professes to uphold. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The time for decisive and authentic, radical action on issues of racial justice is now, more than ever and as James Brown famously sang, “It’s time to take it to the bridge,”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-43803673338221999472024-02-04T10:35:00.011+00:002024-02-05T00:47:58.352+00:00 APA Slams Racial Attack on Met Black Police Association Chair and Calls for Discussion Re National Black Recruitment Boycott. <div class="separator"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAObkbEwjGRG3PUE8mwhqGQ7EJClGnZDGTAJF9R2tpm3mWyLotGot-7JFB4QTK0X0JNPuHOY9ygcLOvb3cBy6JQhfu-rnk_EdggqLHw472h8i1x6rpdIh3typgke_zeVlIwF9G-j3w0DW0vZhlKutzP6-g-j4TQti65m9CYZQyEX9nkqBDQZ8YyxJYjmOI/s1970/Screenshot%202021-12-13%20at%2010.29.46.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="1970" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAObkbEwjGRG3PUE8mwhqGQ7EJClGnZDGTAJF9R2tpm3mWyLotGot-7JFB4QTK0X0JNPuHOY9ygcLOvb3cBy6JQhfu-rnk_EdggqLHw472h8i1x6rpdIh3typgke_zeVlIwF9G-j3w0DW0vZhlKutzP6-g-j4TQti65m9CYZQyEX9nkqBDQZ8YyxJYjmOI/w544-h209/Screenshot%202021-12-13%20at%2010.29.46.png" width="544" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;">In Important Election Year, APA Condemns Racially Charged Attack on Met BPA Chair And Backs National Black Police Association (NBPA) Presidents Calls for a National Discussion about Black Police Recruitment Boycott.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;">Date: Monday, 5th February 2024</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The Alliance for Police Accountability (APA) strongly condemns the Metropolitan Police Service's (MPS) recent racially motivated misconduct investigation against the Chair of the Met Black Police Association (Met BPA), Charles Ehikioya. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">This act of suppression highlights the systemic racism ingrained within the MPS, as revealed by the Casey Review in 2023, which found Black officers to be disproportionately subjected to misconduct investigations.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">APA Chair Lee Jasper stated, "<i>The MPS's targeting of the Met BPA Chair is an egregious attack on the campaign for racial justice in the Met</i> <i>and an extension of this government's phoney ideological war on the woke. </i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><i><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><i>However, this year will see the Mayor of London and a general election take place. It's more crucial than ever for us to challenge systemic police racism. The MPS's weaponisation of the misconduct system against Black officers is unacceptable. It demonstrates the reality of a toxic policing culture of racism and discrimination that must be brutally confronted and completely dismantled."<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">In light of the upcoming Mayoral and General elections, the APA will be collaborating with a range of national Black organisations, including the NBPA, to demand greater action against racism within the MPS. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Jasper added, </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><i><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><i>"2024 is not just any year; it's a pivotal moment for us to hold the MPS accountable. The MPS year-old Turnaround Plan and the Mayor's Action Plan - now four years old - are deeply emblematic of failed and outdated policy approaches, filled with warm words and pious statements but with no substantive action or outcomes. We repeat ad nauseam that the MPS Commissioner's routine denial of the existence of institutional racism is a significant and fundamental blind spot, preventing any real progress."<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The investigation into the Met BPA Chair, instigated after he highlighted senior officers' misconduct and the racism faced by colleagues, appears to be a concerted effort to silence a prominent voice for racial equality within the force. The restrictions placed on the Chair, including barring his involvement in discrimination cases and attendance at MOPAC meetings, are a clear attempt to silence black voices for racial justice.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The APA echoes the sentiments of Leroy Logan MBE, Janet Hills MBE, and Mina Smallman regarding the challenges Black police officers and activists face within the MPS. Andy George, President of the NBPA, has voiced a lack of confidence in the MPS's leadership to enact necessary reforms, suggesting a temporary halt on BAME recruitment into the MPS until significant changes are made. The APA believes this approach should now be discussed nationally among a range of national Black organisations as an urgent priority. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">President of the National Black Police Association (NBPA), Andy George, said, "<i>Given the crisis in confidence highlighted through so many incidents and reports, I cannot say that we can adequately protect and support officers of colour within the MPS. For that reason, I take the <b>extraordinary step of saying </b>that <b>we no longer have confidence in the Commissioner or his senior leadership team to bring about the necessary and promised reforms to the service. I also regretfully recommend that anyone from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds do not join the MPS </b>until there is more rigorous accountability placed on the Commissioner and more resources are given to the Met BPA so they can provide wrap-around support to those in need</i>.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The APA fully supports the NBPA's demands for an immediate end to the racially motivated investigation against the Met BPA Chair. We call for genuine, transparent reform within the MPS to eliminate systemic racism and restore trust in the communities they are meant to serve. As we approach critical election milestones, the APA, alongside our partners, will intensify our efforts in demanding a policing system that is fair, just, and accountable to all Londoners.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b>End of Release</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">About the Alliance for Police Accountability (APA): The APA is a coalition of activists, community leaders, and justice advocates dedicated to systemic reform within the policing system. Our mission is to ensure fairness, justice, and accountability, promoting a policing culture that respects and protects the rights of all communities, particularly those historically marginalized and oppressed by systemic racism and discrimination.<o:p></o:p></p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-73098506906226327252024-01-26T18:23:00.238+00:002024-01-28T16:06:01.178+00:00Crisis Unfolds: The Shocking Surge in Britain's Policing of Innocent Black Children.<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665px;"><i style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #374151; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665px;"><br /></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665px;"><i style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #374151; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665px;"><br /></span></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OFsuTsJExiG8WW0mm1Qjv2zQjs9-9k3J5dirtn2xuYoo-eSWvchYBxDtqMtYqU118y0OVGqLJngbPJw8NZhu9xh4w_NseB6oHQ8a26rt1ILtcK1O92u2GZgZOqBkoa6Vp6jp8-3yoJSEnK7ExSzyhZIPGR-GSdHj7vIwvHlQywNfc99ENCR_NFlZItw_/s768/protectiveblackmom_web-768x432.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OFsuTsJExiG8WW0mm1Qjv2zQjs9-9k3J5dirtn2xuYoo-eSWvchYBxDtqMtYqU118y0OVGqLJngbPJw8NZhu9xh4w_NseB6oHQ8a26rt1ILtcK1O92u2GZgZOqBkoa6Vp6jp8-3yoJSEnK7ExSzyhZIPGR-GSdHj7vIwvHlQywNfc99ENCR_NFlZItw_/w498-h281/protectiveblackmom_web-768x432.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #374151; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.533335px;">Crisis Unfolds: The Shocking Surge in Britain's Policing of Innocent Black Children</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">The news that there has been a 13% increase in the last year in the stop and searches of Black children will come as both horrifying and devastating news to many in Britain's Black communities and beyond. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Recently published Home Office data revealed that in the last year, we have seen a massive ramping up of racial profiling and targeting black children by British police forces across the UK and, in particular, London at the hands of the Metropolitan Police. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">And the terrible news is these figures are rising, and child arrests are becoming increasingly violent. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">In addition to this worrying new trend,<a href="https://www.redthread.org.uk/redthread-data-raises-concerns-about-lack-of-scrutiny-after-children-and-young-people-are-injured-by-police/" style="color: #96607d;"> London-based youth charity Redthread</a> has publically expressed its concerns after youth workers reported seeing increased incidents of black children, particularly black boys, arriving in hospital A& E departments after suffering from Taser injuries, head injuries, memory loss and trauma resulting from violent arrests. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">The majority of these arrests have led to no further action. In other words, most children are innocent of any crime. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Recently published <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/police-target-black-kids-ramp-31966173#">Home Office statistics indicate </a>that out of 100,000 children stopped by police nationally last year, 20% were black youth, a stark overrepresentation given they constitute only 6% of the general population. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7R14kU7Yp21AmSaqyjleFFOhYVPQK8XEfi-0Sp7jN6Tdv2kTRg2B49jW3SMWnvGW1f8k7K0wIre2LrU_f0WrWd-IP_XbptW7NVqYh6ZgQl50nQyZBY6KssKLPZVmZJl0qQBiJ4BaVXTcBnLASfPuFoa6uX5xpgZWlAT-qd5MrIt-detiNCM1XeoAqTa2M/s2568/Screenshot%202024-01-27%20at%2014.57.55.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1668" data-original-width="2568" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7R14kU7Yp21AmSaqyjleFFOhYVPQK8XEfi-0Sp7jN6Tdv2kTRg2B49jW3SMWnvGW1f8k7K0wIre2LrU_f0WrWd-IP_XbptW7NVqYh6ZgQl50nQyZBY6KssKLPZVmZJl0qQBiJ4BaVXTcBnLASfPuFoa6uX5xpgZWlAT-qd5MrIt-detiNCM1XeoAqTa2M/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-27%20at%2014.57.55.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><b>Figures courtesy of @gmhalyes on X </b></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Alarmingly, nearly 90% of these young individuals, subjected to the indignity and distress of racial profiling under the guise of 'intelligence-led' policing, were subsequently found to be innocent</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU10iE9uwZKHWMxqwFTl-6tcUr5SgAqoUpSz_CSrwML-rznnZw3YTL4LoTiVgCSGix4x_7WkW1hvDMs4sCY_KyN37pZn6bV76leJaXf4FDlwqVTGHOQSv69c79xFlzp_quGp11w4CeEvI43ofiMjs9FOidwej-lcFCO3iq-haH8z9iTb9HnDHYyhGMXoNT/s2584/Screenshot%202024-01-27%20at%2014.58.30.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1656" data-original-width="2584" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU10iE9uwZKHWMxqwFTl-6tcUr5SgAqoUpSz_CSrwML-rznnZw3YTL4LoTiVgCSGix4x_7WkW1hvDMs4sCY_KyN37pZn6bV76leJaXf4FDlwqVTGHOQSv69c79xFlzp_quGp11w4CeEvI43ofiMjs9FOidwej-lcFCO3iq-haH8z9iTb9HnDHYyhGMXoNT/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-27%20at%2014.58.30.png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;">Figures courtesy of @gmhales on X </div></span></h4><div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">According to a report discussed in November 2023 at the newly created London Policing Board, over 70 children required hospital treatment, including plastic surgery for dog bites and taser injuries following violent, aggressive arrests that caused a range of injuries and severe trauma.</span></p></div></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 21.466665px;"><span style="color: #374151;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 21.466665px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzeLeoguFDXwyzPhW6a_Da2DbrHDA88pvaSoLbnUOacOmyynJvxBvvkHhaSPdoEBpXokCtvHoMb6UyXyN-WzLfuKVmVMfD4NZLNimxBDttpkZmWtk6JjU9HpCQaVbdHaCVgPKtaVSoOJOGmYktOThXHDlW8tqja4EFGjrZYewZm-67NWCLRt6TYK75Qqp/s576/23795062_10210479577573262_5795670023196213877_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="576" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzeLeoguFDXwyzPhW6a_Da2DbrHDA88pvaSoLbnUOacOmyynJvxBvvkHhaSPdoEBpXokCtvHoMb6UyXyN-WzLfuKVmVMfD4NZLNimxBDttpkZmWtk6JjU9HpCQaVbdHaCVgPKtaVSoOJOGmYktOThXHDlW8tqja4EFGjrZYewZm-67NWCLRt6TYK75Qqp/s320/23795062_10210479577573262_5795670023196213877_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 21.466665px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Terrell Decosta Jones-Burton, a 15-year-old, receiving critical hospital treatment following </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/terrell-jonesburton-boy-15-injured-police-metropolitan-ipcc-investigation-justice-bermondsey-robbery-a8070591.html" style="color: #96607d;">a wrongful and violent arrest</a><span style="color: #374151;"> while cycling in Bermondsey, South London, in 2017. </span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #374151;">The Officer concerned was cleared of any wrongdoing</span></span><span style="color: #374151; font-size: 10pt;">. </span></b></div></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><b>The political context. </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">The very year that saw the cases of Child Q, X and A </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18.666666px;">(a ten-year-old Black girl tasered by the Met) </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">alongside the excoriating publication of the Casey Review, the response from officers on the ground was to target more Black children. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">That message from the ranks was crystal clear; they gave us the metaphorical middle finger; despite the warm words and rhetoric of the Commissioner and statements by the Mayor of London about 'tackling racism in the Met,' the objective response is clearly written in these disturbing figures. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">In short, Met officers have decided the best way to respond to widespread concerns about their proactive racist practice is to ramp up the targeting of Black children. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">The consequence is that we now see a new development in the nature and scale of systemic racism in operational policing. That is the transparent extension of the type of vicious systemic racism and heavy-handed police brutality generally reserved for adults, which is now being extended to our children.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665px;">Think about that for one minute. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">OK, let's keep it moving. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">The Met is a police force, not a service. Referring to a systemically racist institution as a 'Service' is a total misnomer that fails to accurately reflect the reality of their oppressive policing of London's Black communities. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">The term 'Service' implies a commitment to public welfare and safety, a standard that is starkly contradicted by the systemic racism and brutality embedded within the culture of the Metropolitan Police. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">The stone-cold truth and their own figures prove this the Metropolitan Police Force oppresses black communities rather than protecting them and discriminates rather than serves. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #374151; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #374151; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8riLOmci5GVrnNvEiLHSK2GDSYh68oBeU7kHIY2Mx9BIh-olLCrq6NRRjGuLxD_U3M_041QtLn6mXC__RWbCFq_CnGbbwVIahLYD_Yd2X61ufwtejVupBoSIs30SSYw0ICXanu5FbwHjbcYywzUuF_mH_1GIn-lvxWVHMeV5Qg88WCLiBczq0jk21IAID/s4096/shutterstock_2417818399.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="4096" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8riLOmci5GVrnNvEiLHSK2GDSYh68oBeU7kHIY2Mx9BIh-olLCrq6NRRjGuLxD_U3M_041QtLn6mXC__RWbCFq_CnGbbwVIahLYD_Yd2X61ufwtejVupBoSIs30SSYw0ICXanu5FbwHjbcYywzUuF_mH_1GIn-lvxWVHMeV5Qg88WCLiBczq0jk21IAID/w388-h388/shutterstock_2417818399.jpg" width="388" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #374151; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="color: #374151; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">London's Black communities should redefine the Metropolitan Police as the '</span><span class="apple-converted-space" face="Aptos, sans-serif"><i style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81);"> </i></span><i style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">Metropolitan Police Force.'<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81);">This encapsulates the harsh, bitter truth and the oppressive nature of the policing of London's Black communities </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">Publically redesignating the Met as a<i> force</i>, not a<i> service</i>, acknowledges the harrowing experiences of those on the receiving end of their racist policing practices and serves as a constant reminder of the urgent need for systemic reform within this institution.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;"><b>The Met doesn't care about your concerns. </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">We all know the horrendous cases of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/15/child-q-four-met-police-officers-facing-investigation-over-strip-search">Child Q,</a> <a href="https://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/national/23866358.mother-water-pistol-boy-surrounded-armed-police-says-betrayed/">Child X </a>and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/nov/27/met-police-officer-tasered-10-year-old-girl-twice-misconduct-hearing-told">Child A</a> and the public outcry that followed. Yet here we are today, with these new Home Office figures confirming that what we are witnessing is a very worrying and growing trend: the criminalisation of black children being subject to racial profiling and violent arrests. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6buXArWe7euQhcLB8sHSDfSCwkC0DMcGj_cjQvh1RZCiBAnbeUY7eOgBL1ZgHKThj8WNVQLq8Fymtmeng7OhdRg2WglUhmKKD98d_vfZuejUU1NOoBRgfJu5txeNMTYjfQStNGvJJVOe5PC_aMJHlp3FWCLpu8xBptJ-Hx6G01R8z_AXHwYtz_rD9Zc-Z/s1200/0_GettyImages-1239307288.jpg.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6buXArWe7euQhcLB8sHSDfSCwkC0DMcGj_cjQvh1RZCiBAnbeUY7eOgBL1ZgHKThj8WNVQLq8Fymtmeng7OhdRg2WglUhmKKD98d_vfZuejUU1NOoBRgfJu5txeNMTYjfQStNGvJJVOe5PC_aMJHlp3FWCLpu8xBptJ-Hx6G01R8z_AXHwYtz_rD9Zc-Z/w372-h248/0_GettyImages-1239307288.jpg.webp" width="372" /></a></div><div><div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">The Alliance for Police Accountability (APA) highlighted the issue of adultification and the Case of Child X late last year, revealing the horrific armed hard stop that saw a 13-year-old schoolboy rammed off his scooter and held at gunpoint. At an </span><a href="https://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/national/23866358.mother-water-pistol-boy-surrounded-armed-police-says-betrayed/" style="color: #96607d; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">APA public meeting</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"> (<i>held at the <a href="http://www.idpadhackney.org">IDPAD Centre in Hackney</a>, the family's home borough</i>), we saw a packed venue and a furious crowd demanding justice and accountability. Yet despite widespread and overwhelming public condemnation – not a single officer has been disciplined regarding this Case.</span> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></p></div><div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwnY5PHOMThdTUeoqn5kE1vpoYku5U62OD5Uwjykpk7XKBrUi8rDNrwOWzvo033yIv-vw3l27yiKm3Vn4GFStVq8nl1P68ubu79Ss5gpC49EKB7YVidR9J7prblaYwedFC6rNfl15KJuc28TxY_K2_0RR1_u6vrQahMovHj5AEWErYjpuZOOqsUcyyRAb/s1024/shutterstock_2417820569.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwnY5PHOMThdTUeoqn5kE1vpoYku5U62OD5Uwjykpk7XKBrUi8rDNrwOWzvo033yIv-vw3l27yiKm3Vn4GFStVq8nl1P68ubu79Ss5gpC49EKB7YVidR9J7prblaYwedFC6rNfl15KJuc28TxY_K2_0RR1_u6vrQahMovHj5AEWErYjpuZOOqsUcyyRAb/w380-h380/shutterstock_2417820569.jpg" width="380" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665px;"> </span></b><b style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Things are getting worse. </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">This important Hackney public meeting, followed by another APA pubic meeting among the Somalia communities of Lambeth at Stockwell Community Centre (where a 14-year-old Muslim girl was aggressively arrested outside her school by a School Police Officer) both gave a solid mandate for the APA urgently expose and address this critical issue. Parents at both meetings were angry and demanded action. The APA is serving the community and has decided to take action. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">According to data provided by the Metropolitan Police, 31 children between 11-17 years old required hospitalisation for police-related injuries across London in 2023. However, this figure was immediately challenged by Redthread, who alone recorded 24 child injuries after the use of police force in the same period at just eight London hospitals. The conclusion is clear - we can have no confidence that the Met's figures capture the actual reality. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 15pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">We suspect there is a massive underreporting of the violent arrests of all children, particularly Black children, who are hospitalised due to the use of police force, the vast majority of whom are guilty of no crime. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">Redthread youth workers reported seeing increased numbers of children arrive at hospitals with injuries such as police dog bites and other injuries received during arrest and other interactions with the police. These included head injuries, fractures, memory loss and wounds requiring plastic surgery. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 15pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">The significant point to note is that this disproportionality has increased over the last two years, at the same time as public concerns over previous child arrests and the publication of the Casey Review. Black communities are being policed by the worst nightmares and stereotypical anti-Black assumptions of serving racist police officers and commented upon by a largely unrepresented and hostile press. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 15pt 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9XFMtHNHesAumtUsVkzGNI-psqAl4b3UuprD5UMoNQAI-Q4Nk6T3RMFpm-cSpKEk0yv1kaM2XFzh64dM4LTeNGy0oCJt13gYEE1_kdb-a1hkPgYPHkfFUdXcrFLRyEiTjadqS9jix946k-RTEjhLtfSOg5LGhdN5T7N4DJ4TuF1ei43bnQ0NVNleT6ri/s1820/Screenshot%202024-01-27%20at%2014.59.10.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1820" data-original-width="1378" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9XFMtHNHesAumtUsVkzGNI-psqAl4b3UuprD5UMoNQAI-Q4Nk6T3RMFpm-cSpKEk0yv1kaM2XFzh64dM4LTeNGy0oCJt13gYEE1_kdb-a1hkPgYPHkfFUdXcrFLRyEiTjadqS9jix946k-RTEjhLtfSOg5LGhdN5T7N4DJ4TuF1ei43bnQ0NVNleT6ri/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-27%20at%2014.59.10.png" width="242" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What the above figures show is that despite the racist stereotypical reporting of sections of the press, the reality is that both Asian and White communities are more likely to be arrested for gun crimes. <b>Figures courtesy of @gmhalyes on X</b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><b style="font-size: 18.666666px;">The Talk.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">One aspect of the lived Black experience that is not well understood is the extent to which black parents are forced to provide survival techniques and advice to their children in the event they encounter aggressive and racist policing. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Baroness Casey, in her searing and devastating report into police racism, misogyny, and homophobia, was at pains to point out to predominantly white audiences, in many subsequent interviews and speeches, this little-known (outside of Black communities) fact. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">Until she spoke with black parents, she was entirely unaware of the realities of how black families are forced to equip their children with the skills necessary to successfully navigate the realities of systemic racism in policing. T</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">here comes a time as children approach adolescence when Black parents will sit down with their sons and daughters and have "</span><i style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">the talk.</i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">" </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">This coming-of-age <i>'talk'</i> involves equipping their children with the knowledge, tactics, and skills to de-escalate an encounter with racist police officers. Is this really the vision of a multicultural Britain we want to see? One where our children are increasingly seen as <i>'fair game'</i> by a predatory police force that refuses to accept the toxic reality of their profoundly dysfunctional policing culture<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">It's less than a year since Baroness Casey published her damning review highlighting what the black community has known for the last five decades that the Metropolitan Police Service is a systemically racist, misogynist, and homophobic organisation. We would add to that list Institutional islamophobia. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">What is crystal clear is the persistence of police racism leads us to conclude that racism is secreted into the very sequencing of the Met's organisational DNA. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">What the Baroness Casey Review revealed was the reality of a racial hierarchy and a bruising, dominant and deeply dysfunctional policing culture that infects every aspect of the organisation. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">And let's be clear about the broader dynamics at play: it took the brutal murder of a woman, Sarah Everards (whose grandfather was a Jamaican from Saint Elizabeth), by a serving police officer, followed by the vicious policing of the Sarah Everard memorial at Clapham Common, and finally the intervention of another white woman Baroness Casey, to inform the British public, of precisely the very same things Black communities have been telling the powers that be for the last 50 years. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="background: repeat rgb(246, 249, 248); color: #35334e; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 28px;">London accounted for almost a third (32%) of stop and searches of children in England and Wales. Baroness Casey was right when she said stopping and searching by force needed "<i>a fundamental reset". </i>She also highlighted research that shows <i>"larger numbers of Black people felt traumatised and humiliated by the experience of stop and search than other ethnic groups."</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="color: #35334e; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: #f6f9f8; caret-color: rgb(53, 51, 78); letter-spacing: -0.066667px;"><b>Black Trauma Matters. </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="color: #35334e; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: #f6f9f8; caret-color: rgb(53, 51, 78); letter-spacing: -0.066667px;">Imaging the trauma experienced by Black children, their families and the broader community of repeated, aggressive and, on occasion, violent policing by a hostile force? </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Police racism is deep, persistent and consistent. History demonstrated that within the beating heart of the culture of policing lies an unrelenting river of racism infecting every aspect of operational policing, stop and search, road traffic stops, drug possession, rape, murder investigations, Case after wretched Case has been publicly exposed and driven home the terrifying point that we are subject to the soft apartheid and devastating outcomes of police service that has effectively demonised Black adults and children as being inherently criminal and dangerous. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Racial profiling requires a closed system mindset and is just one aspect of a systemic culture of racism. It's a self-reinforcing belief system where disproportionate focus on Black people leads to disproportionate stop and searches and increased arrests that inevitably leads, somewhat ironically, to the reinforcement of police prejudicial stereotypes that justify a continued disproportionate focus on Black people. Psychologically, police officers have, in other words, executed, rationalised and justified their innate prejudice as 'just doing my job."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><b>Policing culture. </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Such is the ferocity of the culture of policing (and all greenlit by the stubborn refusal of the Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to admit his force is systemically racist) that the subculture or what was once known as 'canteen culture' simply eats race equality policies for breakfast, followed by sexual equality for lunch, and a late snack on those tasty LGTBQ policies. Such <i>woke</i> policies are despised mainly and ignored by the massed ranks of PCs. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPjIsp395vZO-Ap9VW8yh5snNDtSTKS_cKuJloHQzwgjdEdbkjlyUrW0qMMQ998nID8ghhR90q9AJ1o7yIS7zKXbsxdnKGsxDDHE3Z6T3DH8mX-OZpjtHFsZZZ6PABhjvy91P2Ucbv4w6N09MTqnclsCfVK1Sq2vHX9RVr48kD3ohSWQWFLy9aZznnfOz/s1908/48205279-0-image-a-146_1632240499775.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="1908" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPjIsp395vZO-Ap9VW8yh5snNDtSTKS_cKuJloHQzwgjdEdbkjlyUrW0qMMQ998nID8ghhR90q9AJ1o7yIS7zKXbsxdnKGsxDDHE3Z6T3DH8mX-OZpjtHFsZZZ6PABhjvy91P2Ucbv4w6N09MTqnclsCfVK1Sq2vHX9RVr48kD3ohSWQWFLy9aZznnfOz/w405-h243/48205279-0-image-a-146_1632240499775.jpg" width="405" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></div><b>A Call To Action. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">In conclusion, the Alliance for Police Accountability (APA) is issuing an urgent call to action, appealing to every concerned citizen, community leader, and human rights advocate to amplify our message. We urge you to share this article and our crucial petition. This petition is directed at the Mayor of London, the London Policing Board, and the Home Office, demanding immediate action to address the profoundly concerning practices of the Metropolitan Police Force. </span><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/apa-urgent-call-for-inquiry-and-transparency-in-the-arrest-of-children-by-the-metropolitan-police?source=rawlink&utm_medium=socialshare&utm_source=rawlink&share=70031f2f-d34a-4a8b-947c-53cb4e3a4b6a" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">You can sign the petition here.</a><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKVYqQS2f5Qn_Bxm7c562RbvlH5pB85Hkg9WnZ07WNAoXJ-Rc-DoT_gtB5Gxl0D2eNydphidssSSOkj3f-S_MrjKH51ntey0m0ydNYGVXerk-d9JaFCiar7afqRWeunDWEafjPRLa6erNbe3EsLNK0mokNhA_QiW_yLI5LsMPj9i_MlvY3QRkGZm4DSGb/s1566/Screenshot%202024-01-26%20at%2019.15.14.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="1566" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKVYqQS2f5Qn_Bxm7c562RbvlH5pB85Hkg9WnZ07WNAoXJ-Rc-DoT_gtB5Gxl0D2eNydphidssSSOkj3f-S_MrjKH51ntey0m0ydNYGVXerk-d9JaFCiar7afqRWeunDWEafjPRLa6erNbe3EsLNK0mokNhA_QiW_yLI5LsMPj9i_MlvY3QRkGZm4DSGb/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-26%20at%2019.15.14.png" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Specifically, we are calling for the Metropolitan Police Force to be mandated to routinely monitor and report all interactions with children under the age of 18, especially in instances where force is used or the children require hospital treatment. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This is a critical step towards transparency and accountability, ensuring that the rights and well-being of our children are safeguarded.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Furthermore, we insist that the Metropolitan Police and the Mayor directly consult with London's Black communities. The aim is to develop stringent, transparent, and fair protocols governing the strip search of children, particularly in sensitive cases where intimate body parts are exposed. Such measures are vital to protect our youth's dignity and rights and prevent the misuse of police authority.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Your support in sharing this article and endorsing the petition is invaluable. It is a step towards ensuring justice and upholding the rights of our children and towards building a society where the safety and dignity of every child are paramount, irrespective of race or background.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">To this end, the APA will also host a "Policing and the Black Child Conference" <b>(hat tip to Diane Abbott MP- if you know, you know)</b> in March 2024 in partnership with the University of East London's Peel Centre on Policing one year on from the publication of the Casey Review. Contact us if you want to join our APA-focused youth working group developing the conference's theme. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Conference details will be announced soon. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><b>Follow</b> <a href="https://www.actionforraceequality.org.uk/apa-policing-launch/criminal-justice/">APA for more info. </a></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></div>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-35952206195882479492022-09-03T09:25:00.009+01:002023-04-19T23:48:54.184+01:00GMC Continues to Target Black Doctors for Investigation. Dr Valentine Udoye's story will leave you shocked and stunned. <div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizRXIjfu05guc_t0R7hXG2G3MZuhtbdEubJuHYF4JpUsz3jD7grtkoxq6NlOZjcwcPNHxqmIXIw3vP-mfFqYzHHzIaqc7JsKDZ3h5R_5GBHTWdPpOW2xWvpCpnDsWI1Ij68yq6nMVDw9K5RC29aHV6Y-Q4DIIVRlJC0yKBcr878hzdbqbi1UBMr3VDQw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1754" data-original-width="2480" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizRXIjfu05guc_t0R7hXG2G3MZuhtbdEubJuHYF4JpUsz3jD7grtkoxq6NlOZjcwcPNHxqmIXIw3vP-mfFqYzHHzIaqc7JsKDZ3h5R_5GBHTWdPpOW2xWvpCpnDsWI1Ij68yq6nMVDw9K5RC29aHV6Y-Q4DIIVRlJC0yKBcr878hzdbqbi1UBMr3VDQw=w400-h283" width="400" /></a></div><br />My name is Dr Valentine Udoye, the background and the origination of my persecution by GMC</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">are as follows:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am a full registered Medical Practitioner with the General Medical Council, with registration no (6094869) since 2007</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I graduated from Nnamdi Azikiwe University -Nigeria in 1999, where I was awarded MBBS. I registered with the Nigerian Medical Council (FM 27,449) in 1999. I started my medical practice with Nnamdi Azikiwe where I worked as a House Officer from 1999- Jan 2001, after which I moved to practice as a General Practitioner in Nigeria.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I worked as a GP in various hospitals in Nigeria before coming to UK in 2005.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The reason for this move was due to a horrific bandit attack on one of my trips on the motorway, where I witnessed murder, rape and beatings by bandits up to 30 in number. After coming out unhurt, this led to the decision to leave Nigeria for a better life for my family in the UK.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From 2005-2010, I did clinical attachments and worked as a trust grade doctor - FY1 and FY2 levels in various hospitals in the UK.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Due to my experience in general practice in Nigeria, I wanted to continue my medical practice here in the UK as a General Practitioner. On enquiry, I did understand that I could practice as a GP in the UK via two routes:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>(a) By obtaining a certificate of completion of training in General Practice (CCT) or</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>(b) By obtaining a certificate of eligibility for GP registration as an international GP</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Having weighed my options in terms of length of time and cost, I decided to pursue a CCT route. I applied for GP training, and I was accepted to do the training in Scotland. During my GP training, I had to apply for a visa every time I changed hospitals, which I couldn't afford as a father of a young family.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Therefore, I changed to a Tier 1 visa to avoid frequent visa applications. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Unfortunately, I realised I couldn't work as a trainee under this Tier 1 category.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thus, I decided to stop GP training.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In light of this dilemma, I decided to develop my GP skills by working in various departments as a non-trainee from 2011 to 2014. Having a wide experience in different fields of medicine, I decided to renew my desire to go for registration as a GP with GMC. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Because of my experience in 2011, I decided to take the CEGPR route ( Certificate of Eligibility for GP registration). The information on the RCGP website stated that exams for membership could alternatively be taken abroad in countries such as Dubai.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I contacted the Royal College of General Practitioners Office in Dubai, and I was informed of the requirements I had to meet in order to sit the MRCG exam, as well as the exam curriculum. I noted that the exam curriculum in the UK is the same curriculum obtainable in Dubai.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I prepared for the exams from late 2014 to 2015, and I flew to Dubai on three occasions to take some of the preparatory courses in accordance with the Curriculum. Having finished the courses in Dubai, I took the MRCGP exams. I passed all the courses, including AKT & CSA. I was thereafter awarded MRCGP(INT).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This indicates that notwithstanding my qualification as a GP in Nigeria, I am now a certified General medical practitioner accredited by the Royal College of General Practitioners in the UK and worldwide. This certificate satisfies the criteria for registration as a GP with GMC. I, therefore, made an application to the GMC in 2016 for a certificate of Eligibility for GP registration.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">However, The GMC, in consideration of my application, refused my registration on the grounds that I needed more training and experience in certain areas of general practice, which the GMC recommended could be fulfilled through general practice training in the UK; or through General Practice work experience in the UK or gain the necessary competencies in the posts other than GP training.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Determined to practice as a GP, I found that the GMC, in their refusal decision, stated that the responsibility to undertake any further training to meet up with their recommendations rests in me. I enquired from the NHS Health Education as to what I should do next to be able to practice as a GP.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was advised to contact the Head of Continuing Practice, Postgraduate School of Primary Care Health Education England North East, in the name of Dr Iain Lawther. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In April 2016, I contacted him with an enquiry about the best way for me to proceed to GP Practice in the UK. My email enquiry which clearly set out my dilemmatic situation was provided to GMC. Dr Lawther (whom the NHS Officers I contacted for advice directed me to) responded to my enquiry and clearly and rightly acknowledged that I, as an international GP, was entitled to take the route of Induction via the NHS Induction and Refreshers Scheme programme (I & R Scheme) his organisation, Health Education England runs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dr Lawther made it clear to me that the I& R scheme is for those GPs who were trained and qualified abroad and who would want to enter the UK to practice as GP. He directed that there were, however, some exams and processes to undertake, which included interviews, pre-assessment exams, and clinical placements.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When it became clear that I was entitled to undertake further training under the I&R scheme, all the officers of the NHS continuing education and speciality programme was involved in making it possible for me to undertake this training, and I was so grateful to all of them particularly Dr Lawther, Ellaine Griffiths and Dr Tranter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was asked to undertake the first pre-assessment exam in stimulatory Surgery, which I did and had a successful outcome. I was told to proceed to clinical placement in Surgery as part of the scheme. I was eventually sent for I & R placement at Mansion House Surgery under the supervision of Dr Richard Tranter, who is a GP training Programme Director in the North East, for the remaining part of the training scheme.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHSkMUQQ1_5kg8xXjZoZsyCRSRLiyY_5cMckbl_DxkB2Xy8tm7epohR1GRACUxAOs2BBD0wGM_hg4sTvVy-CzV2h3JtkDPkLesj8xe7Jwd6CdLi_iCRmOZd8ufr31PARAHfeX71o4KIsmbguOZvcARn4xMD98PF57TyT1xFZDYuipfbmNkyiexz3O3uw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHSkMUQQ1_5kg8xXjZoZsyCRSRLiyY_5cMckbl_DxkB2Xy8tm7epohR1GRACUxAOs2BBD0wGM_hg4sTvVy-CzV2h3JtkDPkLesj8xe7Jwd6CdLi_iCRmOZd8ufr31PARAHfeX71o4KIsmbguOZvcARn4xMD98PF57TyT1xFZDYuipfbmNkyiexz3O3uw=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I worked hard to write all the assessments and works assigned to me by my clinical supervisor -Dr Tranter, and at the end of the 6 months of training, I passed all the courses, and I succeeded. I was given the structure report necessary for my registration as a GP with the GMC. As soon as my structural report was sent to Health Education England North East, a request for full Performances List inclusion was requested. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then, an allegation from nowhere was fabricated that I was working as a full GP while I was undertaking the training placement as part of the I & R scheme at Mansion House Surgery. I could not believe what was happening, and before I knew it, this was escalated to GMC, who initiated an investigation and immediately moved to the Interim Tribunal of MPTS to get interim restriction orders against me on the basis of protecting public interests and patient safety.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My practice was restricted for 15 months; however, my lawyers made an application for review in December 2018 to IOT of the MPTS, which revoked the restrictions order on the basis that even if I had practised as a GP as alleged for the 6 months training placement, there was no risks report or any concerns raised during the training period and more importantly, I have finished the training. Therefore, there was no need for any restriction since I moved back to my employer to continue my work as a locum specialist Doctor.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I thought that by the MPTS IOT decision, GMC would agree with the IoT reasoning and its order of revocation and leave me alone. Unfortunately, my lawyer received a letter from GMC in January 2019 that they would be proceeding to drag me to Medical Practitioners Tribunal services (MPTS) for Fitness to practice to investigate me on totally new allegations. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The allegations were that whilst I was undertaking the training placement at the Mansion surgery, I was paid the I & R scheme bursary, which the GMC argued I was not entitled to receive on the basis that I was not entitled to undertake the I & R scheme programme. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They alleged that by my receiving the bursary, I have been dishonest.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oH80xSjXgBbjmqwF9MnDN7yZp6L_lMBjgLELwlc_ci-F34iIVF3BoHWS6l6wd-a81yw5iRYrBZKyYabahAOIPGeZ2YiD-yLISny-aawaB_tmaT_Yb5-KcqKd4HAXPWFWjBGGDFf7IcfUdxku6tKeNr51SDukh0MOyW9ATxFacZl8kQfU9XDy5tKioA/s1848/Screenshot%202022-09-03%20at%2009.04.38.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1848" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oH80xSjXgBbjmqwF9MnDN7yZp6L_lMBjgLELwlc_ci-F34iIVF3BoHWS6l6wd-a81yw5iRYrBZKyYabahAOIPGeZ2YiD-yLISny-aawaB_tmaT_Yb5-KcqKd4HAXPWFWjBGGDFf7IcfUdxku6tKeNr51SDukh0MOyW9ATxFacZl8kQfU9XDy5tKioA/w400-h225/Screenshot%202022-09-03%20at%2009.04.38.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>The GMC further alleged that during the filling of my application for the I & R scheme form in 2016, I had ticked yes to the question “are you on the GP GMC register” which was a one-off mistake among all other similar questions I had ticked correctly. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That by me ticking yes, I have been dishonest. These allegations were subjected to MPTS proceedings from January 2019 until January 2020, when the MPTS dismissed all the allegations without finding even misconduct on my part. I thought I was resurrected from death, and it was the end of my trial part of life, but alas.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Despite the fact that the MPTS proceedings lasted for 2 years before I was finally acquitted of all GMC charges on January 2020, and despite the huge financial burden I personally faced throughout the duration of the GMC proceeding, the GMC appealed the MPTS to the High Court.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All my sickness resurfaced, and I was struggling all the while with emotional, psychological and financial hazards, including the impacts which led to the breakup of my marriage. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That effect has not left me to date. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then, the High Court, rather than acknowledging that the MPTS had heard the 8 witnesses presented by GMC and all of them did not blame me, including the Lead and the Director of Health Education England North East who runs the I & R scheme, ignored all of these and set aside the MPTS determination and remitted it back to a different MPTS panel albeit not on grounds of public interest or patient safety reasons but only on the technicality that MPTS did not understand the GMC case.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The remittal hearing has been again listed for 13 days long hearing in October 2022, which in effect subjected me further to another huge financial hardship, psychological and emotional trauma. I have been struggling to sleep for the past 4 years. My marriage has broken down, and my children have been confused about what has been happening to me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>I really need help</b>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am facing serious emotional, psychological and financial trauma because of the GMC’s unwarranted attacks against me. GMC’s attacks on me are without any justified reasons. I have never practised as a GP during the I & R training placement; rather, I was under the supervision of a GP trainer Dr Tranter who also confirmed that I was his candidate and an I & R GP trainee.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">GMC’s unwarranted and aggravated atrocious attacks on me and other BAME doctors need to be brought to the attention of the public with a view to stopping their unnecessary attacks on medical doctors in the UK, particularly against BAME doctors. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This has destroyed my family, what I have worked for, and me as a person. Additionally, I am struggling now to live with a lot of debts accruing from legal costs in defence of GMC attacks and persecutions. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 12pt;">Call to action. </b></div></div></div></div></div><div class="page" title="Page 6"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 12pt;">My hearing is due to take place in <b>Manchester on 29th September at 10.00 am at Medical Practitioners Tribunal Hearing St James Building, 79 Offord Street, Manchester M1 6FQ. </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><b>I ask that you share this article. Promote my campaign material, and finally, help me mobilise community attendance at my forthcoming hearing. </b></span></p></div></div></div><div class="page" title="Page 7"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK52Kh8w81LpY-L20ScSBE15PruMWHZAMrxRA1FTHbJTBiXmt_s2aDCn4li5Jt8aRdZU5vsYbtE68p--tRpm8329fYcXwiJU3TpHN8ZjMT2mNnO2Xez89Ns9IoGGMZtvgf-s7-TJpnOU-to3oZPszFwhVRhrGHMFm5SNtJYxL4yrqGPpAkU388YGYwag/s2480/Valentine%20Udoye%20Hearing%20Flyer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1754" data-original-width="2480" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK52Kh8w81LpY-L20ScSBE15PruMWHZAMrxRA1FTHbJTBiXmt_s2aDCn4li5Jt8aRdZU5vsYbtE68p--tRpm8329fYcXwiJU3TpHN8ZjMT2mNnO2Xez89Ns9IoGGMZtvgf-s7-TJpnOU-to3oZPszFwhVRhrGHMFm5SNtJYxL4yrqGPpAkU388YGYwag/w400-h283/Valentine%20Udoye%20Hearing%20Flyer.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span></div></div></div>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-43654428504923090112022-08-21T13:33:00.002+01:002023-04-19T23:49:09.256+01:00Lee Jasper On the Independent Office of Police Conduct Report into The Death of Rastaman Ian Taylor. <p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); clear: both; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Gl4rVkImpnT4pYaVtIAJD8eEeoATql7q_641DHNqHzXao8CC1FkJGGk3k2esvs50OGOG7WYoc2d24OuBKZeR_eC50uONdbSNpTWpEEVri_dJbcX7JemIjS8Q9aRjcNtmucfBlSW56ipsRp-fPxHlvn3IRNDA8IeFhXGt1qCiIkU7VFHi3m5DhlHG1w/s1500/Ian-Taylor_1500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1500" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Gl4rVkImpnT4pYaVtIAJD8eEeoATql7q_641DHNqHzXao8CC1FkJGGk3k2esvs50OGOG7WYoc2d24OuBKZeR_eC50uONdbSNpTWpEEVri_dJbcX7JemIjS8Q9aRjcNtmucfBlSW56ipsRp-fPxHlvn3IRNDA8IeFhXGt1qCiIkU7VFHi3m5DhlHG1w/s320/Ian-Taylor_1500.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); clear: both; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Lee Jasper On the <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I</span></span></span><span style="text-align: left;">ndependent Office of Police Conduct Report into The Death of Rastaman Ian Taylor. </span></div></span><br />In 2019 on the hottest day of that year, a black man lay dying on the streets of Brixton. That man was Rastaman and severe asthmatic Ian Taylor. On police bodycam video played at this Inquest earlier this year, Ian is repeatedly heard crying out the terminal words, “I can't breathe. It’s worthy of note that Ian died a full year before George Floyd’s murder, and this desperate plea became a global demand for justice. Not once was there any reference here in the UK media to Ian's tragic death for reasons I shall explain shortly. <br /><br />The Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) <a href="#">investigation report</a> published recently into the controversial and preventable death of Ian Taylor has remarkably determined that there is effectively no case to answer regarding Lambeth Police Officer's treatment of our brother. Ian, a 54-year-old Rastaman, died a brutal and unnecessary death on 29th July Coldharbour Lane in 2019, surrounded by a callous group of Lambeth Police Officers who mocked him as he lay dying. <br /><br />Arrested on suspicion of being involved in a fight, Ian was found lying on the pavement outside Brixton Domino Club, Coldharbour Lane, and immediately handcuffed. The circumstances surrounding Ian’s death have become a lightning rod for change that demands police accountability and radical change. <br /><br />At the time of Ian's death, Lambeth Police issued a press release stating that Ian had died because of an assault, and subsequently, two local black men were arrested on suspicion of his murder. Unbelievably, those investigations are still ongoing even though Lambeth Police knew at the time that the likely cause of Ian’s death was nothing to do with an assault. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjJnwaCihhL8_hb7HXigPRhyx-QjDSoIUt7aoD4-u800PTgBsDHCwXuFWX73z-rE4VKwo-jBG_eucWVjYx9m8sw7z-rCjLsEONy4IdvHl683Yxr_IpZTVeESmj_dj800C3aZX267AkrjOEZIW4pGJWN4fzI1_YHQh7qtI1Q-niqBJNjo2iiYymLiVmQ/s1662/Screenshot%202022-08-19%20at%2010.18.34.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1662" data-original-width="1166" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjJnwaCihhL8_hb7HXigPRhyx-QjDSoIUt7aoD4-u800PTgBsDHCwXuFWX73z-rE4VKwo-jBG_eucWVjYx9m8sw7z-rCjLsEONy4IdvHl683Yxr_IpZTVeESmj_dj800C3aZX267AkrjOEZIW4pGJWN4fzI1_YHQh7qtI1Q-niqBJNjo2iiYymLiVmQ/w284-h404/Screenshot%202022-08-19%20at%2010.18.34.png" width="284" /></a></div><br /><br />Why would Lambeth Police put out such false and misleading information? Some would say this was a cynical media diversion tactic to shift the initial focus away from the Officers and ensure that the local community didn’t discover what had happened for fear of a community outcry and public backlash. <br /><br />As was recently revealed dramatically, at a recent Brixton public meeting attended by Ian’s Taylors family that I helped organise and co-chair, not only was the community kept in the dark at the time about what happened to Ian, but so were local Councillors, MP Helen Hayes, the Leader of the Council, and the media. <br /><br />What has become abundantly clear in the subsequent period since Ian’s death and his Inquest is that Lambeth Police decided to keep the facts from the public, elected officials and the media at the time. They failed to inform, brief, and reassure or be accountable to the public in any meaningful way. That is a severe and catastrophic error of judgment. <br /><br />When the Police engage in media manipulation and fail to be accountable to local communities and elected officials, that is a grave matter. Community confidence in policing, consultation and local accountability are vital cornerstones of any effectively functioning democracy. <br /><br />As we can see, the initial Lambeth Police Service briefing on Ian’s death bears no relation to this incident's facts. Despite the truth being revelated shining a light on the culpability of Lambeth officers for Ian's death, Lambeth Police have, to date, chosen neither to apologise nor publicly correct this deeply misleading police briefing. <br /><br />Ian's death was not caused by injuries caused by anyone else. His avoidable death was a direct result of police inaction. An inquest later determined that Ian died due to an acute asthma attack and dehydration on the hottest day of 2019, with temperatures well above 30 degrees. His asthma was aggravated by the stress of his arrest and the fact that he was seriously dehydrated. <br /><br />Had he been taken to hospital, there is no doubt in my mind that Ian would be alive today. <br /><br />When the first officers arrived on the scene, Ian was already on the ground and struggling to breathe; the officer's evidence stated that on arrival ‘.…<i> I could see the man on the floor appeared to be in pain and some distress”. </i></div><div><i><br /></i><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;">Despite this, Officers placed Ian in handcuffs within two minutes of arrival. So, there was no doubt that the Officers were aware that Ian was in severe pain and was showing signs of acute distress. <br /><br />Ian repeatedly asked officers to find his asthma pump. Although the IOPC report indicates officers did conduct a primary search through his jacket and called an ambulance, they continually mocked Ian’s insistence that he couldn’t breathe and refused to give him water; they laughed, accused Ian of faking distress, and watched him while he lay dying. <br /><br />His Inquest found Ian to have died from an acute asthma attack and severe dehydration. They could have added ‘and the damaging effects of unacknowledged institutional racism in policing.’ Coroner Andrew Harris was shocked that police had not considered driving Mr Taylor to a nearby hospital, given they were aware of severe ambulance delays that day. <br /><br />Add to this horrific scenario that he died on the hottest day of the year, with temperatures well above 30 degrees, surrounded by seven Lambeth police officers. Ian was pleading for his life, handcuffed, lying prone and in the searing heat. While Ian lay struggling for breath and dying of thirst, surrounded by officers mocking him, one officer took out a fresh bottle of water, drank some and poured the rest over her head and as was revealed at his Inquest, she didn’t offer Ian a single drop.<br /><br />Despite the recent IOPC finding, the Coroner was sufficient concerned that he referred a police officer who was recorded as dismissing Mr Taylor’s complaints of being unable to breathe to his sergeant as “blah, blah, blah ... all a load of nonsense” to the police watchdog for investigation. The IOPC has dismissed his concerns. <br /><br />The IOPC report states that an officer responded to Ian, “you can breathe because you are breathing, but you need to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, ok? I am helping you.’ Ian, in response, repeatedly says, “I’m dying,” and complains of being hot and thirsty. One of the seven officers in attendance was heard on camera saying, “…ignore him. He’s playing the poor me card.” <br /><br />Just consider that as Ian lay dying, repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe,” Lambeth Police officers stood around and made jokes. <br /><br />Body-worn video shows the officers eventually took him out of the sun, pulled his jacket down, and stated they provided him with some shade by ‘positioning themselves to block out the sun.’ <br /><br />That’s certainly one interpretation, but the police body cam videos available to the IOPC show a completely different story. Given the video evidence, I find some of the IOPC finding perverse and make little to no sense in the real-world policing experience of London's Black communities or the expected professional policing standards. <br /><br />As Police waited for an ambulance, officers were constantly made aware of massive delays to ambulance services on that fateful day. Yet, despite being just five minutes away from Kings College hospital, not one of the seven officers decided to take Ian to A&E despite his deteriorating condition. Ian was eventually placed in the back of a police car. There are four minutes of missing body cam video of Ian in the Police car, and they happen to be the last four minutes that preceded the end of his life. Filming resumes seeing the officer's frantic efforts to save Ian's life, who had stopped breathing, leading to blind panic among officers.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Officers bizarrely claimed and were believed by the IOPC that they were unaware they could transport an arrested suspect to the hospital. They incredulously stated, and this was their core defence, that they genuinely believed that doing so was ‘against force policy.’<br /><br />This unbelievable response from officers should have been instantly dismissed as nonsense by the IOPC. How can professionally trained police officers claim that they actively believed they were not allowed to transport people requiring medical treatment to the hospital when faced with such an extraordinary situation? Even more concerning is that the IOPC appears to have accepted this explanation at face value. This cannot be a reasonable conclusion given the available evidence of camera footage and police interviews.<br /><br />In stark contradiction to their finding that there is no case to answer, the IOPC report clearly states that police officers can and, in fact, regularly transport suspects/members of the public to hospital. <br /><br />“MPS policy does not prohibit the transport of detainees to hospital in a police vehicle but does make it clear that such a decision will only be appropriate in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the police driver.’ Despite officers not following their policy and transporting Ian to A&E, the IOPC found no evidence of misconduct on their part.<br /><br />Notwithstanding the above, the IOPC investigation report starkly contrasts the galling evidence revealed at Ian Taylors Inquest, where the Officer's evidence demonstrated the callousness and shocking levels of unprofessionalism. <br /><br />The Inquest findings highlight the mediocre quality of this IOPC investigation and its inexplicable conclusions. The Ian Taylor Inquest shone a bright light on Lambeth police officers who failed in their duty to save his life. They could have transported Ian to the hospital and should have done so straight away. This is lethal incompetence if one accepts the officer's testimony, and I, for one, do not. <br /><br />This alleged incompetence cost an innocent man his life.<br /><br />Nor do I accept that this is a matter of better training for police officers. I assert that Police officers shouldn't need professional training to ensure they offer basic human empathy and compassion to a person in distress. Had just one of them done so, their intervention could have saved Ian's life. <br /><br />This IOPC report concludes that the officers did nothing wrong, suggesting that just one officer be given “words of advice and offered reflective practice.”<br /><br />Local MP Helen Hayes, who also attended the Brixton meeting on Ian’s death, subsequently complained to the IOPC following the Corner's comments that called for one of the officers who failed to offer Ian any assistance to be referred on disciplinary charges to the IOPC. Interestingly, the Coroner, the local MP, the Council, and the local community all disagree with the IOPC's conclusion that there is no case to answer. <br /><br />In many ways, this scenario reminds me of Rashan Charles's case. A young Black man was choked to death by a police officer in 2017; all caught in the full horrific video glare. <br /><br />Back then, if you recall, the IOPC investigated, and we were told not to believe our lying eyes and accept that <a href="#">Rashans death was lawful and proportionate.</a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRViIlZZLl2bkWZ20zb-hW7OxDsPIMrKSUtZG05PwVMIVwnO9-RfwFmsHSDeMWNzr_exVX3jNsiOi05K1-alysIiaZtxgCAJ0rAEjlmzSVR566isb1ilwMtTXYDFuaVjdwf8d862ybMZiL5yPbcsosJaXQA2stDHHvEOZVhuxATjFxfdoJMWZbQ_30GQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="956" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRViIlZZLl2bkWZ20zb-hW7OxDsPIMrKSUtZG05PwVMIVwnO9-RfwFmsHSDeMWNzr_exVX3jNsiOi05K1-alysIiaZtxgCAJ0rAEjlmzSVR566isb1ilwMtTXYDFuaVjdwf8d862ybMZiL5yPbcsosJaXQA2stDHHvEOZVhuxATjFxfdoJMWZbQ_30GQ" width="307" /></a></div><br /><br />Like hell it was. As in the case of Rashan, these woeful IOPC conclusions on the end of Ian Taylor are, I believe, fundamentally respect for the rule of law and police officers in general. In both cases, the UK authorities have tried to bury their harrowing evidence and protect the police officers involved.<br /><br /><b>And we all know why. <br /></b><br />The elephant in the room is the continually denied existence and reality of a toxic culture of institutional racism. A culture that strips both police officers of everyday compassion and black people of our humanity. Institutional racism dehumanises police officers and black people alike. The consequences are the most dramatic loss of Black public confidence in the long and turbulent relations between the Met and London’s Black communities. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;">And that's why these IOPC conclusions are more than just an embarrassing whitewash. They are a damning indictment of the Met institutional racism that has had the generalised effect of oppressing and criminalising London's Black communities for decades. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;">This IOPC whitewash of Ian Taylor's death sends a clear message to the Met and London's Black communities that the culture of institutional racism will be allowed to continue with impunity. It also reinforces the view that black lives don't matter, an approach and sentiment that can only have catastrophic consequences for London.<br /><br />In releasing this report in the middle of August, the IOPC could also be accused of cynical media manipulation, choosing to publish during the holiday period. Given the deeply tarnished public reputation of both the IOPC and the Met, there remains a series of essential questions and contradictions between the officer's evidence to the IOPC, and the evidence heard at the Inquest. <br /><br /> Cllr Mahamed Hashi, Lambeth’s Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, who was in attendance at the recent Brixton meeting, said in response to the IOPC report, </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjj6iSu79V6TNGGhL-8NEsSqNch0Nxt_qxei74xDd98-_Hhvk4nCgkAqLdhZQra6SZOw96LGgmuDWRV0qhnxYKOHJhuZR5QLlvrvS-kki3Cni-7t-JYVz3zQg-P4lYzre54Y_MTi00g-5dcNbTHGMB04x-FwpLE593Aww1ix0RSE6tRvt5N8SB-I0rwoQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1500" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjj6iSu79V6TNGGhL-8NEsSqNch0Nxt_qxei74xDd98-_Hhvk4nCgkAqLdhZQra6SZOw96LGgmuDWRV0qhnxYKOHJhuZR5QLlvrvS-kki3Cni-7t-JYVz3zQg-P4lYzre54Y_MTi00g-5dcNbTHGMB04x-FwpLE593Aww1ix0RSE6tRvt5N8SB-I0rwoQ" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"> “<i>Ian Taylor’s death has traumatised his family and shocked the local community. That pain was laid bare during a community meeting at Lambeth Town Hall in July when his relatives spoke with searing honesty and clarity about their tragic loss.</i><br /><i><br />“They also spoke of their extreme concern about how the information had been shared and how this had made a terrible situation even worse for them. This shock and anger were reflected across the room as others in our community spoke about their own experiences and reflected on what had happened.<br /><br />“This latest announcement is profoundly disappointing and makes very clear that much more must be done to change the culture of policing. At Lambeth Council, we are already working hard to improve public accountability regarding policing the borough, whether around stops and searches or how the police engage with local communities following incidents in their area.<br /><br />“But it must be backed up by the Met responding to being put in special measures by developing new and better ways of engaging with communities, becoming more transparent and more reflective of the diverse city it seeks to serve.”</i><br /><br />Speaking at the Ina Taylor community meeting last month, MP for Dulwich and West Norwood, Helen Hayes, condemned the <i>“gross failure</i>” of responding officers over Mr Taylor’s death. <br /><br />She also called upon the then-acting police head, Sir Stephen House, to investigate what role “r<i>acism may have played in the way that Ian Taylor was treated”.<br /></i><br />Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove, the most senior officer in Lambeth, repeated an “unreserved apology” to Mr Taylor’s family for the officer’s comments, saying they lacked “care, compassion and respect”.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEid2oRLtn85HEL8MRdZ2wBS-uvjTy_f4WoN8CwGZpXlftb5FtINJKxaWKD6kZ7KkkQmTl401GjTxK6VeKN7r1u9-hSqeyO0nq1uuY6dqgAxQW3xLBryl6JgOGZmpYHC_48--dToq3MabO20JwA8UuOjruBFzp333HQ9bi-X2BFIEsgD6VaWcplF34rpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEid2oRLtn85HEL8MRdZ2wBS-uvjTy_f4WoN8CwGZpXlftb5FtINJKxaWKD6kZ7KkkQmTl401GjTxK6VeKN7r1u9-hSqeyO0nq1uuY6dqgAxQW3xLBryl6JgOGZmpYHC_48--dToq3MabO20JwA8UuOjruBFzp333HQ9bi-X2BFIEsgD6VaWcplF34rpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />“<i>When we deal with any incident, especially when someone needs our help, we expect the highest professional standards and care, treating people with dignity and respect,” he said.</i><br /><br /><i>“This is what the public rightly expects from their police service, and I am sorry we did not meet those high standards in every respect when responding to Mr Taylor.”</i><br /><br />He acknowledged the impact on Mr Taylor’s friends and family and said his officers would work with them and the wider community to respond to their concerns an<i>d “rebuild trust and confidence”.</i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiX0p3x45yGF7SfsjTi32-skQgdoTgHKsn-3wSdYjDOLUaZLCR_9OuxyavdvOwV431bioJAZ4aIYgxixNm5Gv2EOmKJ5SHP2MfmoEKS69yqoFVKC4IWH9bmYVpUwGKsKSqLD9cyTPqkT586pKnYEhGK2bi9txhkL7F4ZO37D_lQVI6r32f3PKetrnmIRQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiX0p3x45yGF7SfsjTi32-skQgdoTgHKsn-3wSdYjDOLUaZLCR_9OuxyavdvOwV431bioJAZ4aIYgxixNm5Gv2EOmKJ5SHP2MfmoEKS69yqoFVKC4IWH9bmYVpUwGKsKSqLD9cyTPqkT586pKnYEhGK2bi9txhkL7F4ZO37D_lQVI6r32f3PKetrnmIRQ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"><b>The Mayor of London. </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"><br />There is growing political consensus across the capital on the need for the Met to tackle systemic discrimination. The Mayor of London reported in the <a href="#">Pink News</a> speaking on the current Met crisis, and former Commissioner Cressida Dick said<br /><br /><i>“One of the reasons why I lost confidence in the previous commissioner was my lack of confidence in her plans to address the two big issues – addressing the systemic racism, sexism, homophobia and misogyny, but also the trust and confidence required from our public when you police by consent,” </i><br /><br /><b>Lambeth. </b><br /><br />The problem for Supt Wingrove is that in the two years since becoming borough Commander, the general public, specifically Lambeth Black communities' <a href="#">trust and confidence in Lambeth police have collapsed</a>. Under his watch, Lambeth has the highest recorded incidence of race complaints, the lowest level of Black trust and confidence, and the highest level of race disproportionality across all use of controversial police powers of any borough in London and of any Police service in the UK. <br /><br />Further, he has allowed the most catastrophic deterioration of police accountability forums in the borough. As public<a href="#"> surveys of policing satisfaction</a> in Lambeth have shown, throughout Wingrove's time at Lambeth, both rates of race disproportionality have risen whilst the quality of community relations and public confidence in policing have all seriously deteriorated under his command. <br /><br />Restoring our trust and confidence in Lambeth is predicated on the existence of robust and publicly accountable police-community forums. One of the immediate legacies of Ian's untimely death is that the Council is fully committed to addressing these controversial policing issues and re-establishing rigorous and practical community police accountability structures in the borough. This comes not a moment too soon. <br /><br />The Met is now in deep crisis and has been placed in <a href="#">special measures</a> by its own regulatory body due to its failure to acknowledge and address the issues of what, under former Commissioner Cressida Dick, became a virulent and resurgent culture of institutionalised racism and discrimination.<br /><br />The National Police Chief Council’s recently published <a href="#">Race Action Plan</a> and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, have both <a href="#">prioritised tackling</a> systemic racism as a matter of urgency,<br /><br />The return of genuine police accountability in Lambeth can’t come soon enough. It's too late for Ian Taylor, but we can ensure sufficient scrutiny and public accountability to minimise the extent to which such a sad and avoidable death could happen again.<br /><br />On the issue of police accountability and tackling racism, the challenges for the Met, the Mayor and Government are existential and critical. With the quality of senior officers and borough commanders at the Met today, I’m not sure the Met has the commitment, resources or personnel or skills necessary to ever recover fully. </p><br /><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p></div>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-43153463850764375772022-06-29T11:24:00.013+01:002023-04-19T23:49:20.755+01:00Its the 3rd anniversary of the untimely and utterly preventable death of Ian Taylor whilst in Met Police custody. A call to action. <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kiNOyFM0dJ_KviKT6isAdgYcRmAnsXfJ9gozot5Vp9PAR7tLnnSPbT3P2ACZKrTTS1z3dAo2iCfNxs1RghGREj4wo9x75KLqMohze-cdVokhL6CwBVh_AhfgZO5v7RNrFg_RBAdnrvsQ1C1HRYgYCBYAwyZp71KpOC4ygWdM40D15Rzfiqpg2gohjQ/s1299/IAN%20TAYLOR%20MILITANT%20smalll.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="1299" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kiNOyFM0dJ_KviKT6isAdgYcRmAnsXfJ9gozot5Vp9PAR7tLnnSPbT3P2ACZKrTTS1z3dAo2iCfNxs1RghGREj4wo9x75KLqMohze-cdVokhL6CwBVh_AhfgZO5v7RNrFg_RBAdnrvsQ1C1HRYgYCBYAwyZp71KpOC4ygWdM40D15Rzfiqpg2gohjQ/w570-h402/IAN%20TAYLOR%20MILITANT%20smalll.jpg" width="570" /></a></div><br />Today the 29<sup>th of</sup> June 2022 marks the third anniversary of the tragic death of yet another London Black man at the hands of the Metropolitan Police Service whose last words were a premonition of the exact words used by George Floyd a year later “I can’t breathe” <o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCjISk6IZAsrkqag57qCX1TLKP2OSTE7hol75b_DFG-nGQNar3pbNmUDXEQfynjFy--odCSm8NVWRDS9imB3lQjvdRAu9buhcWsvPw7_oEOAbb6zZiOmPPheyRNJDBp51WkZBgXRHjcyrI8J4bWJeU8m__AvSVRy7a0xbqRkyHwCr13WUr--0kU91DA/s180/IAN%20TAYLOR%20Facebook%20PROFILE%20PHOTO%20Square%20180%20x%20180.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="180" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCjISk6IZAsrkqag57qCX1TLKP2OSTE7hol75b_DFG-nGQNar3pbNmUDXEQfynjFy--odCSm8NVWRDS9imB3lQjvdRAu9buhcWsvPw7_oEOAbb6zZiOmPPheyRNJDBp51WkZBgXRHjcyrI8J4bWJeU8m__AvSVRy7a0xbqRkyHwCr13WUr--0kU91DA/w277-h277/IAN%20TAYLOR%20Facebook%20PROFILE%20PHOTO%20Square%20180%20x%20180.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Just to jog your memory on this same day in 2019, the mercurial Lil Naz was breaking the internet with his new country hip hop Old Town Road tune. Donald Trump Jr tweeted and then deleted that the then-Senator Kamala Harris now Vice President wasn’t black because of her Jamaican Indian heritage. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">And on the world-famous Coldharbour Lane, Brixton South London a 54-year-old Rasta and reggae musician lay dying on what was slowly suffocating on the hottest day of the year. 54-year-old Black man Ian Taylor died in horrific circumstances surrounded by seven officers on Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, South London. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORrvhDl-9Vka0L5Asd7tM0k_ERiFRAL7KbpQk4BAGhYKDiv_0A27Y_gyaj64Pm9mxcVLL-iqybAgQKZEgRxEZrj3CTN_CijPH-QwLyp2qON4lAh5y_vV0DEJoW1OJcF6V9hq1mCDIA064pmAj7rjz7taImWJBf9Zla47RKBjeY757PXk0Jd3ZXKaBZg/s1778/Screenshot%202022-06-25%20at%2013.42.30.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1778" data-original-width="1426" height="595" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORrvhDl-9Vka0L5Asd7tM0k_ERiFRAL7KbpQk4BAGhYKDiv_0A27Y_gyaj64Pm9mxcVLL-iqybAgQKZEgRxEZrj3CTN_CijPH-QwLyp2qON4lAh5y_vV0DEJoW1OJcF6V9hq1mCDIA064pmAj7rjz7taImWJBf9Zla47RKBjeY757PXk0Jd3ZXKaBZg/w478-h595/Screenshot%202022-06-25%20at%2013.42.30.png" width="478" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>Lambeth is in a bad way. </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Disgracefully, Lambeth in terms of policing <a href="https://leejasper.blogspot.com/2022/06/lambeth-police-service-has-worst-rates.html" style="color: #954f72;">has the highest rates of race disproportionality</a> and race complaints in London. We also have one of the highest rates of stop searches, and alarmingly, according to the Met's own figures and Lambeth has the lowest level of Black public trust and confidence of any borough in London. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">You’re unlikely to have heard of the case of Ian Taylor after some research I believe the Police, the London and local press and others conspired to ensure that there was, what was in effect, a complete media blackout at the time. The reason for this should be obvious. The Police believed that had the circumstances of Ian’s death been known at the time there would have been public outrage and may have caused widespread civil disturbances if known at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/battersea-murder-family-man-40-stabbed-to-death-in-london-s-sixth-violent-killing-in-five-days-a4182236.html" style="color: #954f72;">London Evening Standard</a> reporting at the time said Ian died following a fight. That was a lie <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>Why was no one briefed? </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I have asked a range of senior politicians and some MP’s whether the Met briefed them at the time of Ian’s death in 2019, and all those asked have told me that they knew nothing about this case and they were not briefed by Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove. I have subsequently written to Mr Wingrove asking for a full audit of precisely who was briefed about Ian’s death at the time. Suffice to say I’m still waiting. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">If no elected representative or community representative were briefed, including the Leader of Lambeth local council, local MP’s, and The Mayor's Office by the Met then this represents a most serious subversion of democratic accountability and an attempt by the Met to manipulate the media. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b>Inhumane treatment. </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">As a black community, we know that one of the most insidious aspects of institutional racism in policing is that officers view Black people as less than human. Time and time again we see powerful evidence of how the culture of police racism promotes dangerous stereotypes situating any black person as capable of serious violence regardless of age, circumstance, or gender. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The culture of racism is not only malignant it is socially contagious and regularly attempts to rationalise the inexplicable. How many times has a video emerged that shows racist sometimes violent policing where the Met has offered an analysis that bears no resemblance to the real reality we can see on screen? Such is the overwhelming power of racism <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">That’s why we consistently see policing incident after incident being captured on video. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The truth is that London sees violent arrests of black people daily. The lack of compassion can be witnessed by the sickening abuse of sisters Nichole and Bibba, the brutal treatment of Child Q, and the violent arrest of a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Stockwell recently and it doesn’t stop there. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Wherever a culture of racism exists misogyny and homophobia are never far behind. The cases of Sarah Everard and Stephen Portman provide vivid evidence of the toxic reality of institutional discrimination that is fully established as an informal but all too powerful core cultural value of the Met. It used to be canteen culture, now its mainstream culture. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">And these are not isolated incidents, they reflect the reality of institutional racism that leads to the industrial dehumanisation of black people, and because officers know that over the last decade less than 3% of racism complaints against the police were upheld, they act with arrogant impunity These are figures one would expect to see in the despotic regimes of Vladimir Putin’s Russia or Kim Jong-un’s North Korea.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>Failure to tackle institutional racism. </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Met Commissioners Cressida Dick, her predecessor Bernard Hogan-Howe and Boris Johnson's eight years as Mayor of London's collective failure to tackle racism have been catastrophic. The cumulative effect positively reinforces the racist behaviour of officers, who tend towards using either overwhelming force or underwhelming compassion when dealing with black Londoners. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Whether as victims of crime or suspects the toxic culture means that Black people are rarely believed by police officers. In the Met there exists a powerful culture of doubt and disbelief that drives officers’ behaviour. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Today the sheer scale and depth of this crisis are confirmed with the news that the Met has been put into <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/london/2022-06-28/met-police-in-special-measures-over-string-of-high-profile-scandals" style="color: #954f72;">special measures</a> by </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #22252f; letter-spacing: 0.15pt;">Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b>A dog would've received better treatment. </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Let’s be clear here regarding Ian, a badly injured dog would have been treated with more compassion by these officers. There is no doubt in my mind that had a badly injured dog been found by officers that dog would have received more compassion than Ian received. The dog would have been taken straight to a local vet in a heartbeat, the cold stone reality of this culture of police racism was that Ian was left to die. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Police Bodycam.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Police body cam footage shown at Ian’s recent Inquest shows Ian in handcuffs, lying on the streets telling officers that his airways were closing. Ian was an acute Asthma sufferer and would often need his inhaler to help him breathe. Officers looked for his inhaler but failed to find it they then began mocking and laughing at Ian as he begged for his handcuffs to be taken off and be taken to the hospital. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>Ambulance.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Even though the Officers were fully aware that the Ambulance had been delayed they simply refused to take Ian to a nearby hospital. Ian is seen repeatedly begging for his life. On one of the hottest days of the year, in 34-degree heat whilst officers are sharing bottles of water not one of the Officers offered him a drink. At his Inquest dehydration was cited as a contributory cause of death. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>He says he's can't breathe....blah, blah blah.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Another police officer can be seen telling his sergeant that Mr Taylor was “playing the old ‘poor me’ card”. Six minutes before Mr Taylor went into cardiac arrest, he reported that Mr Taylor was, “saying he’s got chest pains, he can’t breathe, blah blah blah, it’s all a load of nonsense, but there we go”.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">After 25 mins officers moved him out of the sun into the back of a Police car where Ian was told that were no ambulances and that he should grow up. Five minutes later Ian had a massive cardiac arrest, officers gave him CPR, but Ian was declared dead in hospital. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Alliance for Police Accountability. (APA) </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">As Chair of the soon-to-be-launched Alliance for Police Accountability, we intend to conduct the first national consultation with Black communities in five cities in England and Wales over the next two years. The aim of this consultation is to co-produce a National Black Policing and Anti Violence, Public Health Public Charters that will set out the high-level strategic demands of policing reform and ask the question of what the black community sees as our responsibility to tackle the rise of serious violence. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>Lambeth meeting. </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">On Thursday 7<sup>th</sup> July at 6.30 pmLambeth Assembly Hall, Lambeth Town Hall we will meet to hold Lambeth Police to account for the death of Ian Taylor. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b>You need to book your <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/public-meeting-on-the-death-in-lambeth-police-custody-of-ian-taylor-tickets-371946811927" style="color: #954f72;">place online here</a> in advance. </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The meeting will give the community the opportunity to hear the detail of what happened to Ian and you can put your questions directly to Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove and local Lambeth politicians. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">We will also be joined by Marcia Rigg Chair of the United Friends and Family Campaign and sister of Sean Rigg who died in Lambeth police custody in 2008. UFFC is a solidarity and support network of families who have suffered deaths in police and prison custody.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>Social media shadow ban protical is full effect. </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The information about this event is being suppressed with shadow bans on social media and deep reluctance by anyone other than the Voice Newspaper covering this story. What that means s we need your help to break the silence. Please promote and share articles and share the flyers across your social media. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Use hashtags #Justice4IanTaylor #BlackLivesMatterUK #DeathsInPoliceCustody </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>Last word</b>...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I leave the last word to <b>Ian</b> </span><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;">Taylor’s Aunt, Pauline Taylor, recounting Ian's last words caught on video:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"><i>“‘I need my inhaler…I can’t breathe…I’m dying.’ T</i>hese were the last pleading words of my nephew. He died on the street begging for help, not from just one, but seven police officers who casually dismissed his pleas and even went so far as to laugh and mock him. What more could he have said in those moments to solicit help and simple humane compassion from those who are sworn to serve and protect. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;">What has been learnt? One officer said that he would do exactly the same given the same set of circumstances…May God help us! Our family is broken, our pain wakes us each morning and steals into our dreams at night, but in trying to heal we recognise that the disclosures relating to Ian’s untimely and cruel death can be used as a tool to bring about better training, effective practice and holistic awareness and challenge the ugly existence of unbiased racism.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p>End. </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-84948217018639037852022-06-29T09:20:00.003+01:002023-04-19T23:49:31.690+01:00Lambeth Police Service has the worst rates of police racism in London. <p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmboo93VFdyzW9WOSSpAwFSfdHX6TGI-DGlEoU55Z9qtWy_OzM0tSTTd8kUGOgUpCLG4-78qsAGTMpa8nZk5e4r6lyGdaQ8IQkINEFGpRGFt2ALB_x1b15rqKEAow4ZVmmJ9Q0WLvO1aTBLEx5iEbhTAiUluodO28hEawxhAl8FQsqG2OPZUff7xYy2w/s1956/Screenshot%202022-06-29%20at%2009.02.08.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-weight: bold; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1956" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmboo93VFdyzW9WOSSpAwFSfdHX6TGI-DGlEoU55Z9qtWy_OzM0tSTTd8kUGOgUpCLG4-78qsAGTMpa8nZk5e4r6lyGdaQ8IQkINEFGpRGFt2ALB_x1b15rqKEAow4ZVmmJ9Q0WLvO1aTBLEx5iEbhTAiUluodO28hEawxhAl8FQsqG2OPZUff7xYy2w/w511-h222/Screenshot%202022-06-29%20at%2009.02.08.png" width="511" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> Lambeth</span></o:p></span></b><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> Police Race Statistics Briefing.</span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Email: LambethYouthSafetyForum@mail.com</span><span style="text-align: start;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: right; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">29th June 2021. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Introduction. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">This paper provides a summary picture outlining the publicly available data in relation to Lambeth Police Service and Lambeth’s Black and/or BAME communities. <span> </span>For context, some additional national and regional figures are also included. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">National. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; padding: 0cm;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; padding: 0cm;">The percentage of UK Black people aged 16 and over who had confidence in their local police, by ethnicity from 2017 to 2020 dropped from </span><a href="https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/crime-justice-and-the-law/policing/confidence-in-the-local-police/latest" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">76% to 64%</span></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; padding: 0cm;"> <a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; padding: 0cm;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">London. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has recently launched a </span><a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/publications/action-plan-transparency-accountability-and-trust-policing" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Mayors Action Plan</span></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"> <a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a> focused on tackling the disproportionality of the Metropolitan use of police powers, improving trust and confidence among London African and Caribbean descent communities and consulting on improving police accountability. To help inform these discussions he has also launched a </span><a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/data-and-statistics/policing/action-plan-dashboard" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Mayors</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/data-and-statistics/policing/action-plan-dashboard" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Action Plan Dashboard</span></a><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">[3]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"> that provides access to key data in relation to trust, confidence and disproportionality. <span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">The Dashboard allows viewing of Met performance in relation to disproportionality and public perception in Lambeth in some detail<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Only 46% of Black London residents think the </span><a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/data-and-statistics/public-voice-dashboard" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;">police are doing a good</a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue;">[4]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="color: black;"> job. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">A study conducted by <b>University College London</b> published in the Guardian Newspaper in 2020 reported that all the stops and searches conducted by <b>Metropolitan, City of London and British Transport Police officers on</b> young Black males meant they were </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2020/dec/03/young-black-males-in-london-19-times-more-likely-to-be-stopped-and-searched" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">19 times</span></b></a><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"> <a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">[5]</span></b></span></span></span></a></span></b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"> more likely to be stopped and searched in London than white males.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/race-complaints-met-up-90-per-cent-b936098.html" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/race-complaints-met-up-90-per-cent-b936098.html"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Race complaints</span></a><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; padding: 0cm;"> <a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; padding: 0cm;">[6]</span></u></span></span></span></a></span></u><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> against Metropolitan Police Officers have risen by <b>90% since 201</b>8. Of <b>7300 complaints made</b> over the last nine years, only <b>59 (0-8%) were upheld.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">Between <b>April 2019 and March 2020</b> <b>in London,</b> </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">there were <b>18 stops and searches</b> for every 1,000 <b>White people</b>, compared with <b>71 for every 1,000 Black people. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f42;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f42;">In <b>2019-20</b> the Met </span><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-53407560" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="background-color: white;">used restraint</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;">[7]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f42;"> <b>18 times on Black peopl</b>e for every 1,000 of the pop. For white people, restraint was used <b>five times</b> per 1,000 of the population.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f42;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Knife Crime in London. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.met.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/foi-media/metropolitan-police/disclosure_2019/february_2019/information-rights-unit---ethnicity-of-perpetrators-and-victims-of-knife-crime-in-london-from-april-2008-to-november-2018" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;">Met figures show</a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue;">[8]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="color: black;"> that in <b>2008</b> African and Caribbean victims of knife crime stood <b>at 1,866 and rose to 2, 991by 2018</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">White victims over the same period were <b>3,948 in 2208 rising to 5,281</b><span> </span><b>in 2018.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Lambeth residents' perceptions of police. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Across all public </span><a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/data-and-statistics/public-voice-dashboard" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;">perception indicators</a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue;">[9]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="color: black;"> people’s opinions about Lambeth Police have worsened across all indicators. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: arial; padding: 0cm;">Lambeth </span><a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/data-and-statistics/public-voice-dashboard" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">residents express</span></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: arial; padding: 0cm;"> <a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><u><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">[13]</span></u></span></u></span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"> </span>the lowest level of public trust and confidence in London that Lambeth Police officers will treat them fairly</span><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">Lambet</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>h</b> <b>stops and searches. (S&S)</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.met.police.uk%2Fsd%2Fstats-and-data%2Fmet%2Fstop-and-search-dashboard%2F&data=04%7C01%7C%7Ce0b6aa1c9e7a450ee92a08d93adcca63%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637605542831650672%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=vqd9sNUPgal0opPQPbt0rsvgkttK2ACZdZAB%2FtENpn8%3D&reserved=0" style="color: #954f72; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Stop & Search volumes from May 2019</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-weight: 400;"> <a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">[10]</span></span></span></span></a> – May 2020 inclusive – </span><b style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="color: black;">17,933, and </span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-weight: 400;">Southwark – S&S volume May 2019 – May 2020 inclusive – </span><b style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="color: black;">18,434<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-weight: 400; padding: 0cm;">Positive </span><a href="https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/stop-and-search-dashboard/" style="color: #954f72; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">outcome runs</span></a><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="color: #954f72; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; padding: 0cm;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; padding: 0cm;">[11]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"> at <b style="font-weight: 400;">24%</b> meaning that <b style="font-weight: 400;">76% of </b>stop and search<b style="font-weight: 400;"> </b>results in <b style="font-weight: 400;">No Further Action</b>. (NFA) I</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">n Lambeth, that amounts to</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span><b style="font-family: arial;">25,000 people </b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">per year. being routinely stopped for no purpose. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><b>64.6%</b> of those stopped and searched in the 12 months to April 2021 were Black, compared to <b>27.4% </b>who were White and <b>5.1% </b>Asian. </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-weight: 400; padding: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">In Lambeth, Black Individuals were 5 times more likely to be stopped and searched compared to White Individuals, with Asian individuals 1.7 times more likely to be stopped and searched. </span><span style="color: #201f1e;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #201f1e; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">64.6% of those stopped and searched in Lambeth in the 12 months to April 2021 were Black, compared to 27.4% who were White and 5.1% Asian. </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #201f1e; padding: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #201f1e; padding: 0cm;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">S&S increased massively during the lockdown. </span><span style="color: #201f1e;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;">The percentage<a href="https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/stop-and-search-dashboard/" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"> of </a>positive outcomes </span><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue;">[12]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="color: black;"> ( an arrest was made) in relation to <b>S&S in May 202</b>1 was 5.1% <b>the vast majority for drugs offences</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/stop-and-search-dashboard/" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">White people are S&S</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;"> </span></span><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; padding: 0cm;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; padding: 0cm;">[14]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"> at a rate <b>22.5 per 1000</b> in Lambeth and <b>Black people at a rate of 96 per 1000. </b></span><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Lambeth (5<sup>th</sup>) and Southwark (3<sup>rd</sup>)</span></b><span style="color: black;"> are both in </span><a href="https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/london-boroughs-youre-most-likely-20586010" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;">the top 5 London</a><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="color: black;">[15]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> boroughs for stop and search. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">The consequence of being disproportionately policed is increased entry into the criminal justice system. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; padding: 0cm;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">The </span><a href="https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/crime-justice-and-the-law/courts-sentencing-and-tribunals/average-length-of-custodial-sentences/latest" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">average prison sentence</span></b></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"> for <b>Black people in 2009<a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">[16]</span></b></span></span></span></a> was 20 months</b>. For <b>Whites, it was 15 months</b>.<a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn17" name="_ftnref17" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">[17]</span></span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">By 2<b>018 for Black people </b>it had <b>risen to 28 months</b> and for <b>Whites, it was 18 months.<a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftn18" name="_ftnref18" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0cm;">[18]</span></b></span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Lambeth Police Accountability Structures</span></b><b><span style="color: black;">.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">There are no public Black community public police accountability forums re policing in Lambeth.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -18.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black;">The </span><a href="https://www.lambethlife.com/independent-advisory-group-for-lambeth-met-police/?platform=hootsuite&utm_campaign=HSCampaign" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;">LIAG’s</a><span style="color: black;"> minutes are not publicly available, neither are its terms of reference, the method of joining the group, nor its full membership (other than Chair and Vice Chair) are not publicly known. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/mgOutsideBodyDetails.aspx?ID=556" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;">Safer Lambeth Partnership Executive</a> minutes are confidential and there is no transparency re genuine and authentic community accountability. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://www.downloads.lambethcpcg.org.uk/SNB%20-%20SNP%20Paper.pdf" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;">Lambeth Safer Neighbourhood Board.</a> The Mayor’s Office has accepted that SNB’s across London are not working and is wanting to consult re improved arrangements. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://www.downloads.lambethcpcg.org.uk/Stop%20and%20Search%20PowerPoint.pdf" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;">Lambeth Stop and Search Monitoring Group</a> no longer meets and is entirely dysfunctional. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><b><img border="0" height="254" src="blob:https://draft.blogger.com/264b9a63-7b96-45fc-aacd-bfd0000f6468" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_5" width="451" /></b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Conclusion.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">The Mayors Action Plan is timely. Lambeth Police need to enter genuine consultation with Lambeth’s black communities to co-produce new police accountability and anti-racist policing framework for Lambeth. </span></p><div><br clear="all" /><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /><div id="ftn1"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[1]</span></span></span></a> Confidence in local policing. Crime, justice, and the law. Ethnicity Facts and Figures. UK Government Published 12<sup>th</sup> May 2021. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn2"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[2]</span></span></span></a> Action Plan- Transparency, accountability and Trust in Policing. Mayors Office for Crime and Policing (MOPAC) published on 13<sup>th</sup> November 2020<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn3"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[3]</span></span></span></a> Mayors Action Plan Dashboard (MOPAC) Updated Q4 2021<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn4"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[4]</span></span></span></a> Mayors Office for Policing and Crime Public Voice Dashboard June 2021<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn5"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[5]</span></span></span></a> Young black males in London ’19 times more likely to be stopped and searched’ Guardian Newspaper published 3<sup>rd</sup> December 2020 <o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn6"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[6]</span></span></span></a> Race Complaints Against Met Up 90% in two years. London Evening Standard. Published 4<sup>th</sup> June 2021 <o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn7"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[7]</span></span></span></a> Met Police are four times more likely to use force on black people BBC News. Published 30<sup>th</sup> July 2020<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn8"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[8]</span></span></span></a> Ethnicity of people proceeded against and victim of knife crime Calendar Years 2008-20198 (up to 30-11-2018) Metropolitan Police Service. Freedom of Information request. Published by Met. police.UK 7<sup>th</sup> January 2019 <o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn9"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[9]</span></span></span></a> Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime Public Voice Dashboard June 2021<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn10"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[10]</span></span></span></a> Search Volumes for Reporting Period: May 2019 to end of May 2021 Published by Met. police.UK May 2021<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn11"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[11]</span></span></span></a> Ibid (10) S&S R12 2021 Summary tab <o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn12"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[12]</span></span></span></a> Ibid (10) Outcomes Summary tab<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn13"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[13]</span></span></span></a> Ibid (1) Satisfaction Demographics<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn14"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[14]</span></span></span></a> Ibid ((6) Searches Demographics <o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn15"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[15]</span></span></span></a> The London Boroughs are where you’re most likely to be stopped and searched by police. Published by MyLondon.News 16<sup>th</sup> May 2021<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn16"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[16]</span></span></span></a> The average length of custodial sentences. Published by Ministry of Justice <a href="http://www.gov.uk/">www.gov.uk</a> 8<sup>th</sup> October 2020<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn17"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref17" name="_ftn17" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[17]</span></span></span></a> Ibid (11)<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn18"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://3A3F7648-5A00-4142-8DA7-E8C3F0633E13#_ftnref18" name="_ftn18" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[18]</span></span></span></a> Ibid (11)<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-82267137600934126902022-06-26T22:27:00.015+01:002023-04-19T23:50:08.023+01:00Rastaman Ian Taylor pleads for his life as Met Police officers laugh as he lay dying. <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">The inquest into the death of Ian Taylor, a 54-year-old black British man from Brixton, who died after suffering a cardiac arrest whilst being held by the Met Police, concluded on 19 May 2022.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqXWy5B0LW391t785ztvf9v0AyMk3NgVx6xhYp00RMx_9nLZDro1BGiWRwAbkEpWIGajb7A2v9hFgm2HhAduUwj7TIunR5_DuS_Ra_6cH6_VLuO7NgCifTdWVQBvvmgnJ6O__MeksJH6nivAE-wYzunxy-Nb3brbvVrcrN295QDY9z3JK0mFbIqFibw/s1350/IIAN%20TAYLOR%20nstagram%20PORTRAIT%201080%20x%201350.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="545" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqXWy5B0LW391t785ztvf9v0AyMk3NgVx6xhYp00RMx_9nLZDro1BGiWRwAbkEpWIGajb7A2v9hFgm2HhAduUwj7TIunR5_DuS_Ra_6cH6_VLuO7NgCifTdWVQBvvmgnJ6O__MeksJH6nivAE-wYzunxy-Nb3brbvVrcrN295QDY9z3JK0mFbIqFibw/w436-h545/IIAN%20TAYLOR%20nstagram%20PORTRAIT%201080%20x%201350.jpg" width="436" /></a></b></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/myevent?eid=371946811927">Book here for this meeting.</a><span style="color: #333333;"> </span></div><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A jury found that his medical cause of death was acute asthma and situational stress, alongside two underlying health conditions. Dehydration was also cited as a contributing factor. The jury also found that the Met’s assessment of the risk to Mr Taylor inadequate. The coroner is to refer one of the officers involved to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for further investigation. Mr Taylor’s family was represented by our Actions against Public Authorities solicitor </span></span><a href="https://www.duncanlewis.co.uk/Courtney-Smith-Action-Against-Public-Authorities-Solicitor-City-of-London-/" target="_blank"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #428bca; font-size: 10.5pt;">Courtney Smith</span></b></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Mr Taylor pleaded for help as he became short of breath whilst under arrest on 29 June 2019. An ambulance was called but was severely delayed due to demand on the service at the time. Despite repeatedly telling the all-white police officers that he could not breathe and was going to die, Mr Taylor was left handcuffed and lying on the street on one of the hottest days of the year, without an inhaler, water, shade or medical assistance. Mr Taylor was eventually moved into a police car in an effort to cool him down, but after only a few minutes in the car he suffered a cardiac arrest. He died in hospital later that evening.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The inquest heard that although the police were told the ambulance service had suspended responses to all but the most urgent calls, the officers with Mr Taylor did not consider driving him to a hospital, which was only two streets away. The Met Police’s policy is that officers are allowed to drive detainees to hospital in exceptional circumstances. Their training is clear in that those circumstances include instances where ambulances are severely delayed, and when it is believed that a person will die or that their health will seriously deteriorate if not taken to hospital immediately. However, the officers appeared not to believe that Mr Taylor was seriously unwell, telling him to “stop acting up” and to “grow up”. One described Mr Taylor’s pleas for help as “all a load of nonsense”. In addition, the officers present appeared unaware of the Met’s policy and were repeatedly heard saying on body worn video (BWV) footage that they could do nothing but wait for an ambulance.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">BWV footage viewed at the inquest showed Mr Taylor on the floor, telling officers that his airways were closing up, that he needed his inhaler and that he was dying. Although the police looked for his inhaler, they were unable to find it. On at least three occasions when Mr Taylor told the officers that he could not breathe, officers can be heard responding, “you can breathe, because you are breathing”.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Mr Taylor repeatedly begged officers to take off the handcuffs to ease the situational stress upon him. This request was repeatedly refused, due to the perceived risk he posed to officers through allegedly having been in possession of a hammer earlier in the day. Mr Taylor himself and the area around him were searched by officers and no hammer was found. Despite this, he remained handcuffed, with officer safety being prioritised over his heath.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The police are trained to measure the respiratory rate and vital signs of people suffering from asthma in order to assess the severity of their condition. The officers responsible for monitoring Mr Taylor did not do this. One officer was captured on BWV footage fetching water for herself from one of multiple plastic water bottles in a police car. When asked at the inquest why she did not offer water to Mr Taylor, she stated that this water, “belonged to other officers”.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Another police officer was recorded telling his sergeant that Mr Taylor was “playing the old ‘poor me’ card”. Six minutes before Mr Taylor went into cardiac arrest, he reported that Mr Taylor was, “saying he’s got chest pains, he can’t breathe, blah blah blah, it’s all a load of nonsense, but there we go”. When giving oral evidence at the inquest, this officer was asked several times by HM Coroner whether he had learned anything from the incident or would do things differently now. He was unable to specify a single action or learning point, maintaining that he would not change his actions in a future similar situation.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">After about 25 minutes on the ground, Mr Taylor was eventually moved to a police car, where it was thought he would be cooler. It took the efforts of two police officers to walk him to the car, as by this point Mr Taylor could barely stand. When Mr Taylor had difficulty getting into the car, one officer can be heard laughing on the body worn video footage and another saying, “you’re not helping yourself”.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Once in the car, Mr Taylor was told again by an officer that there were no ambulances available and to “stop acting up” and to “grow up”. The court heard evidence from two medical experts that Mr Taylor’s asthma symptoms were likely to have been worsened by the additional stress and panic Mr Taylor would have felt from thinking that he was not believed and that no help was coming.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">After only a few minutes in the car, Mr Taylor went into cardiac arrest and stopped breathing completely. The officers pulled him out of the car and started performing CPR. Paramedics then arrived and took over but sadly Mr Taylor died in hospital later that evening.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The court heard that the London Ambulance Service were extremely busy at the time of the incident due to the hot weather that day, with temperatures reaching a high of 34C. This led to the service holding all calls except the most urgent, meaning an ambulance was not available to be dispatched to Mr Taylor when the police first requested one.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">There was also confusion within the London Ambulance Service over the appropriate categorisation for the electronic alert sent by the police about Mr Taylor, and a lack of staff available to call the police back to get more information about his condition. Initially, the alert was placed in category 3: the lowest priority band, which has a target attendance time of two hours. One witness from the London Ambulance Service testified that once the police had updated them that Mr Taylor was having “great difficulty breathing” and had a head injury, the alert should have been upgraded to category 2 (which has a target wait time of 18 minutes), however it remained at category 3.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Although, at one late stage, an ambulance was allocated to Mr Taylor, it was then diverted to a more urgent call. The London Ambulance Service has acknowledged that the police should have been informed of this.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Submissions were made during the inquest in respect of race being a factor in the decision making of the Met Police. HM Coroner heard that in her independent review into Deaths and Serious Incidents in Police Custody, Rt. Hon. Dame Elish Angiolini DBE QC deals specifically with race and the investigative process of policing. She notes that the “stereotyping of young black men as ‘dangerous, violent and volatile’ is a longstanding trope that is ingrained in the minds of many in our society.” She further writes that INQUEST reported that its casework revealed a use of force and restraint that is disproportionate to the risks posed ‘especially where there is one detainee and a large number of officers’. She continues: “the perceived risk posed by the detainee may obscure people to their vulnerability … [s]uch perceptions increase the likelihood of force and restraint being used against an individual who may be unwell. The detainee is effectively dehumanised. In such circumstances the police officers may also use force and restraint in order to gain compliance to the exclusion of any focus on the wellbeing of the detainee which can ultimately lead to a medical crisis or death.”</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Crucially, Dame Angiolini notes that “[t]here is also concern that assumptions made about someone may lead to the denial of medical care. Experienced officers may believe they know when someone is faking an illness, but such assumptions can prove fatal.” She refers to the death of CA, where “[o]fficers laughed and joked whilst he lay dying on the floor of the custody suite. They reported that he was faking. He died after being left unconscious face down on the floor for 11 minutes.”</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">In his concluding remarks, the coroner said that he was surprised the officers did not automatically think about the distance to the hospital when assessing whether to take Mr Taylor there in the car. Regarding their monitoring of Mr Taylor’s respiratory problems, the coroner said that for some of the officers in this case, it was not a matter of lack of training but a lack of application of their training. In addition, HM Coroner described it as “dismaying” that the Met Police had done nothing for the last three years to address the conduct of the officer who had dismissed Mr Taylor’s pleas for help as “nonsense”. The coroner has now referred this officer to the IOPC for further investigation of his conduct.</span><br /><br /><b>Legal team: </b></span><a href="https://www.duncanlewis.co.uk/Courtney-Smith-Action-Against-Public-Authorities-Solicitor-City-of-London-/" target="_blank"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #428bca; font-size: 10.5pt;">Courtney Smith</span></b></a><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> acted for Mr Taylor’s aunt, Ms Pauline Taylor and the wider Taylor family. They were represented at the inquest by Daniel Grutters, of One Pump Court Chambers.</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /><br /><b>Mr Taylor’s Aunt, Pauline Taylor, said:</b><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><i>“‘I need my inhaler…I can’t breathe…I’m dying.’ These were the last pleading words of my nephew. He died on the street begging for help, not from just one, but seven police officers who casually dismissed his pleas and even went so far as to laugh and mock him. What more could he have said in those moments to solicit help and simple humane compassion from those who are sworn to serve and protect. What has been learnt? One officer said that he would do exactly the same given the same set of circumstances…May God help us! Our family is broken, our pain wakes us each morning and steals into our dreams at night, but in trying to heal we recognise that the disclosures relating to Ian’s untimely and cruel death can be used as a tool to bring about better training, effective practice and holistic awareness and challenge the ugly existence of unbiased racism.”</i><br /><br /><b>Supervising solicitor </b></span><a href="https://www.duncanlewis.co.uk/Courtney-Smith-Action-Against-Public-Authorities-Solicitor-City-of-London-/" target="_blank"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #428bca; font-size: 10.5pt;">Courtney Smith</span></b></a><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> said:</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">“If only the Metropolitan Police would have taken the words of Ian Taylor seriously, it might have prevented his death. He repeatedly told numerous police officers that he could not breathe and that he was dying but his cries for help were dismissed as ‘nonsense’. They did not follow their training, which would have allowed them to take him directly to hospital in a police car, to access the medical care that he so desperately needed. Instead, they left him fighting for his life on the ground, kept him handcuffed and failed to even offer him a sip of water in the 34 degree heat. Stark comparisons can be drawn from the behaviours identified through the Angiolini Review and the conduct of Met Police officers towards Mr Taylor on 29 June 2019, resulting in devastating consequences for Mr Taylor and his family.”<br /></span></i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span><a href="https://www.duncanlewis.co.uk/Courtney-Smith-Action-Against-Public-Authorities-Solicitor-City-of-London-/" target="_blank"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #428bca; font-size: 10.5pt;">Courtney Smith</span></b></a><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> is a solicitor and supervisor in Duncan Lewis’ Actions against Public Authorities Department, who specialises in inquests and claims against public authorities. She is a member of the Police Action Lawyers’ Group, and holds public authorities to account when they abuse their powers or fail to observe their professional obligations.<br /><br />If you are affected by any of the issues raised by this article, please contact her for advice via email at </span></b><a href="mailto:courtneys@duncanlewis.com" target="_blank"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #428bca; font-size: 10.5pt;">courtneys@duncanlewis.com</span></b></a><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> or telephone on 020 7923 8416.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-20437211883678258932022-06-11T11:00:00.060+01:002023-04-19T23:53:17.151+01:00Alliance for Police Accountability (APA) Press Release. Black Londoners Issue Open Invite to New Met Police Chief Shortlisted Candidates. <p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b style="text-align: left;">Press Release… Press Release… Press Release… Press Release.</b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b style="text-align: left;"><br /></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobEcojgcW0z5dGmpKddycaERF0s39NbljpwN4jUIdZMH6vCsGDygnTR_WJPP5rdw2nM8RvOxBOheBqbFrT1sY2k6fk_YdRDyeEsaItQYj34j7V1p36owmPQnqqeqIF_E8YFOuz_gI0WPUmqIPcrgQHPUsod5s_KQk-jXkjXDNoFTUyPaYl-rOFKP2Gw/s1970/Screenshot%202021-12-13%20at%2010.29.46.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="1970" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobEcojgcW0z5dGmpKddycaERF0s39NbljpwN4jUIdZMH6vCsGDygnTR_WJPP5rdw2nM8RvOxBOheBqbFrT1sY2k6fk_YdRDyeEsaItQYj34j7V1p36owmPQnqqeqIF_E8YFOuz_gI0WPUmqIPcrgQHPUsod5s_KQk-jXkjXDNoFTUyPaYl-rOFKP2Gw/w547-h210/Screenshot%202021-12-13%20at%2010.29.46.png" width="547" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; text-align: right;"> Immediate Release </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; text-align: right;">Sat 11th June 2022 </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 16, 26); color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 700;">London's Black Communities Issue Open Invite to Shortlisted Met Police Chief Candidates. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCg9g1sTEooQ-8-2Qv-1UMxCHYzUW-GYnbkDNRK77QiSNQ0iIZenWxJBKVl_fNFeZQIp2AQaZH8F8DS4sKy_hMA8v2D5JA-W_n3z-0IQVHIzltIyh-YOS9LjFuhWUwYmY7edQe3YWbtBpvl0QdisdA7_wHp7TUtHhLJ2N7yzcBVkKEv4cI3KQBSkIlQw/s1500/16th%20June%20Twitter%20HEADER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1500" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCg9g1sTEooQ-8-2Qv-1UMxCHYzUW-GYnbkDNRK77QiSNQ0iIZenWxJBKVl_fNFeZQIp2AQaZH8F8DS4sKy_hMA8v2D5JA-W_n3z-0IQVHIzltIyh-YOS9LjFuhWUwYmY7edQe3YWbtBpvl0QdisdA7_wHp7TUtHhLJ2N7yzcBVkKEv4cI3KQBSkIlQw/w545-h182/16th%20June%20Twitter%20HEADER.jpg" width="545" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica; text-align: start;">The </span><b style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica; text-align: start;">Alliance for Police Accountability (APA), </b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica; text-align: start;">a UK national African and Caribbean heritage organisation formed in response to the murder of George Floyd, has extended an open invitation to the two shortlisted candidates for the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to meet London's Black Communities. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica; text-align: start;">The APA is holding its second London Black communities' consultation event, </span><b style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica; text-align: start;">Met Commissioner: What do London's Black Communities Want? </b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica; text-align: start;">on <b>Thursday</b></span><b style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica; text-align: start;"> June 16th at 6.30 pm at the IDPAD Empowerment Centre, 18-24 Lower Clapton Road, London E5 0PD</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">The APA conducted a consultation on this question among its members in February 2022, followed by a very successful public event held in Brixton on March 2nd 2022, with 4,000 people either attending or taking part online. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Y</b></span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>ou can watch our first APA consultation even</b>t <b>held in Brixto</b>n </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuT6QlizLaA" style="font-family: Helvetica;">here</a><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;"><span> <b>and book your in-person place for this second</b> <a href="https://bit.ly/3ablz3M " target="_blank">event in Hackney here. </a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">The Home Secretary, Boris Johnson and Mayor for London Sadiq Khan will interview the two shortlisted Met internal candidates on June 20th, 2022. Current Met Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave and Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley are the shortlisted candidates.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOf5gIBTJTF3ogptVawbkIuQiGt5qKNKVqzqV7qlOzboq9ljh2vkmYqilh4r_FfhOxyn0UWDMTryvvq_A4W3HrvhoKB2VuEZTrXkyg0usMg4-x3h-zih0PwWCcUobsOj82bYZlfF37FRpp23PyFLCxKcZYUWLezCzIOio7eaBMTsIh-IpENI57hSEfoA/s1095/met-comm.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="1095" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOf5gIBTJTF3ogptVawbkIuQiGt5qKNKVqzqV7qlOzboq9ljh2vkmYqilh4r_FfhOxyn0UWDMTryvvq_A4W3HrvhoKB2VuEZTrXkyg0usMg4-x3h-zih0PwWCcUobsOj82bYZlfF37FRpp23PyFLCxKcZYUWLezCzIOio7eaBMTsIh-IpENI57hSEfoA/w361-h203/met-comm.webp" width="361" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">In April, the APA wrote to the Home Secretary requesting that London Black communities be informally involved in the recruitment and interview process through the London Mayors' Office. That request was acknowledged but essentially ignored by the Home Secretary.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">In March, the Brixton consultation expressed the unanimous view that any new Commissioner must accept the reality of police institutional racism. This was seen as essential if he was to repair the deep, inter-generational damage to Black public confidence in the Met, currently at an all-time low.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">Public confidence figures clearly show that the Met does not police London's Black communities with consent. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">Any new Commissioner will need to secure the support of London's Black communities if we are to avoid a severe further deterioration of what are already profoundly strained relations. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">Lee Jasper, former Director of Policing in London (2000-2008) and Chair of the APA, said</span></b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">, </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">"It's important that these candidates meet and hear from London's Black communities. Given the level of public distrust of the majority of Londoners, a majority of which are Black and Asian communities, Women and Lesbian and Gay communities. So, we've extended a genuine invitation to both candidates to attend this meeting. </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">We believe post-George Floyd, there needs to be a paradigm shift away from the toxic past practices, and there needs to be much deeper community engagement with this process. In some US states, this is an elected, not selected, position. </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">Though the government has ignored our demands, we believe that these candidates need to demonstrate that they hear, understand, and fully appreciate the depth of London's black communities' anger and concerns. </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">Therefore, both candidates are invited to come and have an informal chat, engage, and hear directly from London's Black communities themselves. Attendance would demonstrate that the candidates understand the importance of establishing a significant break with the past while respecting London Black communities. </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">W</span></i><i><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">hatever the Home Secretary's views on institutional racism in the Met, the new Commissioner, if they are to be successful, will need to sufficiently demonstrate the independence of mind, thought, and action necessary to win back a lost community to the police. They will need to be brave, very brave. “</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">All APA panellists are available for interview call 07984 181979 to arrange. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">Editor’s note. </span></b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">The </span><b style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">Alliance of Police Accountability (APA)</b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;"> is a new and powerful network of Black organisations responsible for delivering a two-year national policing consultation exercise with African Caribbean heritage communities in England and Wales. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">The APA will revisit, critically address, and reinforce the founding principles of policing as established by Sir Robert Peel and the core principle of policing with consent. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">The Project recognises both the historical and contemporary growing tensions between English and Welsh black communities and the police following the death of George Floyd and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">The Project will address two broad but essential questions. </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: start;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0e101a; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">What do black want from policing, and what do we see as the core community policing values that address institutional racism and the lived experience of black communities? </span></li></ul><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><ul style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: start;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0e101a; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">From a Public Health objective, what are our primary responsibilities in seeking to reduce serious violence in our communities? </span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;">We aim to explore the black experience of policing, co-produce a Black community policing public health framework, and develop an action plan that addresses these two critical issues. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>The APA Project was developed by the Black Men 4 Change network and is chaired by Lee Jasper of Blaksox, who conceived the Project. </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></p></div>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-3185355248279082982022-06-05T10:45:00.001+01:002023-04-19T23:50:19.044+01:00Alliance for Police Accountability (APA) Issues Open Invite to Met Commissioner Candidate's Nick Ephgrave and Mark Rowley To Meet London's Black Communities. . <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPQ-1H-N1jeszdQGrX1irlV10tcftWAC77UUXG06XjkYkJOiniL8Xjse1GbJlPgvb-XRcwjjAFDhcj1Eoq04wHJNl0C4xfCMuio3P6MQGvhHcutRJtxzBAcVGISs3gjijDIT0lr1xZm_d18cEabamrymZS0eJhQUwaqZ4MaWiAo43Qtg4PWdUI1sNKMQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2233" data-original-width="8000" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPQ-1H-N1jeszdQGrX1irlV10tcftWAC77UUXG06XjkYkJOiniL8Xjse1GbJlPgvb-XRcwjjAFDhcj1Eoq04wHJNl0C4xfCMuio3P6MQGvhHcutRJtxzBAcVGISs3gjijDIT0lr1xZm_d18cEabamrymZS0eJhQUwaqZ4MaWiAo43Qtg4PWdUI1sNKMQ=w424-h118" width="424" /></a></div><p></p><p>As the founding Chair of the newly formed and yet to be launched Alliance for Police Accountability (APA), we wrote to the Home Secretary, pointing out the need for community oversight and involvement with the Met Commissioner recruitment process. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXq4CoPx8kwoq-zN6D2-tjLzoBrQg_Zp33e_i8T9NHgIz2fd1uxiTKgV2H3wOQ_uBrto6HX2vESH_KQlzzMSL7gx4odLlxaK_tEjvu1lS2TYcnOK0VmUWPXr4CZG5xgxeXtVlb8PchiGMWx9FLVrI2tW_2fGS9-7VopAmoUQfItcwxT5UiZrXIpjJeBw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1252" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXq4CoPx8kwoq-zN6D2-tjLzoBrQg_Zp33e_i8T9NHgIz2fd1uxiTKgV2H3wOQ_uBrto6HX2vESH_KQlzzMSL7gx4odLlxaK_tEjvu1lS2TYcnOK0VmUWPXr4CZG5xgxeXtVlb8PchiGMWx9FLVrI2tW_2fGS9-7VopAmoUQfItcwxT5UiZrXIpjJeBw=w391-h290" width="391" /></a></div><p></p><p>We pointed out that Black and Asian women and the Lesbian and Gay communities - which constitute the majority of Londoners, have no public trust or confidence in the Metropolitan Police Service. Many communities lived experiences and perceptions are that they are just another systemic institutional brick in Britain's hostile environment. </p><p>We told the Home Secretary that with Londoners confidence at all-time catastrophically and unprecedented low levels, it was vital that the community has some involvement in the process. </p><p>She refused, and in response, I wrote this<a href="https://www.voice-online.co.uk/opinion/comment/2022/06/02/this-is-the-choice-for-the-next-met-police-boss-black-communities-have-invited-them-to-discuss-anti-racist-policing/?fbclid=IwAR3LZcZffY2W9tcTIWRLbUihy46ocx9IJUUgqpkJ_jmHfPeSrHD_H2wboPI#.YpiwEaE34GN.facebook"> article exclusively for the Voice. </a> You can read The APA press release below. </p><p>The APA New Met Commissioner: What Do Londons Black Communities Want? Limited Places So Book <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/met-new-commissioner-what-do-black-communities-want-tickets-353732973847">Your Place Here ASAP. </a></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEir2mZ6LIZ8tP2yj7PKcod2R5ll19sioXNFrqK5EEnmHyjtpAdVGHUC2mkBejUPz_ZcHodhuvj-G4W_mdGuNF3J2o3260CEgJOhscHTSrd7FOFQtT54K-ZWl6AnpBcbiXV6EMFN-RnbQS5Qp0GTe0YGtz7xYb7woincfmWtTDvMEqgVPYKrCFEH431i5A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEir2mZ6LIZ8tP2yj7PKcod2R5ll19sioXNFrqK5EEnmHyjtpAdVGHUC2mkBejUPz_ZcHodhuvj-G4W_mdGuNF3J2o3260CEgJOhscHTSrd7FOFQtT54K-ZWl6AnpBcbiXV6EMFN-RnbQS5Qp0GTe0YGtz7xYb7woincfmWtTDvMEqgVPYKrCFEH431i5A=w395-h494" width="395" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbA-LX-YA3U48JRnfz4cux5TtYSLlcos660UwZlz5BoMZU25w3l5SWKq6ePfmKzlhsUczJztYg3NGa2T_iO04PkIit7wBFGor1QOic3FwchlWD6IBxlE5T44vkWoOlUAcJMHB3kh2X80Yi9gds8QPWjExSYHbNTMzPTiwqMf4xEK2RwU5xE3iCOfGsA/s1170/Screenshot%202022-06-05%20at%2010.38.44.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="882" height="671" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbA-LX-YA3U48JRnfz4cux5TtYSLlcos660UwZlz5BoMZU25w3l5SWKq6ePfmKzlhsUczJztYg3NGa2T_iO04PkIit7wBFGor1QOic3FwchlWD6IBxlE5T44vkWoOlUAcJMHB3kh2X80Yi9gds8QPWjExSYHbNTMzPTiwqMf4xEK2RwU5xE3iCOfGsA/w505-h671/Screenshot%202022-06-05%20at%2010.38.44.png" width="505" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7VZxTqxCgHWpGQwoTW3nnOqilhuCozevwZp96cgSzReJtVrx69yk7rccBdPj-RNv1rniV6At_3Y9hXcpxVRcVfU4MsBp_vKtRZHxOIUarHagQdJq-1AM2V3MCe1pfk8gQZoB6ITinsB4XcIkT8Y5QtTXqSpwqRNZNBZG20Ed-gC7kAPJIHaI1FQ468g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="754" height="637" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7VZxTqxCgHWpGQwoTW3nnOqilhuCozevwZp96cgSzReJtVrx69yk7rccBdPj-RNv1rniV6At_3Y9hXcpxVRcVfU4MsBp_vKtRZHxOIUarHagQdJq-1AM2V3MCe1pfk8gQZoB6ITinsB4XcIkT8Y5QtTXqSpwqRNZNBZG20Ed-gC7kAPJIHaI1FQ468g=w409-h637" width="409" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0-VRs17ZsjF_PornLvBssqqlRqGk_NK_ougOaIO6TOukshcegcBotQmkycPuOTHAOZkOQ85f2JtQxuIXUfdcqFcrpYEhLK9ufaZnkX5YmSJp-P0wRlibmpsspZh8U-KecE4Dg69zhaZr4Hndg9zi01Th2ZTW-wm0M_Uw7I7gwyHOGo30oWH8EBJmgA/s838/Screenshot%202022-06-05%20at%2010.39.08.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="752" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0-VRs17ZsjF_PornLvBssqqlRqGk_NK_ougOaIO6TOukshcegcBotQmkycPuOTHAOZkOQ85f2JtQxuIXUfdcqFcrpYEhLK9ufaZnkX5YmSJp-P0wRlibmpsspZh8U-KecE4Dg69zhaZr4Hndg9zi01Th2ZTW-wm0M_Uw7I7gwyHOGo30oWH8EBJmgA/w472-h526/Screenshot%202022-06-05%20at%2010.39.08.png" width="472" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br />Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-74053417336458606702022-06-05T09:03:00.082+01:002023-04-19T23:50:22.253+01:00Swansea Refugee Refused Free Travel By Transport for Wales Told, 'This scheme is for Ukrainians - not people like you." <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0nol8ylG67Q19miXYH6GVTmhAKmk28Z6veETNAS4DjaZex4UDGxK_-StKloAYtEyZ5rGYIbHQXEdU_C7NrXSmVo8_4zeBN8-0P6IzxmrF7Fa45u3jULSUaYudXOAmcWFzy1hBBEx10kmzxzqcE03hoWUcHOYnZ6JZF6VEU49woqEUu9oLWLphmhObw/s4068/Screenshot%202022-06-05%20at%2009.09.21.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="4068" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0nol8ylG67Q19miXYH6GVTmhAKmk28Z6veETNAS4DjaZex4UDGxK_-StKloAYtEyZ5rGYIbHQXEdU_C7NrXSmVo8_4zeBN8-0P6IzxmrF7Fa45u3jULSUaYudXOAmcWFzy1hBBEx10kmzxzqcE03hoWUcHOYnZ6JZF6VEU49woqEUu9oLWLphmhObw/w413-h139/Screenshot%202022-06-05%20at%2009.09.21.png" width="413" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Looking at the website for Transport for Wales the scene is one of a happy multi-racial couple frolicking on a Welsh beach. The truth is the reality for Welsh Black people and refugees is very different. I have previously stated that Wales is the new race hate capital of the nation. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Swansea-based Kurdish refugee Rahman Nejad was overjoyed after recently </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">securing a work placement opportunity in nearby Barry. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7Kss2c55CNJ4l8NC4FnZ3lcXn7xxzjOEnoHwqv92lq2c_TyQ7eG3puMzfQRLWqy_ZmaUuWak5wo3iksTmLcLR-RkYVq0C8K6qANwtUNI91iPIqKUG6jb31_89TP9tFCPBANik0GcELTTaw2g7jLjvHPDz21KB9GDkNNkiDCfwiMt5MRcXxhahM6d7Q/s1114/Screenshot%202022-06-05%20at%2008.52.53.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="774" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7Kss2c55CNJ4l8NC4FnZ3lcXn7xxzjOEnoHwqv92lq2c_TyQ7eG3puMzfQRLWqy_ZmaUuWak5wo3iksTmLcLR-RkYVq0C8K6qANwtUNI91iPIqKUG6jb31_89TP9tFCPBANik0GcELTTaw2g7jLjvHPDz21KB9GDkNNkiDCfwiMt5MRcXxhahM6d7Q/w112-h162/Screenshot%202022-06-05%20at%2008.52.53.png" width="112" /></a></div>Critical to his decision to take up this opportunity was the Welsh Governments decision to allow refugees in Wales to travel free of charge on all Welsh trains and buses.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKBZcvC6sMp3VXAZM8w5pnP2qiMmIqW2JbYQ5lIs8Z3Pbinz5ftoN_9KhZrmbVCkCkytykzQ1WRAJz4jappCaGLswaNuJBt4y1GqEeN6QANIh3iumPuk7nZmMtC59CRjw2tjjNIxWSamedbwm-5sVLjYHBEK2gCNEfDRV24RDVlq20qFWuYd2mc_XSg/s1114/Screenshot%202022-06-05%20at%2008.52.53.png" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">This is a bold and brilliant initiative providing much-needed help to struggling refugees and stands in stark contrast to the English Government's hostile environment regime.</span></a></div></div><p>After working for a week, Raham left Cardiff on Thursday evening, 19th of May 2022, as he had done all week. When he arrived home in Swansea, he was asked to show his biometric card to the staff on the barriers, and there it was, he was questioned about his immigration status.</p><p>When Raham told the conductor all about the Welsh Government scheme, he was told that he should bring additional paperwork the following day to prove his refugee status. </p><p>The next day Raham went to Swansea train station, taking additional Home Office paperwork proving his refugee status. Rahman was told point-blank, "This scheme isn't for people like you; it's for Ukrainian refugees only.'</p><p>Of course, there is no such restriction as a quick visit to the Welsh government website can verify. Rahman has been utterly devastated by this and hasn't been back to his work placement since.</p><p>When his work placement employer rang up Transport for Wales and explained the incident, the employer was told, "Well, if he's in job training, he doesn't need free travel."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-S8EOo2hdRqnLSa9nVm-6Ejmu899w1p36YZ9rWJLEFQ0SQZo8fmng-fk_EMSHvlLHKeyeKOLdHR-9FKRE8NsvCA9l0uO3DyeV9WaO-bz2xpDrUyyzATdqWbbBgyM5iWBJNDCVf-wJTLmCY2sm-J3vw3QaVCBxAejRs34bJL66k0g1dB-UKOGwFFAEg/s300/Unknown.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-S8EOo2hdRqnLSa9nVm-6Ejmu899w1p36YZ9rWJLEFQ0SQZo8fmng-fk_EMSHvlLHKeyeKOLdHR-9FKRE8NsvCA9l0uO3DyeV9WaO-bz2xpDrUyyzATdqWbbBgyM5iWBJNDCVf-wJTLmCY2sm-J3vw3QaVCBxAejRs34bJL66k0g1dB-UKOGwFFAEg/w387-h217/Unknown.jpeg" width="387" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p>This is the hostile environment signalled by the Tories and whose attitude has crept into all aspects of our mostly ambivalent, often contentious relationship the British have with refugees. This Ukrainian non-Ukrainian refugee distinction mirrors the traditional Tory division between deserving and undeserving poor.</p><p></p><p>In Brexit Britain, only white Christian refugees elicit high political support and widespread public sympathy. The hostile environment signalled by Home Secretary (more like homewrecker) Priti Patel found its perfect dog-whistle execution in Swansea that day.</p><p>What happened to Rahman is just one small example of how discrimination operates in countless similar examples happening to refugees every day in our schools, hospitals, and workplaces.</p><p>For Rahman, he feels traumatised. Imagine, just as he was getting back on his feet – racism and ignorance conspired to take the small joy of finding work experience away from him.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMgwJrGTogA1-3nstgW8-mnPqpV3NIvaUdzVxq2qoBtuuOlrrkp4idxd1alpuR3MLtyefZAHcRNZ-69pFzXUO3ge6qMPqUH1JsGp2Hxs6Wuymeit0jWCa1scZWe4mLuyaiZVj2aKmuk4IIqWq4V1GXzTaO5D-iXP4eL-Nfu4GuKVxSdqsN72FxJ4ClA/s509/Unknown.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="99" data-original-width="509" height="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMgwJrGTogA1-3nstgW8-mnPqpV3NIvaUdzVxq2qoBtuuOlrrkp4idxd1alpuR3MLtyefZAHcRNZ-69pFzXUO3ge6qMPqUH1JsGp2Hxs6Wuymeit0jWCa1scZWe4mLuyaiZVj2aKmuk4IIqWq4V1GXzTaO5D-iXP4eL-Nfu4GuKVxSdqsN72FxJ4ClA/s320/Unknown.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Let's hope Transport for Wales can ensure this never happens again. </p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-83938117364490257102022-01-25T07:39:00.004+00:002023-04-19T23:50:26.864+01:00Muhammad speak of Malcolm...<p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgepCcCipdnNE8F7t3RY8ZxoBS3MFgJ32v3YekUzNJChW7V8kzmFmgdT41XonOOKzyDede3Ds6J7E07sbiFOouqoHvHhJ6caFvNrIyKQbLi_pbxa5ViSVUXeRPGGw3d6KFqxF_yEWgkzZqV3YnYHzxl7xsRI8G42iWgPOok5aupnpAAdrWuC-gWVNWNjg=s1350" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgepCcCipdnNE8F7t3RY8ZxoBS3MFgJ32v3YekUzNJChW7V8kzmFmgdT41XonOOKzyDede3Ds6J7E07sbiFOouqoHvHhJ6caFvNrIyKQbLi_pbxa5ViSVUXeRPGGw3d6KFqxF_yEWgkzZqV3YnYHzxl7xsRI8G42iWgPOok5aupnpAAdrWuC-gWVNWNjg=s320" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Turning my back on Malcolm was one of the mistakes that I regret most in my life. I wish I'd been able to tell Malcolm I was sorry, that he was right about so many things. But he was killed before I got the chance. He was a visionary ahead of us all. Malcolm was the first to discover the truth, that color doesn't make you a devil. It is the heart, soul, and mind that define a person. Malcolm was a great thinker and an even greater friend. I might never have become a Muslim if it hadn't been for Malcolm. If I could go back and do it over again, I would never have turned my back on him." </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Muhammad Ali</span></p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-72981853329284887242022-01-23T16:19:00.012+00:002023-04-19T23:50:30.821+01:00Cardiff Mural Attack. White Saviours Need Not Apply. <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaq9KbGGvOsatx-8gPON2NhlMv1GDWYNEgdNA-UZrNzQVvoOe60AdfO2acYKqbdZNrOAV4UQlBvtSHI4zkb92BdgOlVq31em2ROJ5_DKVDWbVwHDYbxPtkRK7xu-AF86rhqTdp0uIPNHlf/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="830" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaq9KbGGvOsatx-8gPON2NhlMv1GDWYNEgdNA-UZrNzQVvoOe60AdfO2acYKqbdZNrOAV4UQlBvtSHI4zkb92BdgOlVq31em2ROJ5_DKVDWbVwHDYbxPtkRK7xu-AF86rhqTdp0uIPNHlf/w604-h340/FJtKItSXsA0LA2d.png.webp" width="604" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The saga of a wonderful wall mural celebrating Cardiff’s rich cultural diversity that was first vandalised last November and then painted over to make way for a McDonalds advert unfolded throughout all last week. The work is part of series of murals commissioned for the local area and painted a local Black led youth artist’s organisation Unify Creative. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Thanks to the swift intervention of Black Lives Matter Cardiff and the subsequent firestorm of online protest McD’s swiftly issued a public statement stating that the whole thing was an error, and they would now commission the original black youth artist organisation to fully restore the mural. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">All well and good you might and say and a victory for common sense but there are some issues that need exploring further. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMWQN3eSdiI2JrMLYXoc4Yz27tcaAPnONOlHT6KuW1s8o-tLRHwkKoX4tB6jMcdBrubiyPwkLypFKV2dXs6L5lFMb1SOOlRseyHC8JwKvFaYXtnP5Ev1gs5I-7WFHDdpDaMsjx7hi1rdZj/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1658" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMWQN3eSdiI2JrMLYXoc4Yz27tcaAPnONOlHT6KuW1s8o-tLRHwkKoX4tB6jMcdBrubiyPwkLypFKV2dXs6L5lFMb1SOOlRseyHC8JwKvFaYXtnP5Ev1gs5I-7WFHDdpDaMsjx7hi1rdZj/w428-h241/Screenshot+2022-01-23+at+13.23.11.png" width="428" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">One that immediately comes to mind is the fact that such a mural was subjected to a racist attack at all. What happened subsequently is interesting for several reasons which I’ll go into later, but one of the key questions for me is how does a 50-foot mural on James Street, Butetown get subject to a racially motivated attack and yet is literally next door to Cardiff Bay Police Station and no one was seen nor have there been any arrests following the incident? <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The other interesting dynamic was the local campaign to save the mural. A public crowd funder was launched out of nowhere by local white woman Sarah Bowen to have the mural restored. That’s where the problem started. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The days when white people can act as white saviours and lead the anti-racist struggle are long gone. In a post-George Floyd world, there can be nothing about us without us. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">What Sarah should’ve done of course is properly consult with and partner with local Black community organisations and worked with them, in addition to Unify Creative to save the mural. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Instead, she rushed headlong into the black leadership space, <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">She then got into a public spat with one of the Unify Creative team about the cost of repairing the mural. Rallying people to her cause she started accusing the Unify Creative artist of intimidating her, not wanting to account for money, she hadn't even handed over. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">When the pressure mounted she went on to racially profile this young black artist describing him as ‘intimidating and 7ft tall.’ <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Anytime I hear white women making these kinds of accusations about violent black men history has taught me to pause in offering instant solidarity. The reasons will be well known to most– it’s the Southern Belle Syndrome. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Today this presents itself as unaccountable white saviours who expect total deference and applause for their unsolicited efforts to lead the black community and when Black communities push back – they nail themselves to the anti-racist cross and weep they’re being bullied by aggressive black men and women. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Let me be clear, for the avoidance of doubt, the role of white people in fighting racism is to fully support black leadership. This is the defining politic of the anti-racist struggle. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Time after time we’re battling with white saviours who think they have a right to lead our struggle on our behalf, whether it's something as straightforward as restoring a mural or having the temerity to attack black leadership using every racist trope in the Southern Belle handbook.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Sarah had no real mandate to launch a public appeal, she didn’t consult with Cardiff’s black organisational leadership and when she was challenged and held to account, ...well you know the script. Having an independent charity holds the money rather than becoming the sole gatekeeper was the right move - she never made. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">My message to white anti-racists like Sarah and her white supporters in Cardiff is simple, stay in your lane, your role is to support black leadership not to supplant or undermine it. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">We’re tired of the white liberalism that has no black perspective, is accountable to no one and expects to be applauded and lauded. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Those days are done and unless you’re invited to work with black communities and even then, are prepared to be fully accountable, consult with us and stick to your behind the scenes, designated anti-racist support role, you’re not ready. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Can’t do that, then whatever your noble intentions, you’ve just become part of the problem. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Well done Unify Creative and BLM Cardiff you get the five-star black salute. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-86063131925717318692022-01-09T08:08:00.004+00:002023-04-19T23:50:34.299+01:00Devastating statement of Mohamud Hassan Family One Year On From His Death #Justice4MohamudHassan #ReleaseTheBodyCam #BlackLivesMatter #SuspendTheOfficers <p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjuQLHG5MqSgoaOmKOrRnAy4ce-SueV6YSPYyz4y6jN5xAQchWnHfKFTFUVJb1DUrvl40C126N4iOM6fH3VzMP_EsBZTGznJnZw1aIGyJtH0LQZCF2CbbplOXgi-bNJNPM4fqQGLoMHTutnIXROJBoGWIZDWMwPjeLaeqcSIKEScS1lO1MIJ1sX4ld_A=s1726" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1726" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjuQLHG5MqSgoaOmKOrRnAy4ce-SueV6YSPYyz4y6jN5xAQchWnHfKFTFUVJb1DUrvl40C126N4iOM6fH3VzMP_EsBZTGznJnZw1aIGyJtH0LQZCF2CbbplOXgi-bNJNPM4fqQGLoMHTutnIXROJBoGWIZDWMwPjeLaeqcSIKEScS1lO1MIJ1sX4ld_A=w571-h219" width="571" /></a></div><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b><b><div style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> T</span></b><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">witter @Justice4Mohamud Instagram @Justice4MohamudHassan</span></b></div></b></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Press Release: 9<sup>th</sup> January 2022</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Mohamud Hassan Family Statement on the first anniversary of his death following detention in police custody at Cardiff Police Station on 9th of January 2021.</span></b></div></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>Families Call to Action:</b> The Hassan family ask that you support the one year anniversary <b>Twitter & Insta storm toda</b>y and demand that the Attorney </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">General Suella Bravemen and Home Secretary Priti Patel instruct the IOPC to #ReleaseTheBodyCam and fully suspend the six South Wales Police under investigation. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>Use hashtags </b>#Justice4MohamudHassan #ReleaseTheBodyCam #BlackLivesMatter #SuspendTheOfficers please tag Braveman and Patel if possible. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVxFy_tXoVbIay3kriK354SMc8IISwJ7ZDS7UHHA6rYxRSpYOfO5t5WEi412XaoFVx6KKcfgyqYsasZ1ePe-PAS2riAGQFWZMyNmzFYNJ7JYq6Zt3C7dktbzu2hgEX5LVfDIO9ifKXpbtmtKrSTyrSxOZ23HLrrb00RBrfYA8Jto1LFEIrvVop_kbJzw=s615" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="615" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVxFy_tXoVbIay3kriK354SMc8IISwJ7ZDS7UHHA6rYxRSpYOfO5t5WEi412XaoFVx6KKcfgyqYsasZ1ePe-PAS2riAGQFWZMyNmzFYNJ7JYq6Zt3C7dktbzu2hgEX5LVfDIO9ifKXpbtmtKrSTyrSxOZ23HLrrb00RBrfYA8Jto1LFEIrvVop_kbJzw=w445-h296" width="445" /></a></div><p style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> Zyanab Hassan </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 16, 26);"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mohamud's Aunt.</span> </span></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><br /></span></p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">Mohamud Mohammed Hassan, 24, returned to his home, battered, bruised and blood stained on 9</span><sup style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> January 2021 following his arrest at his Newport Road flat the previous evening. He was arrested on suspicion of a breach of the peace and taken to Cardiff Bay police station. </span><div><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 16, 26);"><br /></span></span><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">Mohamud was released without charge. He died in his own bed later that day. A post-mortem later failed to establish a cause.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">The family have also issued a call to action calling the public to support a planned Twitter & Instagram storm for justice scheduled between 5 pm and 7 pm January 9th, 2022.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><strong><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">The Mohamud Hassan family statement reads. </span></strong><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">"One year on from the untimely and suspicious death of our beloved family member Mohamud Hassan we remain a family in shock at the treatment from we received Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) throughout the last year.</span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">We call on Attorney General Suella Braverman and Home Secretary Priti Patel to intervene and demand that the IOPC release all police bodycam and CCTV footage to the Hassan family immediately. Further, we call on South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, whose silence on Mohamud's death has been deafening, to support our demand that all sic police officers be suspended from duty immediately. </span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">Initially, South Wales Police and the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) both issued press statements in the wake of Mohammud's death. They all reported that Mohammud told everyone the day he died that Cardiff police officers had beaten him up. The implicit suggestion indicated that there was no case to answer despite the expressed concerns of the friends, family, and witnesses.</span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">As a family, all we've ever wanted is honesty and answers. We have had none of that. The Police and the IOPC have conspired to cover up, obscure, frustrate, delay and dispute our search for the truth.</span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"></span></em></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjp0JGX54Ffv6H6DXynB4Kwcb5aKBei-1deFVYT2Meq9v2zUuIDqtAyptGbb78U1c1EYg3wb1qsrLAQUTOrwF4VuazNWRl05s7Vx4pzXx3TRvH6Lho3dtVv2hlgYqTFg2xPlEgMCR4PF_-zx_T3w2-fxfnApqOkwBX5VhgwfshgBrV19WYepJ82LuYHog=s615" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="615" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjp0JGX54Ffv6H6DXynB4Kwcb5aKBei-1deFVYT2Meq9v2zUuIDqtAyptGbb78U1c1EYg3wb1qsrLAQUTOrwF4VuazNWRl05s7Vx4pzXx3TRvH6Lho3dtVv2hlgYqTFg2xPlEgMCR4PF_-zx_T3w2-fxfnApqOkwBX5VhgwfshgBrV19WYepJ82LuYHog=w416-h235" width="416" /></a></em></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><br /></span></em></em></p><em>As of today, six Cardiff police officers are now under investigation, and the only reason we believe that happened was due to our relentless questioning of the Police version of events.</em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">We have repeatedly requested that the IOPC provide the family and our legal team access to the video showing the final hours of Mohamud's life. Despite our repeated requests for access to film recording of the last hours of Mohamud's life, the family have been consistently denied access by the IOPC. </span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">We believe that all families of those that die in suspicious circumstances in police custody should have an automatic right enshrined in law to get immediate access to police bodycam footage showing exactly what happened during their final moments on this earth.</span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">Police body cam videos were introduced to help improve public trust and confidence and enhance police accountability.</span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">That hasn't happened, and public trust and confidence in South Wales Police have deteriorated. </span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">Part of the reason for this is that most families who suffer a death in custody are routinely denied access to this footage because the IOPC wishes to dampen down public outrage whilst the police, we believe, use these body cam videos to construct a plausible legal defence. </span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">Had the footage of Mohamud's last moments been released to us, then we would have been spared the slow torturous agony of consistently speculating day by day on precisely what happened to him that awful night.</span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">In stark contrast, we see in the US, after a death in police custody, police bodycam videos being released on demand to families in the immediate aftermath of such incidents. </span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the tremendous support we’ve received as a family from the public. Your continued support has been of enormous help to us in enduring the last year.<o:p></o:p></span></em></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></em></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">Please continue to support and take part in our all-day Twitter and Instagram storm for justice on January 9<sup>th</sup>, 2022, with a power surge between 5 pm – 7pm. <o:p></o:p></span></em></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></em></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">We’re also requesting people post pictures or videos tagging both the Attorney General and the Home secretary with the hashtags #ReleaseTheBodyCam #Justice4MohamudHassan</span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><strong><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">Shavanah Taj, General Secretary of Wales TUC and a supporter of the campaign, said. </span></strong><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">"The Wales TUC remains resolute in our commitment and support for Mohamud Hassan's family and the wider community, who are seeking an honest and transparent explanation of his death. Given historical allegations of institutional racism levelled at South Wales Police and other recent cases of police brutality, we need to ensure that the investigation is subjected to independent legal scrutiny, supported by independent expert witnesses.</span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">We have a duty to stand up to racism and systemic structural inequality and call out racism wherever we see it. It is important that the trade union movement in Wales continue to support our members both inside and outside of the workplace, and how we respond to tackling widespread inequality must remain a priority."</span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><strong><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">Hilary Brown, CEO VC services the Hassan legal representative, said, </span></strong><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">"The length of time it has taken for the IOPC to conclude their investigation is totally unacceptable. The family made requests early in the investigation to disclose the police bodycam and CCTV of MH that both the IOPC and South Wales Police have access to – which has still not been disclosed to the family. This failure has significantly contributed to the ongoing trauma suffered by the family. This denial constitutes a cruel and unusual punishment for a family seeking nothing more than the truth as to what happened to their beloved Mohammud."</span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><strong><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">Zita Holbourne, National Chair &Co-founder of Black Activist's Rising Against Cuts (BARAC UK), said</span></strong><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">"It's a national scandal that a year on the Hassan family have no idea how Mohamud died, and yet both the IOPC and South Wales Police have had unrestricted access to this footage. It's utterly unacceptable, and the Attorney General should instruct the IOPC to release the police bodycam footage immediately." </span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><strong><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">Lee Jasper Campaign spokesperson said. </span></strong><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">"<i>It's<em> time to end the scandal that sees families suffering the pain and grief of losing a loved one whilst in police custody and simultaneously trying to search for the truth. The release of this footage should be a matter of human rights, and families should be given unrestricted access to police bodycam footage. We call on the public to support this critical demand. </em></i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">So do ask that you write and demand that Attorney General Suella Braverman and the Home Secretary Priti Patel, two women of colour, by the way, instruct the IOPC to release all police bodycam and CCTV footage to the Hassan family immediately. </span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">The family also repeat the call on South Wales Police Crime Commissioner Alun Michael to suspend the six officers under investigation from duty. In no other profession can you be under investigation for suspicion of causing death and remain at work.</span></em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0e101a;">We suspect the real reason that both South Wales Police and the IOPC refuse to release this footage is as evident as it is outrageous. It allows both to manage the public and media backlash and provides an opportunity for the officers involved to construct their legal defence." </span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">A preliminary pre inquest hearing was held 3<sup>rd</sup> March 2021. The full Inquest hearing is scheduled for 27<sup>th</sup> May 2021 at Pontypridd Coroners Court and will accessible online.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">End</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p></div>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-58743734814306843672021-11-01T10:23:00.006+00:002023-04-19T23:50:37.231+01:00UK Black doctors facing the sack because of NHS racism at the hands General Medical Council?<p><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This is an update on the story of Dr Gladys Ngozika Johnson-Ogbuneke, a Registrar Orthopaedics, trainee doctor who was struck off by the General Medical Council GMC. She was struck off following serious and unsubstantiated allegations made against her. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">You can watch part 1 of the good Dr's harrowing story <a href="https://youtu.be/1E74XKYkRVk" target="_blank">here </a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Also please take a moment to <a href="https://www.change.org/p/general-medical-council-justice-for-nhs-dr-gladys-ngozika-johnson-ogbuneke " target="_blank">sign and share</a> her petition to the GMC </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">And finally in the name of justice and Jesus, we ask that you please like, share, and promote this video. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-X1S02A1FIQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="-X1S02A1FIQ"></iframe></div><p></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It's a national scandal that the systemic racism of the NHS continues to destroy the careers of talented black doctors. This makes even less sense given the fact that right now the NHS is so short of doctors. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We ask that you help share this video, a unique insight into the horrendous experience of some African-trained doctors working in the UK NHS. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It's appalling that after investing time, money, and energy to achieve the dream of becoming a surgeon, Black doctors then have their careers canceled as a result of NHS institutional racism</p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-80266228191569138852021-10-25T10:30:00.002+01:002023-04-19T23:50:40.645+01:00Got Polio? Me neither. Thanks Science. #covid19uk <p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">As black people we all know the history and contemporary realities of racism in medicine. We also know that vaccines have saved millions of lives. Both are true and are in no way contradictory. </span><br style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit !important;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit !important;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Surely we are capable of assessing the pros and cons and making rationale, informed decisions? I know I have and I've been doubled jabbed. Those who refuse vaccination will just prolong the agony. </span><br style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit !important;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit !important;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When the stakes are either wholesale death or temporary restrictions on your liberties then the choice is obvious. </span><a data-attribute-index="0" href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=covid19uk&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6858325589481410560" style="background: var(--artdeco-reset-base-background-transparent); border: var(--artdeco-reset-link-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--color-text-link-visited); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit !important; margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); position: relative; text-decoration: var(--artdeco-reset-link-text-decoration-none); touch-action: manipulation; vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);">#Covid19UK</a></p><p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Fira Sans, Ubuntu, Oxygen, Oxygen Sans, Cantarell, Droid Sans, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Lucida Grande, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><a data-attribute-index="0" href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=covid19uk&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6858325589481410560" style="background: var(--artdeco-reset-base-background-transparent); border: var(--artdeco-reset-link-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--color-text-link-visited); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit !important; margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); position: relative; text-decoration: var(--artdeco-reset-link-text-decoration-none); touch-action: manipulation; vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XpRclv15M3BE8_5hXJVF5j6eusNmYb70YkB0t3hZrzNpuAegwOKMeMvc65S-FL_04jVNo3VcwOV1koBb-IgvUb3fjnDFOOXzbzXnIT3kk2km91pKu06m8WzfbBKjkhAH9pufZ9d6Ke93/s1280/thumbnail_Got+Polio+panel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="1280" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XpRclv15M3BE8_5hXJVF5j6eusNmYb70YkB0t3hZrzNpuAegwOKMeMvc65S-FL_04jVNo3VcwOV1koBb-IgvUb3fjnDFOOXzbzXnIT3kk2km91pKu06m8WzfbBKjkhAH9pufZ9d6Ke93/w400-h283/thumbnail_Got+Polio+panel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-8842488643294102762021-10-23T09:31:00.005+01:002023-04-19T23:50:44.519+01:00When we go to jail everybody gets paid: Black youth prison population doubles. #BlackHistoryMonthUK<div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Warning: A long read. Apologies but life's complicated. Don't read if you haven't got time. Wait until you do and get some fresh green tea, sip gently and read slowly. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The problem of Black school exclusions is as old as the hills, and its history goes as far back as the 1960's. The headline below is a blast from the past. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2cNHMt-EtjVs2m_6FHB6FpOCD_KkzVSo7v1_fZMQ51YSLLXjAA8hVpFXhNA7dOpE4gq3s1zzITrHWBmcGtaMAe1voHUDvUh46inv9YEOvhihm5vSas7Hj79hhtLQO-mWN8zjHgERPQXB/s1620/Screenshot+2021-10-23+at+09.19.16.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="1620" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2cNHMt-EtjVs2m_6FHB6FpOCD_KkzVSo7v1_fZMQ51YSLLXjAA8hVpFXhNA7dOpE4gq3s1zzITrHWBmcGtaMAe1voHUDvUh46inv9YEOvhihm5vSas7Hj79hhtLQO-mWN8zjHgERPQXB/w400-h186/Screenshot+2021-10-23+at+09.19.16.png" width="400" /></a></div><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">It's a timely reminder during <b>Black History Month</b> of the resilience of English institutional racism as an issue that constitutes a real and present danger, a fundamental threat to the safety and success of future generations. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Black school exclusions in England today are </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4383324521830680611/884248864329410276#" style="color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">at their highest level ever</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> recorded.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The fact is systemic racisms in the UK are also getting worse, not better. The Government calculates the number of prison places needed in the future from the school exclusion rates today. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Prison cells reserved for black people. Your brand new, black child's cell is designed, built, and awaits their intended and planned arrival. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I have said before and will say again unemployed black youth are worth more to the state - in jail - than claiming universal credit on the road</strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Think about it. When we go to jail, everybody gets paid. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The police officer, probation officer, social worker, prison staff, architects, and prison builders all feed off black youth's direct demonisation and commodification. Our children are seen as nothing more than the raw material needed to keep the prison industrial profit complex moving. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">It's costs well over £100k a year to keep a young person in jail, and it costs £49,000 to send them to Eton. Do the maths…</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">They've unleashed a covert plan focused on the intentional mass criminalisation of Black communities on an unprecedented scale. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Today the number of Black youth in youth offender institutions in England has increased by 100% since 2010. </strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The bad news the Gov has recently <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/four-new-prisons-boost-rehabilitation-and-support-economy">announced </a>they're spending £2.5 billion in building 10,000 new jail cells. </strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Research by </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4383324521830680611/884248864329410276#" style="color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Release</span></a><span style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> and the </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4383324521830680611/884248864329410276#" style="color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">David Lammy MP</span></a><span style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> report in racism in the criminal justice system, have shown that Black people suffer an apartheid type of policing and racial injustice at every stage of the criminal justice system . </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Using drug laws, black youths and adults are being charged for like offences, for which white people with more extensive criminal records get a caution. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Once in court, systemic racism is ratcheted up again. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">We are less likely to receive bail, more likely to be convicted, and if so will receive a considerably longer sentence, and we are far less likely to get parole than our white counterparts. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">We have to stop pussyfooting around. </strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I have long advocated we need to adopt radical political action in response. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Is it any wonder some young people have no respect for their elders - when we have left them at the mercy of entrenched and festering systemic racism that sits at the heart of the criminal justice system? </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Too many Black people in years past rejected radical action and civil rights confrontation with the state opting for the genteel, well paid, glacial gradualism that's always presented as progress but constitutes nothing more than total and insipid failure. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b>Too many Zippidie-do-dah blacks were and remain content with chump change and small gains. </b></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">They're opening gambit to ingratiate themselves with white liberals or Tories went something like this; </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">"</span><em style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">We think Lee, though well-meaning is unreasonable, he's too radical; it's all about him. We can do the job, and we understand what's needed. </em></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><em style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></em></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><em style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Oh, look what he's saying now, Massa - black schools? Why he's nothing more than an racist extremist." </em></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I was the Barbarian at the gate, and many a black liberal used me and others to good effect in climbing that greasy pole to big-money careers. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">All they had to say is we don't agree with Lee or the countless number of other genuine community activists who we're also demanding radical action, and that was enough to get you a job. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">In 1999 2.4% of African Caribbeans were police officers. In 2021 it's 2.9%</strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">How much money has been spent on Heads of Diversity, HR and D&I specialist diversity consultants? Billions. </strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Far too many black professionals back then and still today provide 'diversity and inclusion' cover for institutions that incentivise systemic racism, as is the case with school exclusions, policing and the criminal justice system. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Less diverse schools - make more money. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The whiter the school - the longer the queues to get in. The blacker the classroom, the longer the queues to get out. </strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">That is the nature of racial capitalism - to make blackness pay for its obstinate and offensive existence. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">And this starts in schools. They fail us - then they jail us. Yet just like baby lambs, too many of us are prepared, for a few pennies more, to suck on their vinegar tits solution, smile for the camera and call it nectar. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Black youth unemployment is higher today than it was in 1981. Some 40 years later, and nothings changed? </strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">It's 2021; we should have our schools, large scale business, social care and medical centres, own our politicians - they're all funded by somebody. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">If we are to escape a descent into the hell that we've seen in American cities in the '80s onwards and even Chicago today, if we are to avoid that dreadful future for our children - we must break and not remake the system. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Garvey told you, Nkhruma told you, Winnie Mandela told you - African solidarity, self-help and knowledge of history and self - none can keep us down or set us free- but ourselves.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Whilst they've built the predatory machine known as the school to prison pipeline, we've sat back and observed its construction.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">It's like someone building a gallows for you outside your home, and they hire you as a Gallows consultant.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I despair that radical voices like mine, and I was by no means alone, failed in our duty to convince the masses to move in a consistent, effective and radical manner. </strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">It's a failure, I feel personally after 40 years in the trenches</strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">All that was predicted, Fortess Europe, more racist immigration controls, rampant intuitional racism in policing and criminal justice, and profound social and economic exclusion, as a result of more racism and more discrimination - all has sadly come to pass. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Systemic racism has to be systemically dismantled. Its ability to resist reform is evident from the bursting cells filled with young black faces - commodified and made a 'profit centre' just like our ancestors.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">It's necessary to do the research - but what's the point when research doesn't result in the easing of pain, discomfort and challenge to the powers that be? </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">We have paralysis of analysis and a paucity of praxis.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">It's time for that old-time radicalism now, and it requires political education and organisation.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The sooner we start building the truly unified movement we all agree we need, the sooner we can get their knees off all our children's necks.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Let's make racism black history. </strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4383324521830680611/884248864329410276#" style="color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">#SchoolExclusions</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4383324521830680611/884248864329410276#" style="color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">#SchoolPrisonPipeline</span></a></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4383324521830680611/884248864329410276#" style="color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">#BHM2021</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4383324521830680611/884248864329410276#" style="color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">#blackhistorymonthuk</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4383324521830680611/884248864329410276#" style="color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">#SystemicRacism</span></a></p></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div></div>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-63173699910813912442021-07-14T11:12:00.003+01:002023-04-19T23:50:47.320+01:00The Siyanda Mngaza case has deep roots in our historical experience.<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US"> FREE SIYANDA <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US"></span></i></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlWxT7AE3F6WryHz2_hkw2MGrJrHL4WpLalbemgSA_Ht4whztk7fmzTm_daHpIKbcmL7RgiOtKTVOTZJ_QmPIP1t35k2FSXXgkh2Tf62CPBs6xTpukX3iBrqVaPdp5TM5B3wSTuOMlP0B/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1156" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlWxT7AE3F6WryHz2_hkw2MGrJrHL4WpLalbemgSA_Ht4whztk7fmzTm_daHpIKbcmL7RgiOtKTVOTZJ_QmPIP1t35k2FSXXgkh2Tf62CPBs6xTpukX3iBrqVaPdp5TM5B3wSTuOMlP0B/w400-h230/Screenshot+2021-07-14+at+11.09.33.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siyanda Mngaza; Still fighting for justice. </td></tr></tbody></table><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></i></b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Author:Daniella Maison BA (Hons) MA </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US">In 1944, mother of three, Lena Baker began working for a man named Ernest Knight. Knight was an older white man who had broken his leg but owning a gristmill he needed a helper. It wasn’t long before the abuse began, and Knight sexually assaulted Lena multiple times, keeping her imprisoned for days at a time in "near slavery." One night an argument between the two ensued, during which Knight made one of his many threats to Baker, this time to beat her with an iron bar. As she tried desperately to escape, they struggled over his pistol, and she shot and killed him. She immediately reported the incident and said she had acted in self-defense. The police arrested her. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US">A few months later when it went to court, the trial lasted just four hours. Four hours was all it took to find Lena guilty. Four hours for the all-white, all-male jury to reject Lena’s plea of self-defense and convict her of capital murder on the very first day of the trial, knowing that the charge carried an automatic death sentence. No witnesses were called in her defense. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US">Lena was executed by electrocution on March 5, 1945, the only woman in Georgia to ever sit on the electric chair. Lena is buried in an unmarked grave behind Mount Vernon Baptist Church, where she had once sung in the choir. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US">In 2005, the Parole Board granted Baker a full and unconditional pardon. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">They will tell you Lena’s story was many years ago, that since then society has made serious progress, the world is different, the world is ‘woke’. As we commemorate a year since the public execution of George Floyd, there has been some acknowledgment of the physical violence that the diaspora has faced for generations at the hands of the police and the justice system. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Yet long before this ensanguined episode, ‘excessive force’ and ‘police brutality’ were terms that sent shivers down the spine of the collective. 21 years ago, the diaspora squirmed at the footage of Rodney King’s mauling, writhed at the image of his hands raised protectively over his head as he cowered beneath the thrashing batons and brutal shoe soles of the authorities. We held our heads in our hands as we saw ourselves, our fathers, brothers, and our sons lying powerlessly on the pavement, flagellated like a scene from Mississippi Burning. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">T</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">he very image of a group of white Here to Serve men beating a single unarmed black man was too much of a painful reminder of savagery and lynching within our genetic memory, an emblematic twinge, the symbolism of which thumped us, moved us, changed us. It never stopped. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">I use the word ‘us’. Some reading this will tell me these are things that are happening in America, ‘where they have guns’, but as Diaspora we are part of the same system, victim to and survivors of the same agenda. So, the British police may not carry guns (George Floyd was not lynched by a<b> </b>gun,<b> </b>but by an agenda) and the deaths of Sarah Reed, Roger Sylvester, Joy Gardener, Mohamud Mohammed Hassan, (and the endless list of those who lay slain, imprisoned, brutalized) tell us they are just as focused; they tow the same line; they might lynch us <i>without guns</i> if the opportunity is there.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Recently, Police constable Benjamin Monk was found guilty of the manslaughter of ex-professional footballer Dalian Atkinson. He was jailed for 8-years in a landmark case. The last time a police officer was successfully prosecuted in the UK concerning the death of somebody in custody was in 1969.<i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Violence and lynching aren’t the only method of police brutality the Black and brown community are up against. Excessive force, baton beatings, chokeholds, use of firearms, unlawful takedowns, wrist locks, ground-pinning, unwarranted use of tasers (and knees), wrongful search and seizure, denial of medical care, false arrest and wrongful imprisonment are just some of the weapons brandished for demise. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Siyanda Mngaza’s story was brought to my attention by Lee Jasper, who has been steadfastly garnering awareness for Siyanda’s story, one so grossly low-down and underhand, I had to join the cause in telling it loudly. I was hit with all the same emotions as I was when I sat down to write about Sarah Reed’s plight several years back. But for both being Black female victims of the system, Siyanda’s story is different though hearing its nefarious details impacted me to the core, sharply, empirically. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Siyanda… <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Siyanda was full a young woman of radiance. A promising future ahead of her, she was an HR officer, and had already worked a position for the South Wales Fire Service. 4ft 10 inches in stature, tall in spirit she had overcome adversity in her 20-years of life, including disability, and her family and friends describe her as kind, energetic, caring young woman who had stayed positive, with a zest for life and an unforgettable smile. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">It was a sunny May bank holiday weekend when Siyanda made the journey to the Brecon Beacons with her boyfriend later in the day as she was invited by his family who was already going with their friends. She agreed in an effort to get to know them. She had never met the majority of the group before and she was the only Black person among them. As the evening progressed, the group gathered around a campfire, laughing, and drinking until an argument took place between Siyanda’s boyfriend and his parents. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Taking her cue, Siyanda made her way back to their tent to prepare the bed, and eventually her boyfriend followed. Intoxicated, he fell into a deep sleep on the bed she had so lovingly prepared before she returned back out to continue to socialize with the group who she had felt she was getting along well with, sharing details of her disability openly. Then, the mood changed, and the groups racist intentions began to seep. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Siyanda was now without a single ally, and it did not take long for the verbal abuse to skyrocket, as they squared up to her, repeatedly calling her a “jungle c**n” and “black b***h.” What had seemed like a picturesque holiday setting just hours before, had quickly became a minefield, a pitch-black campsite in the dead of night, in the middle of nowhere. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Siyanda was pushed and punched by a white woman, whose tall male henchmen stood at her side, goading. Siyanda did what we all hope a lone and outnumbered woman would do in a violent situation; she tried to defended herself however was unable to. Self-defence is afterall, our right according to common law and the Criminal Law Act of 1967. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">She stepped back, telling them to leave her alone. She had recently had surgery and was more than aware of her physical limitations as she stood scared and unsteady; fearing for her life surrounded by a mob, eyes blood red with loathing and alcohol to fuel their revulsion. Her attacker fell on to her, punching, kicking, and stomping her as she fought to get away. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Bloodied, bruised and alone in the dark, Siyanda tried to find help and she was met by four Dyfed Powys Police officers. Now, here’s the rub. At this point, she was handcuffed and taken away in a<b> </b>police car. She explained to the police that she had been the victim of a racially motivated attack. Despite the distressing series of pictures that were taken during her time in custody evidencing her injuries as a victim of assault, the police charged her with gross bodily harm. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Consider for a moment the message to Siyanda. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Not every case of despotism ends with the physical cessation of life. Siyanda is alive and breathing confined to a jail cell and make no mistake about it, this is police brutality. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Black people are 40 times more likely to be stopped and searched by police officers than white. The Met Police are four times more likely to use force with black people than white people. Black people make up 3% of the population but are subject to 20% of taser use. Even COVID-19 became a thwacking tool for implicit racial bias with ethnic minorities <i>160%</i> more likely to be fined over lockdown breaches than white counterparts. We remain over policed and under protected. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">A serving officer, who spoke to the BBC recently said: <i>"As far as they're concerned black people are more aggressive. You should calm them down but instead they are keen to put hands on first because it's flight or fight. Particularly with black men, if a black person is upset, saying 'it's hurting', they say 'it looks fine to me'."</i> PC Benjamin Monk claimed he killed Dalian because he was ‘terrified’ the footballer (who had played for 10 clubs in 7 countries and was tased for 33 seconds and kicked twice in the head by the policeman) could ‘kill him.’<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">None of Siyanda’s attackers were arrested, charged, or taken into custody for questioning. Dyfed Powys Police admitted in court that they didn't investigate a racial motive and ignored that it was an act of self-defense in a racially motivated physical assault. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Dyfed Powys Police, where only 1.3% of its officers are BAME compared to 2% of the population. Of the 12 Black and ethnic minority police officers in a place that has a resident population of 500,000 people; only two are women (both at constable level). The work to eradicate injustice will not be attained if we the public remain concerned only with the most visually disturbing forms of police violence unravelled on social media and viral WhatsApp posts.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">“If you’re black, you’re treated more harshly by the criminal justice system than if you’re white.” Those were the words of Theresa May as she stood outside Downing Street in her first speech as Prime Minister. A better Britain she did not build as there lies an even more complex layer in Siyanda’s story: The justice system also discriminates against ethnic minority people. Its a sad state of affairs that only 5.9% judges in the U.K look like the 23% of Black and ethnic minority people prosecuted. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US">On the 21st of February 2020, an all-white jury sitting at Swansea Crown Court found Siyanda guilty, and sentenced her to four years and six months in prison. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">There we have the colonialist echo. The criminal justice system is still shaped by a fear of black people and a taste for violent punishment born on the plantation and manifested in divisive and punitive government measures and practices, as minorities are still subject to profiling and unequal treatment within our country’s justice structures. How can justice exist in the midst of such injustice? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Decades after Lena, some 5000 miles away, and yet an eerily similar tale of injustice… Siyanda. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Siyanda’s case represents a decades-long struggle against racist policing, exposing deep levels of corruption. There exists a distinct and disturbing cohesion between the colonies and racist policing. From the U.K to France, Belgium, Portugal, and the U.S.A, all draw their roots from centuries of entrenched racism; manifesting in today’s repressive techniques of harassment, profiling, capture, shooting,<b><i> </i></b>strangulation,<b><i> </i></b>all partake in a long and fanatical history of subjugation and imprisonment with the assistance of the justice system. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">In the U.S.A, National Registry of Exonerations in the US shows that 63% of exonerated women were convicted in cases in which no crime in fact occurred. Today, African American’s are four times more likely to be imprisoned than white Americans. In the U.K, young black people are nine times more likely to be jailed. Conveniently, statistics on exoneration are not kept in the U.K, so I cannot tell you how many of sit wrongfully behind bars. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">The broader goal of our efforts must be to widen the lens and narrow the focus of police violence to the forebears who birthed the system and its ongoing repercussions. Our young people are lured into the mythical school of thought that colonialism was necessary and gentle with the sickly doses of <i>Lusotropicalism</i> predominant in school curriculums<i>. </i>All too often we learn the hard way, what we are really up against. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">I’m sure there is somewhere a suited suburban Daily Mail reader who would keenly assure me that we have simply ‘moved on’, police brutality is a rarity, and we have the benefit of being able deny the very existence of white privilege because we are part of a modernised, progressive, peaceable society. And all the while Siyanda sits in a cell. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">We cannot call ourselves progressive if all we can muster is a hashtag. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">We are at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, and we must not let the opportunity to act pass us by. The tragic killings of Ibrahima Barrie, Gaye Camara, Stephan Neisius, Atatiana Jefferson, and the countless other names we should know of lives lost to law enforcement brutality are testament to our urgent need for overdue and transformational change. We need a political reckoning, a Truth and Reconciliation. And we must reckon with our broken system of policing and construct effective institutions that respect and protect our diverse communities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">One of our bright young sits behind bars in the years she was destined to thrive, live, and continue her positive contribution to society.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">We’re in the midst of a movement that says Black Lives Matter, and if that’s truly the case, then it means that Siyanda’s life, liberty, and legacy must matter too. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Please, <a href="https://www.change.org/p/free-siyanda">sign the petition today: </a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US">Free Siyanda. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.5pt;">Author Daniella Maison’s article series ‘Black women & Hip Hop’ went viral in 2009 and gained her critical acclaim in the USA; followed by a viral contribution on the death of Sarah Reed. Maison notably exposed R.Kelly in 2008. Her devotion to and fearlessness in raising social cause awareness has made an impact in the diaspora. Maison has most notably and bravely spoken out on issues of feminism, police brutality, FGM and honour killings, appearing in Emel Magazine, Hard knocks radio, Peace TV, New Nation, Black Thought Radio and the BBC. The N Word is set for publication next month, featuring a foreword by Benjamin Zephaniah. This year she was shortlisted for a Black Excellence award for her contribution to changing the world through words.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguaKbHfJkh9T8IE5NtEjhn3wqPtXeXwzEdj1ZY7vC4rGnEz9zEuNvM2ZrPe-1yxf70Pn3CZkrJbohQ3pwpelE4BsfUySG-W6mjrvFRZmTzQoxBtL2CZh88aLntN-dHCx8Iv5WZVOaiJ13A/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="401" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguaKbHfJkh9T8IE5NtEjhn3wqPtXeXwzEdj1ZY7vC4rGnEz9zEuNvM2ZrPe-1yxf70Pn3CZkrJbohQ3pwpelE4BsfUySG-W6mjrvFRZmTzQoxBtL2CZh88aLntN-dHCx8Iv5WZVOaiJ13A/" width="163" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-91229649233987121532021-07-06T13:12:00.000+01:002023-04-19T23:50:50.682+01:00African and Caribbean communities of Lambeth have the lowest level of trust and confidence in the Met of any borough in London. <p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">Email: LambethYouthSafetyForum@mail.com<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">Lambeth Youth Safety Forum Key Police Statistics Briefing and Agenda.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 20, 20); color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><img height="224" src="blob:https://draft.blogger.com/f9536bc0-df45-4b22-8764-cc00268eb0b6" width="669" /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 20, 20); color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 20, 20); color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">This is the briefing paper that highlights the key issues, perceptions and areas of systemic racism and disproportionate use of police powered by Lambeth Police Service written by me in my capacity as Chair of the LYSF and presented at the above meeting. </i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 20, 20); color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 20, 20); color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">It highlights some shocking statistics, all verified by the Met and the Mayors Office that all should be aware of. </i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;"> 30th June 2021. </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; padding: 0cm;">Introduction. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">This paper provides a summary picture outlining the publicly available data in relation to Lambeth Police Service and Lambeth’s Black and/or BAME communities. <span> </span>For context some additional national and regional figures are also included. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; padding: 0cm;">National. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">The percentage of UK Black people aged 16 and over who had confidence in their local police, by ethnicity from 2017 to 2020 dropped from </span><a href="https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/crime-justice-and-the-law/policing/confidence-in-the-local-police/latest" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">76% to 64%</span></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"> <a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; padding: 0cm;">London. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has recently launched a </span><a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/publications/action-plan-transparency-accountability-and-trust-policing" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">Mayors Action Plan</span></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"> <a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a> focused on tackling disproportionality of the Metropolitan use of police powers, improving trust and confidence among London African and Caribbean descent communities and consulting on improving police accountability. To help inform these discussions he has also launched a </span><a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/data-and-statistics/policing/action-plan-dashboard" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">Mayors Action Plan Dashboard</span></a><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">[3]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"> that provides access to key data in relation to trust, confidence and disproportionality. <span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">The Dashboard allows to view Met performance in relation to disproportionality and public perception in Lambeth in some detail<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">Only 46% of Black London residents think the </span><a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/data-and-statistics/public-voice-dashboard" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">police are doing a good</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></span><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">[4]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"> job. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">A study conducted by <b>University College London</b> published in the Guardian Newspaper in 2020 reported that all the stop and searches conducted by <b>Metropolitan, City of London and British Transport Police officers</b>on young Black males meant they were </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2020/dec/03/young-black-males-in-london-19-times-more-likely-to-be-stopped-and-searched" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">19 times</span></b></a><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"> <a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">[5]</span></b></span></span></span></a></span></b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"> more likely to be stopped and searched in London than white males.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/race-complaints-met-up-90-per-cent-b936098.html" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/race-complaints-met-up-90-per-cent-b936098.html"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">Race complaints</span></a><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"> <a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">[6]</span></u></span></span></span></a></span></u><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"> against Metropolitan Police Officers have risen by <b>90% since 201</b>8. Of <b>7300 complaints</b>made over the last nine years only <b>59 (0-8%) were upheld.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">Between <b>April 2019 and March 2020</b> <b>in London</b> </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">there were <b>18 stop and searches</b> for every 1,000 <b>White people</b>, compared with <b>71 for every 1,000 Black people. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f42; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f42; font-family: Helvetica;">In <b>2019-20</b> the Met </span><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-53407560" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;">used restraint</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></span><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Helvetica;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">[7]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #3f3f42; font-family: Helvetica;"> <b>18 times on Black peopl</b>e for every 1,000 of the pop. For white people, restraint was used <b>five times</b> per 1,000 of the population</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">Knife Crime in London. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.met.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/foi-media/metropolitan-police/disclosure_2019/february_2019/information-rights-unit---ethnicity-of-perpetrators-and-victims-of-knife-crime-in-london-from-april-2008-to-november-2018" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Met figures show</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></span><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">[8]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"> that in <b>2008</b> African and Caribbean victims of knife crime stood <b>at 1,866 and rose to 2, 991by 2018</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">White victims over the same period were <b>3,948 in 2208 rising to 5,281</b><span> </span><b>in 2018.</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; padding: 0cm;">Lambeth. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">Across all public </span><a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/data-and-statistics/public-voice-dashboard" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">perception indicators</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></span><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">[9]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"> for Lambeth, people’s opinions about Lambeth Police have worsened across all indicators. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">Lambet</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">h – </span><a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.met.police.uk%2Fsd%2Fstats-and-data%2Fmet%2Fstop-and-search-dashboard%2F&data=04%7C01%7C%7Ce0b6aa1c9e7a450ee92a08d93adcca63%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637605542831650672%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=vqd9sNUPgal0opPQPbt0rsvgkttK2ACZdZAB%2FtENpn8%3D&reserved=0" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;">Stop & Search volumes from May 2019</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"> <a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">[10]</span></span></span></span></a> – May 2020 inclusive – </span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">17,933, and </span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">Southwark – S&S volume May 2019 – May 2020 inclusive – </span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">18,434<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">Positive </span><a href="https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/stop-and-search-dashboard/" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">outcome runs</span></a><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">[11]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"> at <b>24%</b> meaning that <b>76% S&S</b> result in <b>NFA</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">In Lambeth that amounts to <b>25,000 people </b>per year. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">64.6% of those stopped and searched in Lambeth in the 12 months to April 2021 were Black, compared to 27.4% who were White and 5.1% Asian. </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">In Lambeth Black Individuals were 5 times more likely to be stopped and searched compared to White Individuals, with Asian individuals 1.7 times more likely to be stopped and searched. </span><span style="color: #201f1e;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #201f1e; font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0cm;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">64.6% of those stopped and searched in Lambeth in the 12 months to April 2021 were Black, compared to 27.4% who were White and 5.1% Asian. </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #201f1e; font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #201f1e; font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 10pt; padding: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #201f1e; font-size: 7pt; padding: 0cm;"> </span></span><span style="color: #201f1e;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">S&S increased massively during lockdown. </span><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/stop-and-search-dashboard/" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Percentage of a positive outcomes</span></a><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">[12]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"> in relation to <b>S&S in May 202</b>1 was 5.1% <b>the vast majority for drugs offences</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">Lambeth </span><a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/data-and-statistics/public-voice-dashboard" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">residents express</span></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"> <a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="color: blue;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">[13]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="color: black;">the lowest level of public trust and confidence in London that Lambeth Police officers will treat them fairly<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/stop-and-search-dashboard/" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">White people are S&S</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"> </span></span><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">[14]</span></u></span></span></span></u></span></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"> at a rate <b>22.5 per 1000</b> in Lambeth and <b>Black people at a rate of 96 per 1000. </b></span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">Lambeth (5<sup>th</sup>) and Southwark (3<sup>rd</sup>)</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"> are both in </span><a href="https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/london-boroughs-youre-most-likely-20586010" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">the top 5 London</span></a><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">[15]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"> boroughs for stop and search. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; padding: 0cm;">The consequences of being disproportionately policed is increased entry into the criminal justice system. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #0b0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">The </span><a href="https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/crime-justice-and-the-law/courts-sentencing-and-tribunals/average-length-of-custodial-sentences/latest" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">average prison sentence</span></b></a><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"> for <b>Black people in 2009<a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">[16]</span></b></span></span></span></a> was 20 months</b>. For <b>Whites it was 15 months</b>.<a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn17" name="_ftnref17" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">[17]</span></span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; padding: 0cm;">By 2<b>018 for Black people </b>it had <b>risen to 28 months</b> and for <b>Whites it was 18 months.<a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftn18" name="_ftnref18" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">[18]</span></b></span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">Lambeth Police Accountability Structures</span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">There are no public Black community public police accountability forums re policing in Lambeth. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -18.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;">The </span><a href="https://www.lambethlife.com/independent-advisory-group-for-lambeth-met-police/?platform=hootsuite&utm_campaign=HSCampaign" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">LIAG’s</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"> minutes are not publicly available, neither are its terms of reference, the method of joining the group, nor its full membership (other than Chair and Vice Chair) are not publicly known. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; text-indent: 0px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/mgOutsideBodyDetails.aspx?ID=556" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Safer Lambeth Partnership Executive</span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> minutes are confidential and there is no transparency re genuine and authentic community accountability. </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> L</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.downloads.lambethcpcg.org.uk/SNB%20-%20SNP%20Paper.pdf" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Lambeth Safer Neighbourhood Board.</span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica; text-indent: -18pt;"> The Mayor’s Office has accepted that SNB’s across London are not working and is wanting to consult re improved arrangements. </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://www.downloads.lambethcpcg.org.uk/Stop%20and%20Search%20PowerPoint.pdf" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Lambeth Stop and Search Monitoring Group</span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> no longer meets and is entirely dysfunctional. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><img border="0" height="254" src="blob:https://draft.blogger.com/44dbc9c3-bb60-4840-8c71-21646e82c412" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_5" width="451" /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;">Conclusion.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">The Mayors Action Plan is timely. We need to enter genuine consultation with Lambeth’s black communities to coproduce a new police accountability framework for Lambeth.<span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span><br /></span></span></p><div><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /><div id="ftn1"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[1]</span></span></span></a> Confidence in local policing. Crime, justice, and the law. Ethnicity Facts and Figures. UK Government Published 12<sup>th</sup> May 2021. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn2"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[2]</span></span></span></a> Action Plan- Transparency, accountability and Trust in Policing. Mayors Office for Crime and Policing (MOPAC) published 13<sup>th</sup> November 2020<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn3"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[3]</span></span></span></a> Mayors Action Plan Dashboard (MOPAC) Updated Q4 2021<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn4"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[4]</span></span></span></a> Mayors Office for Policing and Crime Public Voice Dashboard June 2021<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn5"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[5]</span></span></span></a> Young black males in London ’19 times more likely to be stopped and searched’ Guardian Newspaper published 3<sup>rd</sup> December 2020 <o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn6"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[6]</span></span></span></a> Race Complaints Against Met Up 90% in two years. London Evening Standard. Published 4<sup>th</sup> June 2021 <o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn7"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[7]</span></span></span></a> Met Police ‘four times more likely’ to use force on black people BBC News. Published 30<sup>th</sup> July 2020<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn8"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[8]</span></span></span></a> Ethnicity of people proceeded against and victim of knife crime Calendar Years 2008-20198 (up to 30-11-2018) Metropolitan Police Service. Freedom of Information request. Published by Met.police.uk 7<sup>th</sup> January 2019 <o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn9"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[9]</span></span></span></a> Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime Public Voice Dashboard June 2021<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn10"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[10]</span></span></span></a> Search Volumes for Reporting Period: May 2019 to end of May 2021 Published by Met.police.uk May 2021<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn11"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[11]</span></span></span></a> Ibid (10) S&S R12 2021 Summary tab <o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn12"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[12]</span></span></span></a> Ibid (10) Outcomes Summary tab<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn13"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[13]</span></span></span></a> Ibid (1) Satisfaction Demographics<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn14"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[14]</span></span></span></a> Ibid ((6) Searches Demographics <o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn15"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[15]</span></span></span></a> The London Boroughs where you’re most likely to be stopped and searched by police. Published by MyLondon.News 16<sup>th</sup> May 2021<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn16"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[16]</span></span></span></a> Average length of custodial sentences. Published by Ministry of Justice <a href="http://www.gov.uk/">www.gov.uk</a> 8<sup>th</sup> October 2020<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn17"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref17" name="_ftn17" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[17]</span></span></span></a> Ibid (11)<o:p></o:p></p></div><div id="ftn18"><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="applewebdata://9BBD9A96-417B-42B0-98DF-8D798F8B375B#_ftnref18" name="_ftn18" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[18]</span></span></span></a> Ibid (11)<o:p></o:p></p></div></div>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-62187847251019465062021-07-05T11:10:00.004+01:002023-04-19T23:50:53.558+01:00Death In Police Custody: Mouayed Bashir’s Inquest Date Announced. <p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: #0e101a;">Death In Police Custody: Mouayed Bashir’s Inquest Date Announced. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">After an inordinate and inexplicable delay, the Inquest of 29-year-old </span><a href="http://leejasper.blogspot.com/2021/03/mouayed-bashir-was-ill-his-family.html" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #4a6ee0;">Mouayed Bashir, who died</span></a><span style="color: #0e101a;"> after being restrained by Gwent Police at his home in Newport, Wales, on the 17th February 2021, will now take place at 9 am on the 13th July 2021 at Coroners Court Gwent, Civic Centre, Newport, NP20 4UR. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">His parents had called 999 after Mouayed began to behave erratically. Instead of an ambulance the Police arrived at their home. What they then witnessed was a needlessly aggressive and unnecessary degree of violence and hostility from Gwent police officers in restraining Mouayed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">Gwent Coroner Ms Caroline Saunders has taken some four and half months to open an Inquest, and that delay has added to the pain and anguish felt by the Bashir family. According to figures published on the </span><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2020/coroners-statistics-2020-england-and-wales" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #4a6ee0;">Ministry of Justice website</span></a><span style="color: #0e101a;">, Newport Gwent is one of the worst-performing Corners districts in the UK, taking an average of 40 weeks to process inquests compared to the national average of 27 weeks. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MpUbE03_FCs" width="320" youtube-src-id="MpUbE03_FCs"></iframe></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> Mohannd Bashir, brother of Mouayed statement on behalf of the family. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">In addition, the IOPC investigation continues to move at a snail's pace. Some four and half months on and the family are still none the wiser about the number of Gwent police officers interviewed or the number of officers wearing body cams. The Bashir family have still not been granted access to any police bodycam videos that show Mouayed's arrest.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">It is in the hands of the IOPC as to whether families get access to CCTV or police bodycam footage. Here they set out their guidance.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span style="color: #0e101a;">The following is an extract from our Family Liaison Policy which provides guidance on the process of how to share footage appropriately with a family using the family liaison route following the death of a person. We should be clear, however, that the decision on whether to share <b>footage lies with the relevant investigation team</b> <b>following advice from the legal team and consultation with the Coroner or other external parties</b> where appropriate.</span></em><span style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><b><span style="color: #0e101a;">Guidance regarding showing of CCTV to families</span></b></em><span style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><b><span style="color: #0e101a;">It may be appropriate to allow the families of a person who has died to view CCTV footage </span></b><span style="color: #0e101a;">that records evidence of the events prior to that person's death or, depending on the likely distress to be caused, the death itself.</span></em><span style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span style="color: #0e101a;">Before showing such footage, checks should be made with Legal Services to ensure the viewing will not prejudice our investigation in any way whatsoever. <b>Checks should also be made with the police force or other agencies concerned, for example, the CPS and/or the Coroner</b>, in case they wish to make any representations regarding any adverse implications they foresee that are likely to arise from showing the footage.</span></em><span style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">What is clear from the guidance is that whether or not a family gets access to film footage is a decision the IOPC can make of its own volition, notwithstanding its requirement to consult. There are occasions where the IOPC has granted access to families to these videos, but the decision varies around the country ranging from routine denial to occasional agreement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">The fact that the Police must be consulted along with others and that the IOPC can withhold a video on public interest grounds, say to avoid inflaming public tensions, or on some spurious legal grounds, is testimony to the extent which local politics, not law, can determine their decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">We would argue that allowing the family to see the final moments of their loved one's life in confidence should be a matter of rights, not political or legal interpretation. There should be an automatic presumption that families are allowed access to this information unless there is some compelling reason not to do so. Where that is the case, the families should have a right to see the decision communicated in writing, including the consultative response from the Police, the Crown Prosecution Services and the Coroners office.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">Many are rightly suspicious that families are routinely denied access to videos for political rather than substantive legal reasons. Contrast this with the United States, where Ma'Khia Bryant, a black teenager, was shot and killed by an officer in Ohio; the video footage was released publicly in a few hours. Ohio's body-camera policy, signed by Republican governor John Kasich in 2019, makes the footage part of the public record.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><img alt="Graphical user interface, text, application, chat or text message
Description automatically generated" border="0" height="84" src="blob:https://draft.blogger.com/a65d383b-3b11-426a-b63e-766162094feb" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_3" width="148" /></span><span style="color: #0e101a;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">It appears to us that the innovation of police officers wearing body cameras was sold to us as being of value to the public in providing public reassurance relating to controversial policing encounters if the public and, more importantly, the victims of deaths in custody then don't have access to the footage in a timely manner.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">Mouayed's case, like that of </span><a href="http://leejasper.blogspot.com/2021/01/black-man-dies-after-being-violently.html" style="color: #954f72;">Mohammad Hassan</a><span style="color: #0e101a;">, requires a new level of transparency from the IOPC to meet the #BlackLivesMatter, post-George Floyd test demanded by the public.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">Justice must be done and, more importantly, must be seen to be done.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-1924513970725505012021-04-29T18:48:00.003+01:002023-04-19T23:50:57.178+01:00 South Wales Police crisis deepens as sixth officer, a Police Sergeant is investigated over the death of Mohamud Hassan.<p style="margin: 0cm;"> <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUM7THUsIzI8qYyJw4NsGwGMLzODLijrnjiDIBUC-C3ZR7ThExyT8Hk6myvba_3C1fNdbPF9kkk0vEmsY-pTrNYsiOsr3mAv0Y9_JsWeZmPKPsoUJZCaPCPQ5PXSPnWVEdCB_QkRsOngND/s300/images-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUM7THUsIzI8qYyJw4NsGwGMLzODLijrnjiDIBUC-C3ZR7ThExyT8Hk6myvba_3C1fNdbPF9kkk0vEmsY-pTrNYsiOsr3mAv0Y9_JsWeZmPKPsoUJZCaPCPQ5PXSPnWVEdCB_QkRsOngND/w400-h224/images-1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As a senior police officer faces now disciplinary investigations and Wales emergences out of lockdown, the issues of police racism and the deaths in police custody in January of this year of two Black men, Mohamud Hassan and Mouayed Bashir will see an escalation of Black Lives Matter demonstrations in <o:p></o:p>Wales. </span></p><div><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><p style="margin: 0cm;"><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4383324521830680611/192451397072550501" style="color: #954f72; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Mohamud Hassan</a><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> died on Saturday, January 9th 2021, after being violently arrested by Cardiff Bay Police officers at his home in Cardiff, Wales. He was detained overnight and released the following day without charge. His case has become a national and international story as the details of his arrest have been made public. </span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Today I can reveal that in addition to five officers already being investigated, a sixth South Wales Police officer has now been served a regulation 17 disciplinary notice in connection to Mohamud's detention at Cardiff Bay police station. This notice relates to apparent failures to properly risk assess Mohamud whilst in custody. </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 16, 26); color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Mohamud repeatedly complained of feeling very ill, and yet no one lifted a finger to help him as his condition deteriorated. </span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As indicated by these investigations, we now know that there was a catalogue of abuse and failures that ran through the entire chain of command from arrest to detention and release. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It's worth recalling that South Wales police initially denied any wrongdoing by their officers in relation to Mohamud's arrest and subsequent detention.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ0DEH4ybh6L7Srz5p8GF3jz_4BUgFfbHqAE82jR5j5i4WkHA8TIdhVk4mGqXMXnBVqYn5wmfKSnqQ0VIphy1dTKBV86bLXT-uSR_0UdruuY-rVY-v6tq8XgmRmATH9tON78451niGPQDY/s300/images-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ0DEH4ybh6L7Srz5p8GF3jz_4BUgFfbHqAE82jR5j5i4WkHA8TIdhVk4mGqXMXnBVqYn5wmfKSnqQ0VIphy1dTKBV86bLXT-uSR_0UdruuY-rVY-v6tq8XgmRmATH9tON78451niGPQDY/w400-h224/images-2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p>Unbelievably the Chief Constable issued a press statement on January 15th 2021, commentating on his referral of this case to the IOPC just six days after Mohamud's death. <o:p></o:p><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The press release reads.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">".<i>..we did not do this (referred case to IOPC) because we thought that police officers had done anything wrong, but because it was the right thing to do, to give an independent view on the decisions that we made and the actions that we took</i>."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTh_KYV9VG1eyi1LHfAY6qHKGAgr5AZECK2gSGnXz0p_D0jdZarY4BheCYS55-sMcNIFSuh_-DjOFCWxGbR3sZVB0VizDuefi0jiByzd_XNHtb-swPZVRkkMAF6cSEBYLwSSNFxePKPXl3/s299/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTh_KYV9VG1eyi1LHfAY6qHKGAgr5AZECK2gSGnXz0p_D0jdZarY4BheCYS55-sMcNIFSuh_-DjOFCWxGbR3sZVB0VizDuefi0jiByzd_XNHtb-swPZVRkkMAF6cSEBYLwSSNFxePKPXl3/w400-h225/images.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Hassan family continues to fight for justice and ask's for your support in demanding;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><strong><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">1.The IOPC releases the police bodycam videos of Mohamud arrest to the family and </span></strong><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><strong><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">2.That South Wales Police Jeremy Vaughan resigns or is sacked for having issued this press release which bears no relation to the truth. His position, we say, is untenable, and we are calling on the candidates currently campaigning for the South Wales Police Crime Commissioner to back these demands and commit to a full independent inquiry. </span></strong><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><strong><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">All the officers involved face serious misconduct charges and are suspended pending the outcomes of the IOPC investigations.</span></strong><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The IOPC, in refusing to release the police bodycam videos, was party to the initial conspiracy to deny any wrongdoing. It's now clear they wanted to maintain the initial fiction expressed in the South Wales Police press release that there was no case to answer as suggested by Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan. Both were involved in manipulating the media and proactively sought to play down and undermine the families concern that the police had battered Mohamud. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The IOPC will issue this statement. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">"We have now served a notice at the level of misconduct on a custody sergeant who was on duty during Mr Hassan's detention. This notice relates to the quality of the risk assessment undertaken on Mr Hassan when in custody. Notices have previously been served on four other police officers and one custody detention officer as part of our ongoing investigation. One of the notices for a police officer is at gross misconduct level, the remainder are at misconduct level. Service of a misconduct notice does not necessarily mean an officer has committed any wrongdoing. It is to notify an officer that their conduct is being investigated."</span></em><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><em><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"></span></em><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><strong><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">There will be a Twitter storm for Mohamud on May 9th 2021 and an international online public meeting on 9<sup>th</sup> of June 2021 <o:p></o:p></span></strong></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><strong><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></strong></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm;"><strong><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Follow Justice 4 Mohamud Hassan on Twitter, Insta and Facebook for more details. </span></strong><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-87448437409293113972021-04-13T15:46:00.003+01:002023-04-19T23:51:01.175+01:00Whose pulling Tony Sewell's strings? <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tory puppet masters, Bojo and Misery Mirza keep Uncle Tone </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">tap dancing to that shimmy shoe </span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">shine shuffle...</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl q66pz984 gpro0wi8 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/tonysewell?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZUTF0JqfH9WPa77BuMsrzqVlBEoMf6MyFDniBjdVKaUWkfQlbZrudg9yfRkC9JTmDh-_atFq-_1-wGsonJX1dW0lICb-OQtkZezSvL8b8tyaQ&__tn__=*NK-R" role="link" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--accent); cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0">#TonySewell</a></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl q66pz984 gpro0wi8 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/racereport?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZUTF0JqfH9WPa77BuMsrzqVlBEoMf6MyFDniBjdVKaUWkfQlbZrudg9yfRkC9JTmDh-_atFq-_1-wGsonJX1dW0lICb-OQtkZezSvL8b8tyaQ&__tn__=*NK-R" role="link" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--accent); cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0">#RaceReport</a></span></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg422zFqKm4HRUn7LsjCUUcFTLzJRGQedjNzv9y2VHzfAFouxuPVkLwS-fVm2bntp13HPQTh4h9xvAe5AxtgiFk9UpDc5uR553a0Q87BiMLXCuIOOz49aFq_Ibn9fPRht1slskJaLp0SRtT/s672/Screenshot+2021-04-13+at+15.17.25.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="592" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg422zFqKm4HRUn7LsjCUUcFTLzJRGQedjNzv9y2VHzfAFouxuPVkLwS-fVm2bntp13HPQTh4h9xvAe5AxtgiFk9UpDc5uR553a0Q87BiMLXCuIOOz49aFq_Ibn9fPRht1slskJaLp0SRtT/w353-h400/Screenshot+2021-04-13+at+15.17.25.png" width="353" /></a></div><p></p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-44286734525075523192021-04-11T16:06:00.010+01:002023-04-19T23:51:04.173+01:00Race Commissioners Accuse PM's Office of Rewriting Race Report.<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The news that the embattled Race and Ethnic Disparities Commissioners have today distanced themselves from the Government and making the extraordinary serious accusation that the Prime Minister Office re-wrote huge tracts of the final report. This is an explosive new development that will further damage both the Government and Commissions credibility. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWw_xCzCpQvI0QchBfT1vehB81JFxymrYXn-CyxLPWseh5Yu3YsAXVonVer3BaUgUVnfPHu1WxMTSBl8FrP61aCdtfBflARCGErvzIHWBSvSxNXu_JKmBSwp9NmbcOSY9p3hhcpXG1CbXa/s970/Screenshot+2021-04-11+at+16.00.30.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="970" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWw_xCzCpQvI0QchBfT1vehB81JFxymrYXn-CyxLPWseh5Yu3YsAXVonVer3BaUgUVnfPHu1WxMTSBl8FrP61aCdtfBflARCGErvzIHWBSvSxNXu_JKmBSwp9NmbcOSY9p3hhcpXG1CbXa/w400-h255/Screenshot+2021-04-11+at+16.00.30.png" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">We are now told that the 258-page document was not made available to the Commissioners to read in advance. Some now say, speaking anonymously to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/11/downing-street-rewrote-independent-report-on-race-experts-claim" style="color: #954f72;">Observer newspaper</a>, they did not<i> 'sign off the final report' </i>before publication. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">These explosive revelations raise serious questions for both the Government and the Commissioners.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">First, there is the distinctly unsavoury prospect of the Prim Ministers Office conducted a political hatchet job on the report and is basically lying about its conclusions. Given the anger and concern from Black, Asian ethnic minority communities, this leaves a bitter taste in everyone's mouths. The consequences will be a catastrophic loss of confidence of what is remaining of this Government's shattered reputation in relation to Britain's black communities.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aggHvET8LLs" width="320" youtube-src-id="aggHvET8LLs"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">These revelations confirm that this was a covert exercise to develop a political asset for a relentless propaganda campaign whose objective was to discredit the Black Lives Matter movement, undermine the concept of institutionalised racism, and politically attack all those who opposed the report. It was an attempt to create a new defining line in relation to the politics of race.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The report's overwhelming narrative was relatively straightforward. Institutional racism doesn't exist. Some minorities are pathologically and culturally dysfunctional and only have themselves to blame for their misfortune, whilst other minorities are good and prosper precisely because they don't have a 'victim mentality. This report sought to mess with people heads in a very sinister way. The Government was a party to a determined attempt to legitimise the routine denial of peoples lived realities. These revelations illustrate the Cabinet Office conducted a pyscho-opps propaganda war to destabilise black people's mental health.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The plethora of right-wing articles following publication that defend the report, slamming its critics, provides ample evidence of a coordinated and quite deliberate campaign to split Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities. The report was a tactic to publicly identify the opponents of Government and flush them out in an attempt to send a clear message as to who is the enemy of and allowing the right-wing media to go after them. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Comparisons to the Ministry of Truth's Orwellian concept in his classic dystopian novel 1984 come to mind. At the centre of this unholy mess sits the PM key adviser, Munira 'Misery' Mirza. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b>One of the immediate consequences of these revelations should be that she should be subject to an immediate investigation into what role she played in all of this. </b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Concerning the Commissioners, I know for sure there were those among them who worked on the government press release in advance of its release. These Commissioners are not unintelligent people, and the question that has to be asked is why you would go on <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1377167513960603652?s=20" style="color: #954f72;">national television advocating</a> for and <a href="https://twitter.com/5_News/status/1377321994279120901">defending this report</a> if you hadn't, in fact, read the document in advance? <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9r2Nk-r1unq-Jr4p-bEahsI_bpYafq2h5hR-sh8KqoucxyRKwe-6ibuFApaVruKTz8XX1TgGo82MqQguOVMYwxbkIzD-O3yCFrMkydvMLgxsZ_4U-qL6mcxEPH2LTDyN4oK6Po1RQgnT9/s1370/Screenshot+2021-04-11+at+15.45.39.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="1216" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9r2Nk-r1unq-Jr4p-bEahsI_bpYafq2h5hR-sh8KqoucxyRKwe-6ibuFApaVruKTz8XX1TgGo82MqQguOVMYwxbkIzD-O3yCFrMkydvMLgxsZ_4U-qL6mcxEPH2LTDyN4oK6Po1RQgnT9/w355-h400/Screenshot+2021-04-11+at+15.45.39.png" width="355" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The reality for me, whilst I can believe some of these Commissioners were duped by this Government, it is hard to believe that others, given their extensive professional experience and public profiles, would not have been forensically and intimately aware of what was going on.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTheB-vHPUEn_Jhm4_GW8ziYHd9VaBcy2vm_quM0VXU_lRVUUlpT1ydKe0VdVtoVp-l2Ql_K9eeq6mclgjXBkOZ8_b9q6OZYReiOkq4c-4Z4pDV3Fkd24yfq1gomIJzqKk_89jUbezzZh/s1456/Screenshot+2021-04-11+at+15.49.31.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="1192" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTheB-vHPUEn_Jhm4_GW8ziYHd9VaBcy2vm_quM0VXU_lRVUUlpT1ydKe0VdVtoVp-l2Ql_K9eeq6mclgjXBkOZ8_b9q6OZYReiOkq4c-4Z4pDV3Fkd24yfq1gomIJzqKk_89jUbezzZh/w328-h400/Screenshot+2021-04-11+at+15.49.31.png" width="328" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">Those that genuinely were duped should be reprimanded for their naivety. Those that were eager and willingly entered into this conspiracy should find no quarter of forgiveness. All, without exception, must explain how they were seduced into this political honeytrap by this discredited and unethical Government. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjKLB6BIYLCsEA-iFf0dc7oUkk2p4bIPP24g3nV_Iih2j0J7IRtITG6QKgibEni7eXdSZz5afSaBA81UX-xrrhez1sVKN87tWBceBYWumuosUS1fpNWF9uBlRSKiRqD-Mqyl9LFRTId78/s1312/Screenshot+2021-04-11+at+15.53.24.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="1312" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjKLB6BIYLCsEA-iFf0dc7oUkk2p4bIPP24g3nV_Iih2j0J7IRtITG6QKgibEni7eXdSZz5afSaBA81UX-xrrhez1sVKN87tWBceBYWumuosUS1fpNWF9uBlRSKiRqD-Mqyl9LFRTId78/w400-h393/Screenshot+2021-04-11+at+15.53.24.png" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">The Government's cackhanded attempt to rewrite the narrative concerning institutionalised racism has blown up in their face. There will be many serious questions that will need to be asked and answered. The consequences for this Government and the country at large will be profound. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">There is no coming back for a Government that orchestrated a conspiracy to fool the public into believing institutional racism does not exist.<o:p></o:p></p>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4383324521830680611.post-65899591611732378102021-03-30T23:27:00.023+01:002023-04-19T23:51:06.861+01:00Gov's Race Report is an Insult to British BAME communities. <p align="center" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></strong></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyskK1-_6G2tk_HF3nJwxTPRmlwqGSXCyaGgOUrE1-LNekhcfACwV_21fgGd2iCZfwT9Mfnt83dY7HX3n_ipFRqt2s4jYUzfvDZ4dV1Ceeb7ccqqEXdgpX1bK6-9gDWjFa7FjYsZFozG3W/s225/images-2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyskK1-_6G2tk_HF3nJwxTPRmlwqGSXCyaGgOUrE1-LNekhcfACwV_21fgGd2iCZfwT9Mfnt83dY7HX3n_ipFRqt2s4jYUzfvDZ4dV1Ceeb7ccqqEXdgpX1bK6-9gDWjFa7FjYsZFozG3W/s0/images-2.jpeg" /></a></strong></div><strong><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> PRESS RELEASE.<o:p></o:p></span></strong><p></p><p align="right" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: right; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">30/03/2021 22:43<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></p><b><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Says, Gov Race Commission report a 'slap in the face for Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities.' </span><div class="separator"><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwejyLOaKMJvGDmOqwkD9T1BDczcxCKFn22zzCJdaxXH8rq3z2_oZksTzal0YDww5v99fSgLIy0LkONfHZhEuhcP6skOEy9DQ3ymjaKBb2uNry8cpz-g_B-vn7QIkAi0X0V6OUdS0y9XZI/w298-h400/a941bcaa-b3a1-4a1f-ade3-739fa31a62ab.jpg" /></span></a></div></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities Chaired by Dr Tony Sewell publishes its today and what absolutely clear is that he report will read like an apologist charter for systemic racism. The report gave the the UK a clean bill of health and declares there is no evidence of institutional racism. </b></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>I have been an equalities adviser to five successive Home Secretaries, a London Mayor and a leading advocate of black communities for some 37 years. This report is an outrage and let me explain why. <br /><br />The level of denial of the realities of systemic racism in this report is breath taking. </b></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>In writing this I'm aware of the real function of this report and believe as Toni Morrison said,</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><h1 class="quoteText" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“<i>The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>.”</i></span></span></h1></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This report is a propaganda piece in the Gov's culture wars. It is a rewriting of history, a denial of contemporary realities and constitutes a literal slap in the face for Britain's Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We should expect the right wing and liberal media to be fulsome in its praise of the report as a result of what appears to be the selective briefing of journalists in advance of the reports publication. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Nadine White Britains first Race Correspondent writing for the Independant stated in a tweet, </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); caret-color: rgb(91, 112, 131); color: #5b7083; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">"</span></b></span></span><b style="caret-color: rgb(91, 112, 131); color: #5b7083; font-family: helvetica; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Despite my numerous requests for updates over the weeks (months) about when the report will be published, the govt did not send details of the Race Commission's report to me - the only Race Correspondent in the UK. But other journalists received</span><span style="font-size: 15px;"> it." </span></b></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); caret-color: rgb(91, 112, 131); color: #5b7083; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This report fails to arrive at any significant conclusions on a range of critical issue of profound importance to our communities. <br /><br />Issues such as <a href="https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/health-people-ethnic-minority-groups-england">ethnic health inequalitie</a>s, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/26/uk-businesses-may-be-forced-to-reveal-ethnicity-pay-gap">ethnic pay gap</a>, rising black youth unemployment, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/01/nearly-half-of-bame-uk-households-are-living-in-poverty">rising rates of poverty</a>, <a href="https://england.shelter.org.uk/media/press_release/black_people_are_more_than_three_times_as_likely_to_experience_homelessness">homelessness</a> and the scandals of systemic racism within <a href="https://www.thejusticegap.com/black-people-nine-times-more-likely-to-be-stopped-and-searched-than-white/">criminal justice </a>and the school exclusion to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/sep/01/young-black-people-jailed-moj-report-david-lammy">prison pipeline </a>are either superficially covered or ignored. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Systemic racism is a literal life and death issue for our communities. <br /><br />The leading headline says it all, </span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /><i>"Britain has become a more open society where children from many ethnic communities do at least as</i></b><i> <b>well or substantially better than white pupils in compulsory education, a landmark study concludes."</b></i><br /></span> <br /> <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycF68s68tcWqfKN-7OlV-ta4i47DYyPoSB8LBHDRfRbIUWh5lBew2Y-R0tTzhPkLGvuFKEDWC563enpgC2YHy4Nd9My-Rj-vxjQJd76buDLXX5cp7_mj-7kpfW7s10ONFrarM20t1uxVz/w400-h238/db93608f-ac23-4de9-ac9c-9c7cb1f612de.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Report is so forceful in its denial of racism and so divorced from reality that its reminiscent of the press releases issued by the South African regime during the dark days of apartheid, denying all forms of racism. It has no comment to make on institutional racism in policing, the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51961933">Windrush scandal. </a>and the Grenfell fire are all simply brushed aside <br /><br />Described as a 'landmark' publication, the Commissioners assert that the report...<br /><i><br />"…challenges the view that Britain has failed to make progress in tackling racial inequality, suggesting the well-meaning "idealism" of many young people who claim the country is still institutionally racist is not borne out by the evidence."</i><br /><br />The report finds that, <br /><br /></span></b></span><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>"…. issues around race and racism were becoming less important and, in some cases, were not a significant factor in explaining disparities."</i><br /><br />And states: <br /><br /><i>" We found that most of the disparities we examined, which some attribute to racial discrimination, often do not have their origins in racism, and continues, that some communities continue to be "haunted" by "historic cases" of racism, creating "deep mistrust" in the system which could prove a barrier to success."</i><br /><br />The reality is of course as this<a href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2020/06/26/nine-ten-bame-britons-think-racism-exists-same-lev"> You Gov</a> survey show 84% of BAME Brits people believe the UK is racist. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The report continues. <br /><i><br />“The report highlights the significance of education as the single most powerful tool in reducing ethnic disparities. The effect of education is transformative on individuals but also their families and their communities, sometimes within a generation."</i><br /><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Warming to its blame the victim narrative it sallies forth...</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><span>"</span><span style="color: #181716;">However, there is also an increasingly strident form of anti-racism thinking that seeks to explain all minority disadvantage through the prism of White discrimination. This diverts attention from the other reasons for minority success and failure, including those embedded in the cultures and attitudes of those minority communities themselves."</span></b></span></i></div><div><span><span style="color: #181716; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 23, 22);"><br /></span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Whilst there is no doubt about the realities of some Black and Asian and ethnic children's educational success, this represents an island of excellence surrounded by seas of mediocrity. The toxic effect of systemic racism continues to hugely disadvantages these children in a myriad of different ways.<br /><br />According to the press release, the report in seeking to portray Britain as a world leader in tackling racism actually exposes its inherent contradictions. <br /><br />Logic would suggest that any community doing so well in terms of education should see this success reflected in terms of incomes and quality of life outcomes. In the real world, what all the evidence points to is quite the reverse. Despite our educational success, the realities of systemic racism dramatically disadvantage our communities. It's a disadvantage the doesn't impact white working-class boys to the same extent as found in a 2019 <a href="https://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/2164/12563/DP_2019_2.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y">report published</a> by Aberdeen University. <br /><br />The Commissions remit was to review inequality in the UK, focusing on poverty, education, employment, health and the criminal justice system. It appears to have utterly failed even on its own terms. <br /><br />It's worth remembering that Prime Minister Boris Johnson commissioned this report in response to the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of last year. Exchequer Secretary launched the Commission to the Treasury and Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch, who said, <br /><br /><i>"This Commission demonstrates this government's mission to level up opportunity for everyone, whatever their background. Our expert Chair and Commissioners will make evidence-based recommendations to change lives for the better. Their work will be crucial in informing and improving the national conversation on race."</i></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This Commission has failed its remit, is intellectually confused and demonstrated a degree pf politically illiteracy on this issue that beggars belief. It is astonishing that the Commissioners would agree to have their names attached to this report.</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The report also flies in the face of the UN's 2018 findings on racism in Britain who said. </span></b></div><div><p><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">"<i>The UK Government’s policies exacerbate discrimination, stoke xenophobic sentiment and further entrench racial inequality, the UN’s expert on racism and human rights said in a <a href="http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?si=A/HRC/41/54/Add.2" style="color: #663399; text-decoration: none;">report</a>. </i></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>In the report to be presented to the Human Rights Council on 8 July, E. Tendayi Achiume cited persistent racial disparities in, among others, education, employment, housing, health, surveillance, interactions with police, prosecutions, and incarceration.</i></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>"The structural socio-economic exclusion of racial and ethnic minority communities in the United Kingdom is striking," the Special Rapporteur said in her report, based on a fact-finding visit to the country in April and May 2018</i>" .</span></b></p></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It is critically important for BAME Civil Society and NGO's organisations like Operation Black Vote, Runnymede Trust, and the Coalition of Race Equality (CORE) speak out and condemn this report. </span></b> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The entirety of British Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities and all credible representative organisations must jointly condemn this report in order to assert our fundamental rights to justice and equality. I would suggest a collective statement be prepared. Where you stand on this report will now be a litmus test of credibility in our communities. The dividing lines have been drawn. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This report will certainly inform the national conversation on race. It will inflame both the anxiety and anger that gave rise to the Black Lives Matter demonstrations last year and will undoubtedly lead to increased protest during this summer.<br /><br />I note the recommendation to stop using the term BAME a welcome but in reality, this is little more than a performative gesture. Its importance is akin to changing the curtains in a burning house. </span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />The Commissioners who are a party to this disingenuous charade will see their professional and ethical reputations deeply damaged within their own communities and beyond. <br /><br />Chief among them will be the chair of the Commission, Dr Tony Sewell, whose insistence in promoting Britain as a world leader in tackling racism can only best be described as equalling that of Uncle Remus singing Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" in the Disney song from the 1946 film, Song of the South. <br /><br />The reputational damage to him will be terminal. <br /><br />Editors notes. <br /><br />Ten key facts that undermine the report's conclusions. <br /><br />1. 45% of white British pupils attend university after leaving school, the lowest rate of all ethnicities, excluding Gypsy/Roma. However, they have better rates of entering elite universities. Of those who enrol in university, 24% of white British students attend a Russell Group institution, more than most minority ethnic groups. Black African and Pakistani students show the largest differential between high university attendance and low enrolment in Russell Group. <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#">The Sutton Trust 2016</a> <br /><br />2. A recent investigation by the <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#">Guardian newspaper</a> into school exclusions found that black Caribbean students in English schools were up to six times higher than for those of their white peers in some local authorities. <br /><br />3. Among people aged 16-24, unemployment rates were highest for people from a Black (29%) or Bangladeshi or Pakistani (27%) ethnic background in October 2019-September 2020. This compared to a rate of 11% for people from a White ethnic background. <br /><br />4. The unemployment rate for people from a minority ethnic background was 9.5% in October-December 2020, up from 5.8% in the same period the year before. The unemployment rate for people from White ethnic backgrounds also rose, from 3.1% to 4.5%. Unemployment rates for people from both White and minority ethnic backgrounds are below the rates seen prior to the economic downturn in 2008.<br /><br />5. In the 12 months to September 2020, the unemployment rate was highest for people from a Pakistani (9%) or Black (9%) ethnic background. The unemployment rate was lowest for people from a White, Indian (4%), or Chinese (5%) ethnic background. Source 3-6 Unemployment by Ethnic Background. House of Commons library briefing paper number 6385, 4th of March 2021 <br /><br />6. One in three ethnic minority workers say they have been unfairly turned down for a job, compared with just one in five (19%) white workers, according to research <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#">published recently by the TUC.</a><br /><br />7. Youth justice statistics 2019/20 published by the Ministry of Justice reported that the proportion of Black children cautioned or sentenced has been increasing over the last ten years and is now double what it was in the year ending March 2010 (12% compared to 6%). <br /><br />An article in the <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#">Guardian newspaper</a> in a report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons identified that; <br /><br />· About 51% of boys in young offender institutions (YOIs) – prisons for boys aged 15 to 17 and young adult men aged 18 to 21 – identified as being from a BME background, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) found.<br /><br />· In addition, the inspectorate found 42% of children in secure training centres (STCs) – prisons for children up to the age of 17 – were from a BME background.<br /><br />· The proportion of BME boys and men behind bars in YOIs in England and Wales is nearly four times the 14% BME proportion of the wider UK population.<br /><br />9. Ethnic minority communities face a <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-ethnic-minorities-at-higher-risk-of-dying-with-coronavirus-because-of-colour-blind-vaccine-rollout-doctors-warn-12241078">higher risk of falling ill and dyin</a>g with coronavirus because of the UK's "colour-blind" vaccine distribution strategy, says the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), a committee of leading doctors that advises the government.<br /><br />10. Black women are just over four times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth and up to six weeks postpartum, according to research published by the <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#">Nuffield Department of Population Health. University of Oxford.</a> <br /><br /><br />End.<br /><br /></span></b><br /></span><br /> </div></div></div>Lee Jasper's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05549703373591364308noreply@blogger.com