Press Release. Lee Jasper: Action on racist stop and search & future plans for fighting racism

Email:

barac.info@gmail.com

Web:

http://blackactivistsrisingagainstcuts.blogspot.com

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Press Release

Former Policing Director for London Calls on National Black

Police Association to back calls for black police officers to

refuse to undertake racist stop and searches and that the

NBPA to challenge the implicit racism of the British judicial

system.

 Lee Jasper former Policing Director for London and currently Co

Chair of Black Activist Rising Against the Cuts (BARAC) and Chair

of London Race and Criminal Justice Consortium (LJRC) will

address the National Black Police Officers Association annual

conference (NBPA) Wednesday 17

th October 2012.

He will call for Black officers to boycott the use of racial profiling in

the discriminatory use of abusive stop and search powers. He also

will call on NBPA to lead the fight against racism in the British

judicial processes.

In addition Lee Jasper will also announce plans for national

celebration dedicating next year 2013 to celebrating the 50 years

since Dr Martin Luther Kings iconic “ I have a dream speech”

(MLK.50)

The MLK.50 2013 Campaign will celebrate throughout the 2013

the 50th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King 1963 March on

Washington for Jobs and Freedom and his world famous “I have a

dream speech”. The year will offer an opportunity to reflect how far

we have come and how far we have to go to achieve race equality

in the UK.

Lee Jasper speaking about the state on police black community

relations said,

“ In the last 5 years relations with Black and Muslim communities

and the police have sunk to the lowest point since the 1970’s.

There are now more black officers leaving the police service than

are joining. When black officers complain of racism far to often

they face disciplinary witch-hunts. They are hugely

overrepresented in disciplinary proceeding and much more likely to

be subject of covert police surveillance.

They are routinely denied promotion when compared with their

white colleagues and 50% of those who do join subsequently leave

within 2-5yrs. On the issue of increasing diversity in the police

service we are literally going backwards.

Stop and Search rates are rising year on year and 75% of young

black men are on the police DNA database. If you’re black you are

twice as likely to be charged for a first time crime offence and less

likely to receive a caution. The acute level of concern about the

propensity of black men who die in police custody in suspicious

circumstances continues to rise. Complaints of racism against

officer are on the rise.

The advent of Police Commissioners is eroding police

accountability and there are moves afoot to abolish Community

Police Consultative Groups established to improve relations as a

result of the 1981 Lord Scarman Inquiry recommendations.

Challenging the British judiciary on the culture of racism that

poisons the well of British justice he said,

“ Britain is a nation where the colour of your skin dictates the

quality of justice. It is a fact, demonstrated by the Ministry of

Justice Section 95 reports. When it comes to black people British

justice is seen as racist justice.

Racism with the criminal justice system is on the rise with black

defendants receiving ever-longer sentences when compared to

white defendants. Since August 2011 we have seen massive

increases in the black prison population.

Justice in Britain is a colour-coded principle where black people as

suspects, witness or victims face a system that routinely

discriminates. NBPA is best place to seek to facilitate national

discussions among criminal justice organisations about how we

end the scandal of a justice system that penalises black people

simply for being black.

Fifty years after Dr King’s world famous speech we have to ask the

question; are we heading for an American judicial system where

the majority of the male prison population are black African

Americans? “

Concluding with a call to action he said,

“ Here in the Britain this calamitous state of affairs, the collapse of

black trust and confidence in Government the judiciary and the

police, comes as a direct consequence of the reckless

abandonment of the McPherson Report recommendations by the

Government, the Home Office, ACPO and police services

nationally.

The Government is clearly in contravention of Equality legislation

but the enfeebled, weak kneed and kowtowed Equality & Human

Rights Commission (EHRC) refuses to use its regulatory powers to

challenge persistent Government failure to adhere to equality

legislation.

That’s why I am calling on the NBPA to consider backing a boycott

of black officers and refuse to undertake stop and searches that

are driven by racial profiling and performance targets and to

organise the fight back against the stench judicial racism.

The Government, Association of Chief Police Officers, the Ministry

of Justice and the Home Office all need a 10,000-volt political

shock in a serious attempt shake them out of their complacency

and reset the Governments commitment to race equality.

We need to reinstitute and reinforce the recommendations

McPherson recommendations.

50 years after Kings iconic speech real race equality remains a

dream in the UK. It is time to embark on a radical campaign for

justice that can deliver equality in our lifetime. “

End.

For interviews or more information on MLK.50 2013

Campaign contact:

Lee Jasper 07984 181797email Lee-jasper@live.com

or

Zita Holbourne 07711 861660 email Zita@pcs.org.uk

•

Note to Editors

The National Black Police Officers Association 12

th annual

conference is taking place at the Hilton Hotel Liverpool on between

the 16 – 18

th October 2012.

MLK.50 2013 Campaign will celebrate throughout the year the

50th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King 1963 March on

Washington for Jobs and Freedom and his world famous “I have a

dream speech”. The year will offer an opportunity to reflect how far

we have come and how far we have to go to achieve race equality

in the UK.

We have three key aims:

1. The launch of national voter registration campaign led by the

Black Church and OBV

2. MLK.50 will organise a national March on Whitehall for Jobs

and Justice recreating the March on Washington

3. Co ordinate the development of a radical agenda for change,

capable of delivering race equality in our lifetime in

preparation for the 2015 general election.

Lee Jasper has 30-year track record in police black community

relations. Former Home Office Advisor and Policing Director for

London 2000 – 2008. He was a member of the London Criminal

Justice Board with lead responsibilities for Equalities.

Outrage over disrespect to grieving black families: Voice Article

Calls for tougher laws to tackle funeral industry racism following ITV exposé

 

Written by Trudy Simpson
http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/outrage-over-disrespect-grieving-black-families

 

A VETERAN anti-racism campaigner has called for legislation to be strengthened to tackle bigotry in the private sector after a secret recording showed staff at a funeral services company being racist and disrespecting the dead.
Lee Jasper told The Voice he was outraged after seeing footage from ITV’s Exposure programme, entitled The British Way of Death .
Jasper, co-chair of BARAC UK, said what he saw was “profoundly disturbing. The desecration of the dead, the most toxic racism and sexism against a backdrop of extortionate pricing will cause deep and profound distress.”
He said: “The anger this documentary will cause will be widespread. This why we need to strengthen legislation that can challenge the racism of the private sector. Unquestionably some of the most foul and despicable racial hatred I've witnessed for some time.”
The programme, aired on ITV last night (Sept 26), saw two undercover journalists go to work with two companies that make up 40 percent of the British funeral industry.
In it, undercover reporters secretly recorded staff making what Jasper calls “the most toxic” racist and sexist remarks and desecrating the dead.
Among the incidents they saw were:
• Family members being called ‘animals’ at an African Caribbean man’s funeral after his widow complained about an "awful" smell at her own husband's funeral. The body had been left unrefrigerated for six days, according to the programme description on ITV News.
• Funeral staff chanting 'Chelsea scum' at a corpse before sealing his coffin
• Staff failing to dress the deceased in clothes their loved ones had provided for them and
• Staff watching pornography on a mobile phone while driving a hearse

OUTRAGED: Lee Jasper
Commenting on one of the funeral services companies, Jasper continued: “Funeral Partners Ltd's treatment of the deceased and their families plumbed the depths of depravity. The National Federation of Funeral Directors should strike this firm off with immediate effect.”
Jasper added: “The Police should arrest those who used racial and religious abuse. The company itself should be boycotted and those families featured in the programme should receive substantial compensation…”
Phillip Greenfield, chief executive of Funeral Partners Ltd, told ITV: ‘We have launched an internal investigation and an external company is reviewing procedures in all our businesses.’
The National Association of Funeral Directors has also launched its own investigation following the broadcast.
A spokesman told The Voice earlier today (Sept 27) the Association views the issues raised with “considerable concern and presently is reviewing a number of issues raised”.
The spokesperson said both the head of the Association and the chairman of its professional standards board are spearheading the investigations.

http://www.voice-online.co.uk

Met Police commission on policing and mental health slammed as a ‘cosmetic exercise’

Press Release
Black Mental Health UK

The exclusion of any agency which has worked in the area of deaths in custody and mental health, particularly from the UK’s African Caribbean communities where the deaths rates are highest, has led to accusations that the Mets new Commission on Policing and Mental Health is nothing more than a cosmetic exercise and will not result in any positive change. 

The comments come as the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has announced it has commissioned an independent review into how it responds to people with mental health conditions.

Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe made the commitment to launch and independent commission in the wake of the findings of the high profile Sean Rigg inquest. This inquest put the spotlight on how mental health service users from the community are often treated when they come into contact with the police.

On 21^st 2008, the musician and songwriter lost his life in less than an hour after he was arrested by the police. Although physically fit and healthy, Rigg was in urgent need of mental health care, when he was restrained by a team of four police officers and taken to Brixton police station where he died.

The inquest verdict concluded that the Police as well as South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (SLAM) who were responsible for his care at the time, ‘more than minimally contributed to his death’.

With people from the UK’s African Caribbean communities 50% more likely to be referred to the mental health services when in urgent need of mental health care than their white counterparts, Black Mental Health UK have been actively working to get see an improvement in the treatment of this vulnerable group while in custody for a number of years.

BMH UK’s work has also spotlighted the issue of deaths in custody has also been a major concern across this community.

With data from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) showing that mental health service users account for 50% of those who lose their lives in police custody and that black men in particular are over represented among these figures there is widespread concern at the exclusion of those have been working on these issues for a number of years from the Met’s new commission.

Matilda MacAttram director of Black Mental Health UK said: ‘It is deeply concerning to see the exclusion of the key agencies who have a track record  of working in this area, and the families affected by this issue excluded from this Commission on Policing and Mental Health.’

‘Black Mental Health UK is the only organisation in the mental health sector that has been working in the area of deaths in custody, mental health and the impact on ethnic minorities for the past few years. This is the area where the death rates and most disturbing incidences involving the police and mental health service users occur.’

‘INQUEST has long history and unparalleled expertise in this field, and conducted by most significant review of mental health and policing after the tragic deaths of Roger Sylvester. INQUEST is also the only agency that supports bereaved families who have lost loved ones including mental health services users who have died in police and other custodial settings. 

 To choose to exclude experts from BMH UK and INQUEST who have the critical insight needed in this area which would ensure the transformation in police treatment of this vulnerable group, leaves one with the impression that this is nothing more than a cosmetic exercise, which will not result in any change positive change.’

End

For interviews call BMH UK Newsdesk on: M: 07947 189 682

- Black Mental Health UK is a human rights campaigns group established to address the over representation of African Caribbean's within secure psychiatric care and raise awareness to address the stigma associated with mental health.

 - African Caribbean's are 50% more likely to enter the system via the criminal justice system or the police. 44% more likely to be sectioned, 29% more likely to be forcibly restrained, 50% more likely to be placed in seclusion and make up 30% of in patients on medium secure psychiatric wards despite having similar rates of mental illness as British white people.

- Detention rates for people from the UK’s African Caribbean community has doubled over the past five years during the period of 2005 – 2010.

- Almost half the deaths of people in police custody are mental health service users [1]

- Deaths of those detained under the Mental Health Act account for 62% of all deaths in state custody[2]

-  A disproportionate number of deaths following contact with the police since 2004 are of black people [3]

- Figures from Inquest show that in January-August 2011 there have been 16 custody/contact deaths and 2 fatal shootings. There have

 also been two deaths involving Tasers and two by CS/PAVA spray. Of this eight of these have been the deaths of people from black and ethnic minority communities.

[1] Independent  Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) 2010   Deaths in or following police custody: An examination of the cases 1998/99 - 2008/09. IPCC

[2] Independent Advisory Panel ( IAP) on Deaths in Custody. Mid Term Progress Report on the work of the IAP and Future Priorities for the Work of the Panel. February 2011.  IAP

[3] See Office for National Statistics website: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/

____________________________________________________________________________

" The decision of Met Police (MPS) to establish a commission on mental health and policing is to be welcomed. However their decision  to exclude expert human rights campaigning groups such as BMH UK and Inquest is perverse and smacks of unhelpful political interference . Post McPherson MPS adopted a long tradition of listening to critical  friends in seeking to improve policing responses and build community trust and confidence . Now the Mayor Boris Johnson in 2010 as a result of the findings of the discredited MPA Race & Faith Report personally determined the MPS is no longer a institutionally racist organisation. 

As a result the best practice the McPherson report established has been abandoned and the MPS is returning to its cultural default setting of  a institutionally racist organisation that routine denial of both the extent and depth of culture of police racism. 

The manner in which people suffering mental health crisis are detained, restrained and arrested remains an issue of profound concern to black communities in particular and  has explosive potential for London. 

This MPS commission should include organisations who are both expert and credible. If the Mayor and the Commissioner are genuinely committed to getting this right they will ensure that both BMH UK and Inquest are involved in this commission."

Lee Jasper: Chair of London Race & Criminal Justice Consortium 

PRESS RELEASE: Racial Discrimination/Unfair dismissal at New College, Oxford University: Employment Tribunal starts tomorrow.

Press Release  29th July 2012

G F LEWIS v NEW COLLEGE, OXFORD
The Employment Tribunal hearing is on Monday 30th July 2012, Tuesday 31st July 2012, Wednesday 1st August 2012, Thursday 2nd August 2012 and Friday 3rd August 2012 at 10am at Employment Tribunals, 4th Floor, 30/31 Friar Street, Entrance in Merchants Place, Reading, Berkshire RG1 1DY.



 Background:

 I was contacted by a black chef, Gregory Lewis who worked at New College, Oxford University for eight years. He was treated extremely badly and there was clearly racial discrimination involved. The director of the Race Equality Council in Oxford advised him to take a claim to Employment Tribunal, which he did. He was unable to access legal assistance. Gregory contacted me because he could not understand why the tribunal hearing, which found in New College’s favour, seemed to have been conducted in a way that seemed to practically ignore the evidence they presented, whilst overlooking lies, inconsistencies and a total disregard for equality legislation on the part of New College.


The legal process has been a long drawn out one. Gregory has been suffering from depression and anxiety caused by the racial discrimination he experienced since October 2008 and the stress of legal proceedings has exacerbated his condition.

New College staff blatantly lied under oath during the tribunal hearing last July. The HR Officer had no idea of what the specific duties of Higher Education Establishments were under the RRA (amendment) 2000. There was no monitoring in place to ensure there was no racial discrimination in any of their policies, such as disciplinary action, access to training and promotion; the only equal opportunities monitoring with regard to racial group that New College had in place, was a tick box on their application form.

Gregory Lewis had been interviewed for the role of head chef, after being a second chef at Oxford University for twenty years, eight of those at New College. There had never been a black head chef at an Oxford University college. At that time, as second chef, Gregory held the highest position of any black member of staff at New College. (He was acting head chef for over a year). There were no black fellows, tutors or managers. They interviewed Gregory along with other candidates, none of whom were taken on. New College management advised Gregory to go on a course to better his chances of getting the still vacant, head chef’s position. They did not offer him the opportunity to go on this course before the interview, but during cross examination, the catering manager said that he ‘would not have employed anyone who did not have the qualification already ‘unless they were a Jamie Oliver’, so the interview was a farce unless they believed that a black chef might at any time morph into a white TV chef!

While he was away on the course (and still acting head chef as far as he knew), the college took on a new (white) head chef through the back door without even letting Gregory know, totally humiliating him in front of his colleagues. The message was clear: the black man does not deserve any respect. The person they took on had not even made the shortlist for the original interview and had no experience in a university setting.

The original interview notes (received during legal proceedings) made rude comments about Gregory Lewis that were clearly based on racial stereotyping, making him out to have a slave mentality and unable to follow instructions or understand what they were asking of him. This was a chef that had won many awards during his time working at Oxford University colleges and received many compliments in writing from important guests.

New College management embarked on a series of actions designed to intimidate Gregory and force him out of his job. In the end he was too ill to work and they dismissed him on grounds of medical capability.

The judge and lay members at the Employment Tribunal in Reading were dismissive of the evidence given that management had racially stereotyped Gregory, and the judge said that ‘being lazy and stupid is not a stereotype of a black man’. Evidence was provided to show this, but it was ignored. Gregory had a long list of grievances but the tribunal judge and panel skimmed over them and let New College and their representative dictate what was mentioned. When I met him he was mentally and physically exhausted by the whole process and had lost complete faith in the system that was supposed to protect him from racial discrimination. I told him to keep fighting; the truth was on his side and the law was supposed to be as well!

I helped him to set up a campaign to highlight the racial discrimination at Oxford University colleges. This was before David Lammy exposed Oxford University’s appalling record on admitting black students and employing black fellows. We submitted Freedom of Information requests which uncovered the fact that many Oxford colleges were flouting equality laws and were, in some cases, arrogantly unconcerned about it. EHRC, on receiving the information provided by the campaign, wrote to Oxford University’s Vice Chancellor telling him to remind Oxford colleges, which are autonomous, of their duties under equality law.

When Gregory Lewis received the judgement from the Employment Tribunal in writing, he was shocked to find that not only had the judge disregarded what he had said about racial stereotyping, he had substituted his own racial stereotype, saying that he thought he was stereotyped as a black Caribbean man as being ‘laid back to the extreme’!

At the London Employment Appeal Preliminary Hearing, the judge and panel were not impressed that the Reading Employment Tribunal judge and panel, regularly hearing cases of racial discrimination, appeared to have little understanding of racial stereotyping. (The lay members at Reading Employment Tribunal had agreed with the judge that being lazy and stupid was not a racial stereotype of a black man!).The Employment Appeal Tribunal were also concerned that the case appeared to have been tried as an unfair dismissal case with little regard to the racial discrimination side of the case.

I would like to know what training Employment Tribunal judges and lay members have with regard to equal opportunities and race issues. If they are as ignorant on race issues, as those that conducted Gregory Lewis’s case, it is no wonder that so few people are successful in bringing racial discrimination cases against their employer. Employment law is a totally uneven playing field, with claimants having little access to legal assistance and employers like those from Oxford University having unlimited funds to fight their victims. I understand why most of them give up, the threats of costs and the stress is unbearable in a lot of cases.

The Employment Appeal Tribunal ordered that the case of Gregory Lewis V New College, Oxford University was subject to a full Appeal Hearing in London. Nothing will change until we insist that the laws against racial discrimination are upheld. Black people suffering racial discrimination at work should not be experiencing it all over again in the Employment Tribunals and courts that are their only recourse.

Judgement of the Employment Appeal Tribunal:
 http://www.employmentcasesupdate.co.uk/site.aspx?i=ed10236

Unfortunately, Gregory’s situation is not unfamiliar. I have spoken to many black people, who have experienced similar treatment when applying for promotion. We as a people should be long past the stage where, when trying to progress through hard work and dedication, we are regarded as ‘uppity’ and expected to shuffle our feet, say ‘yes massa’, and be grateful for whatever lowly position these institutionally racist employers decide we are good enough for.

Victory at Employment Appeal Tribunal Hearing

The hearing took place on October 14th 2011. The judge in the original Employment Tribunal hearing made submissions for the appeal which included this statement regarding racial stereotyping:

‘It was, of course, the Claimant and his representative who raised the question of “stereotypical” views of Black Caribbean males. I still do not believe that there is a stereotypical view of Black Caribbean males being “lazy and stupid”. They may have a more “relaxed” approach to life than other ethnic groups but that is not in any way a derogatory assessment and in any event was not in reality a relevant feature in this case. The Tribunal was unanimously satisfied that the Respondent’s assessment of the Claimant was as identified of paragraph 51 of the Written Reasons which related purely to the assessment of the Claimant as an individual and was not based on any stereotypical view of male Caribbeans’. (Judge Coles)


The EAT judgement (MR G F LEWIS v NEW COLLEGE OXFORD) says: ‘We agree with Ms Robinson (acting for Gregory Lewis on behalf of the Bar Pro Bono Unit and only instructed on the morning of the hearing) that here the judge has at least given the appearance of holding a stereotypical view, in that he takes a view that a more relaxed approach to life is exhibited by Black Caribbean males, than by other groups. In our judgment, that is inappropriate. It is put as an allegation of actual bias but we prefer to regard it, and we uphold it, as being an allegation of apparent bias.

Given that there was evidence as to stereotypes, it ought to have been dealt with and not been the substitution of a view by the judge. The matter which worried Judge Hand’s division of this Tribunal was the finding by the judge and Mr Cameron in their subsequent comments, that there was no such attitude towards Black Caribbean men in this country, a view which surprised very much the lay members in Judge Hand’s division and Judge Hand too.

In that respect, it is a matter that we too might have a view about. Since there is no challenge before us to the evidence which Ms Ruskin (Gregory Lewis’s partner who represented him at the Employment Tribunal) says she put before the Tribunal as to a divergent view of two universities (we have not seen it), we consider that there would have been substance in her submission and it was not fair for the Tribunal to form such a view.’

Smugness and Superiority exhibited by New College Oxford management: Snobbery or racism?

From the EAT judgement: ‘Further, we consider there is substance in Ms Robinson’s point that given that at least Mr Cameron considered that the witness team from New College was smug and superior, that should have been a matter which was dealt with in the Judgment in accordance with its duty to make inferences. Were they smug and superior because they were above a mere chef? Or was it anything to do with the fact that he was Black Caribbean?’

(In fact Judge Coles said in his written comments to the EAT that: ‘I note that in the comments from the member Mr Cameron he refers to the facial expressions of the University witnesses and observers potentially being described as having ‘an air of being smug and superior’ and that was certainly a perception which all members of the tribunal reached’).

‘Particularly in the light of what Ms Robinson contends is a highly dismissive superior and arrogant approach by Dr Parrott in responding to the Claimant when he raised the issue of what “Mr Pangloss” meant.’(A comment made by Dr Parrott about Gregory Lewis during his interview). ‘The don was to produce a three-page essay which had some unfortunate epithets about stupidity and malice. Irony was not what was called for. The Tribunal ought to have decided these matters in relation to whether or not there was any race discrimination involved in the decision to dismiss in the light of all that material.’

‘As a matter of law, the Claimant is entitled to a fair hearing by three persons who all have an open mind and who make decisions on the basis of what they hear together. If one of them does not meet that test, then the decision must be set aside.’


The decision of the original tribunal has been set aside and remitted to a freshly constituted panel at the Employment Tribunal.


Lee Jasper

Campaign For Racial Equality at Oxford University


Gregory Lewis, gregorylewis3764@yahoo.co.uk
Lee Jasper, lee-jasper@live.com
 
Press Release on behalf of Lee Jasper and The Campaign for Racial Equality at Oxford University.

Gregory Lewis: worked as a chef in Oxford University kitchens for 18 years

Racism: Oxford University students 'blacked up' for a  'bop'

Lee Jasper: human rights and equality campaigner

Gregory Lewis, left, with the Reverend Jesse Jackson who has spoken out about the lack of black students at Oxford.



Press coverage
  http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/chef-takes-might-oxford
  http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/date-set-oxford-chef-race-case
  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2068076/Oxford-university-professor-accused-racial-discrimination.html
  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8926213/Oxford-dons-Voltaire-reference-at-heart-of-race-discrimination-case.html
  http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/nov/22/hugh-muir-diary-richard-ottaway

The Voice have been extremely accurate in their coverage of this case, it is much appreciated.

Is the “Choc Ice” our new national mascot? By Dr Ornette D Clennon

When people find the term ‘choc ice’ racist and offensive but not the acquitted televised ‘ironic’ rantings of a recent footballer, as a country we really are in what I hope is a temporary state of confusion (code for trouble with a capital T) about our rich multi ethnic heritage.

The ‘choc ice’ debacle, if we’re not careful will become a symbol for our national reluctance to discuss race openly and rationally. As a nation, many of us seem loathe to address our colonial past and through the back breaking (and sometimes life ending) work of its former colonies, a past that put the ‘Great’ in Great Britain (and Northern Ireland).

In fact, it is precisely our post colonial present which makes our country one of the most ethnically diverse and tolerant in the world and I’m not even talking about the significant ethnic and devolution-making dynamics between our four kingdoms; an incredibly important part of our multi ethnic history in the first place.

However, our recent colonial past did not leave with us without a sometimes-unpleasant aftertaste of postcolonial racism (and I am sure the other kingdoms would recognise elements of this in relation to the perceived denigration of their cultures).

So here we are, as actors on our most high profile and arguably the most influential cultural stage (platform) we have in this country; namely Football. It is on this stage that the debate about race and its inherent historical narratives are played out.

It is as though, as a nation we were no longer able to hold our tongues and we needed to voice our deep seated, hidden concerns about race, as stirred up by recent visible immigration and economic turbulence/decline. So, taking audience participation to the next level, we chose the national theatre of Football to air our concerns and fears, or perhaps with the line of events,

Football bid for the rights to stage this sometimes, Shakespearian tragic farce. What is wrong with that? Some people will ask. My answer to them is simply, ‘choc ice’.

To elevate ‘choc ice’ to the level of pernicious racial abuse whilst ignoring Terry ‘s acquittal and Blatter’s handshake comments amongst a litany of other race related incidents, shows that this particular arena is ill equipped to examine and reflect upon issues of racial discrimination both overt and more dangerously, covert, in that it fails to recognise the not so nuanced distinction between one term that encapsulates the feeling of betrayal and lack of solidarity against oppression as opposed to the other that is a vehicle for the said oppression.

Perhaps, I am being naive and condescending to think that this arena and its vocal proponents are intellectually ill equipped to distinguish between different types of race-related comments and equally unable to track the historical narratives behind them.

Some might say that I do them a great disservice. If I agree that I am being condescending to such people, it leads me to an even more unpleasant conclusion that such apparently willful ignorance is actually a ruse designed to obstruct or deflect intelligent debate about racism.

A ruse designed to keep the masses (as symbolised by the arena of Football) in a state of ignorance about the power dynamic between the political (ethnic) majority and the political (ethnic) minority. There seems to be a plan to keep the status quo at all costs by elevating knee jerk ‘choc ice’ reactions above the material issues of deep seated and damaging racism in our national consciousness, as expressed in our national sporting outlet.

By ‘status quo’ I mean, a position where we do not seem able to fairly address issues of tolerance, respect and protection of our minorities without pernicious ridicule using displays of unthinking ignorance about legitimate concerns. I have not even addressed the legal ruling of the moment that appears to be one national institution upholding the gate keeping duties of another in maintaining the current status quo of indifferent race relations. I suppose the ‘choc ice’ as a mascot brilliantly represents those on all sides who wish to dismantle our great diversity, rendering us a nation, powerless and fallen akin to a hairless Samson!

By Dr Ornette D Clennon, Lecturer and Research Fellow, Manchester Metropolitan University

John Terry verdict illustrates the degree of racism within the UK Criminal Justice System.

Where is the Justice?

John Terry has been acquitted of using threatening abusive and insulting remarks in a racially aggravated context contrary to the Public Order and Crime Disorder Acts. For many Black people this will be another case that exemplifies the ways in which the British justice system seems to be incapable of delivering justice for Black British citizens.

This case was important for Britain, it was a litmus test as to the extent to which the dynamics and reality of racism are understood and accepted by the Courts. There was no dispute about the fact of the matter on the 23 October 2011 at the Loftus Road Stadium: John Terry in front of the entire nation called Queen Park Rangers player Anton Ferdinand a “fucking black cunt”.

The facts were not disputed but the motivation and context were. The prosecution contended that the words were spoken with venomous intent. Terry argued that he was being ironically sarcastic simply asking Ferdinand if he was accusing him of saying those particular hateful words. Terry admitted that he was ‘angry’ and had used those words but argued he had not meant them by way of insult.

The presiding Senior Court Judge Howard Riddle concluded there was no evidence that John Terry had meant the words to be insulting.  He came to this conclusion despite Terry’s own admission, the context of the match itself and the millions who witnessed the events during the live broadcast of the match.

It is bizarre that this Judge accepted Terry’s account and this is part of the problem we face when some Judges who have no experience and understanding of racism, allow the prejudice of white privilege to infect their judgments. The results are that black people are routinely looked on with suspicion and are disbelieved. The root problem here is that institutional racism produces a culture of denial, a culture of doubt, where white racial stereotypes pervert justice.

That dynamic is largely unrecognised in the court room: with so few black magistrates and judges the culture of the British courtroom is loaded against black people attempting to seek justice.

The result is black victims are disbelieved where the perpetrator is white. Black defendants are disbelieved when protesting innocence. If found guilty black people receive disproportionately longer sentences and once in jail are less likely to receive parole.

Both police and the courts treat black prosecution witnesses with appalling callousness and a criminal disregard for their safety.

To many in the black community the criminal justice system seems incapable of treating black people fairly either as victims of crime, witnesses or suspects. Time after time we seek justice and receive nothing but insults and the almost routine denial of justice.  One look at the Governments Section 95 reports on racism in the criminal justice system illustrates the ongoing and abiding level of institutional racism that infects the administration of justice.

This judgement will give a green light to “ironic racist abuse”. As black British citizens we will have to rise up and challenge the institutional racism of the criminal justice system. We must take the fight for justice to the streets and press the politicians for criminal justice reforms because otherwise our children will continue to suffer the indignities of being regarded as third class citizens in a supposedly first class democracy.

This perverse judgment should be appealed.

*Lee Jasper

*Lee Jasper will be speaking at: 

BARAC PUBLIC MEETING. JOBS AND JUSTICE - OLYMPICS FAIR PLAY FOR WHO?

27th July at 6.00pm at Stratford Advice Arcade

Further reading:

http://leejasper.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/tackling-racism-in-uk-in-21st-century.html

http://blackactivistsrisingagainstcuts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/rise-mobilise-organise-tackling-racism.html

 

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Boris Johnson’s sweetness is London’s weakness: Race & Policing in the Olympic City.

Boris Johnson: race equality is not important in his world

London is the most ethnically and religiously diverse city on the face of the planet. As we prepare to welcome people from all over the world to the London Olympics they will be greeted by a city that is a vision of the future.

London is the world in one city and visitors can expect to find communities, food, and religious beliefs representing the four corners of the globe. In an increasingly globalised world more major cities will begin to look increasingly like London.

 

That hyper racial and cultural diversity so readily apparent on the meandering streets of London, so resplendent in its dynamic multiculturalism that helped London win the 2012 Olympic Games, fascinates and beguiles peoples coming from drab monocultural societies. This multicultureality is part of London’s distinct charm and appeal. 

However that most remarkable smiling cultural dynamism seen on London’s streets and markets instantly disappears once you enter the po-faced, formal and stiff neo Victorian world of the City of London. Nowhere is this contrast sharper than in the areas of the financial service sector and London governance. 

Here we enter the almost culturally exclusive world of wealthy white men where diversity is looked upon as exceptional, where those therein look more like the Britain of the 1950’s: old male pale and stale.

 

As anxiety around the country about the state of our economy grows with every passing day and the Euro zone threatens to end the world as we know it, the media reports schizophrenically and simultaneously on the continuing economic crisis, the Queens Jubilee, Euro Championships, Wimbledon and now the London 2012 Olympics.

Whilst the diversity reflected on the streets of London, will be also be reflected within the national Olympic athletes teams, by the spectators from around the world, once one enters the City of London and London governance that diversity instantly vanishes.

London’s commitment to equality and diversity in employment and politics is revealed as mere tokenistic window dressing. 

The Mayors Office, the London Assembly, the City of London Corporation, London Government Association, Local Councils and the halls of high finance in the city, resemble a racial hierarchy, a cultural exclusiveness, an ‘old boys’ club that is resolutely white and male.

In a city like London these circumstances are a recipe for disaster and discord. Such huge racial divides and the distinct lack of diversity in the corridors of power and influence pose a serious threat to the city.

African, Caribbean and Asian descendant communities amongst an international cohort of refugee and asylum seeker communities are growing in number and are becoming deeply alienated by the huge racial disparities in terms of their reducing life chances and dearth of opportunities.

There is a huge and growing difference between wealthy white London and the majority multicultural impoverished London. This is a city divided by deep economic, structural racial disparities that are becoming more entrenched as the economic crisis continues.

The Olympics, we are told by the Prime Minister David Cameron, will bring £30m billion into the London economy. I can confidently predict that London’s Black and Muslim communities will not benefit from the huge injection of cash. Trickle down economics never ever reached these communities in the boom times.  The word in the black community is that in economic terms we are all black now as people who have enjoyed years of white privilege in the city are introduced to the black experience of increasing rates of unemployment and poverty.

As the media focuses on the issue of the continuing financial scandals of the Square Mile, across inner city London the hot smoldering embers of economic and social injustice burn bright.

We saw these embers ignite as the issue of deaths in police custody and an acute sense of injustice acted as the spark that promoted the riotous disturbances of August 2011. This profound crisis and the reality of a deeply divided city remain largely ignored. The mass of black and poor people in London have been left to fester and ferment.

The media and press, whose pressrooms rarely include any black journalists and whose limited understanding of racism is derived from their own superficial experiences and infects their perspective on race issues, news stories and editorials results in distinct racial bias in news reporting.

How many black reporters senior or otherwise are there at the main media companies such as the London Evening Standard or LBC Radio?

This lack of diversity in the media finds its mirror image in London’s Mayoralty. After 8 years the Mayor Boris Johnsons team of senior advisors does not reflect London. This results in serious policy weaknesses that relegates the political priority accorded to racial equality policy.

Compounded by the ideological Tory mantra that refuses to recognise difference and racial disadvantage in terms of policy I see the consequences as tensions continue to build.

Policing is a good example of the fundamental political weakness that sits at the heart of London governance.  The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has radically transformed the notion of Police accountability in the Metropolitan Police Service.

The MPS is the largest police organisation in England and Wales, and has a leading role in national and international policing. It has a workforce of around 50,000, including 32,000 police officers and 4,000 police community support officers. It serves a city with more than 7.6 million residents and 1.1 million daily commuters. 10% of Met officers are from an ethnic background, which is significantly less than the 40% that would be representative of the London population. They have no significant representation in the Commissioners Senior Management Team that has become increasingly white over the last four years.

As the Mayor Boris Johnson signaled that he has no serious commitment to the issue of race equality so the MPS reverted to its monocultural default setting that has seen the return of rampant and resurgent levels of unrestrained institutional racism.

Critical to achieving a police service that is informed by the principle of policing by consent and is reflective of London’s diversity is the constant and relentless political pressure needed to ensure even the most modest progress is made.

My experience whilst responsible for Equality policy in Ken Livingstone’s administration is just that. We applied massive pressure to ensure equality policies were prioritized and even where these policies were agreed and adopted, we found we had to forensically monitor progress on a monthly basis to ensure progress.

Boris Johnsons lack of political and policy commitment to race equality acts as deadweight on effective policy innovation and implementation.

Constant pressure is required and in the absence of that, the police culture eats equality policy for breakfast.  Boris Johnson has barely paid lip service to race equality.  His Race & Faith report examining the barriers to recruitment, promotion and retention of Black officers declared that the MPS was now free of institutional racism.

This was a fundamental and catastrophic error as the catalogue of police racism cases of late has revealed. The awful truth is there are thousands of similar cases where the victims having no faith in the discredited MPS complaints process choose not to make a complaint.

During the last year, there have been significant changes to the MPS leadership and governance arrangements, with the arrival of a new Management Board and the transfer of responsibilities from the 23-member Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) to the Mayor’s Office of Policing and Crime (MOPAC).

The new Policing Commissioner for London, Deputy Mayor Stephen Greenhalgh, seems psychologically unsuited to the job and has already dismissed the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee as an irrelevance. He has no experience of operational policing and even less experience of race and policing issues. His appointment will be, I predict, a disaster for London.

The old MPA was the most diverse police authority in the UK. During its first four years the majority of the MPA members selected by our administration were Black or Asian.

The MPS had the highest number of senior Black officers of any force in the UK.  In City Hall and the GLA the majority of senior employees in the top 5% band of salaries were Black. Whilst on the boards of London organisations and institutions where the Mayor had nomination rights, we selected more Black and Asian people onto those boards than at any time since the demise of the GLC.  Examine these institutions today after four years of Tory administration and Black and Asian representation has been reduced to tokenistic levels. This trend exemplifies the deliberate and calculated ethnic cleansing of London Government. The consequences of this for London have been profound.

The August riots of 2011 were avoidable and the reality is that the Mayors failure to ensure a diverse team in City Hall and the MPS cost London dear and will do so again if not remedied soon.

Despite Boris’s undoubted popularity, ideological hostility to race equality does not come cheap.  It has to be recognised that these costs will become greater as alienation increases.

Public sector cuts, all supported by this myopic Mayor has seen black unemployment jump to astronomic levels currently running at 56%. We are suffering a “Greek” style economic crisis right here in London.

This should alarm and appall all right thinking politicians and citizens. The consequences are profound and will, if left unaddressed, plunge London into a spiral of conflict, crime and civil disturbances.

The policing of the riots and the sentences handed out to rioters is contrasted in the minds of London’s excluded communities with the lack of action on MP’s expenses, bankers bonuses and the billions of pounds stolen as result of white collar crime. The Libor scandal is a case in point. It is clear that grand fraud has taking place on an unprecedented scale and yet not a single person has been arrested.

There is an increasing view that the MPS no longer polices black communities with consent and that there is one law for the rich and wealth and another for the poor and black.

The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report recommendations have been abandoned, the forensic monitoring structures dismantled. If that was not bad enough now we hear that Boris is about to abolish groups such as the Lambeth Consultative Groups established as a result of the Scarman Inquiry into the riots of the 1980’s.  Based in London boroughs these are key community consultative forums that hold police to local account.  Anyone can walk in off the street, join, get elected and the next day be talking to their local Borough Commander or the Commissioner.

Groups like the one in Lambeth offer a key forum for challenging police malpractice, informing local policing strategies, challenging institutional racism and allows for a vital channel for communication between the police and local communities. Lambeth is legendary in that regard and has a long and distinguished record of raising issues such as stop and search, deaths in custody, use of police informers and challenging gun and knife crime.

Boris is going to get rid of these groups and replace them with a new body that will have no accountability and will be handpicked by the Mayor and local police commanders.

Having eviscerated all progress on the Lawrence report, Boris now seeks to attack the legacy of Scarman. It is a scandal and no amount of cheery bonhomie, quirky Latin quotes and ruffling of hair can hide the fact that this Mayor is intent in dismantling all real accountability for policing outside the confines of City Hall.

It is vital that these fundamental weaknesses in City Hall are addressed now. Post Olympics we will see massive cuts to the policing budget. £769 million – the amount the MPS will need to save between 2011 and 2015 3,280 – the number of posts the force plans to cut by 2015. 1,410 of these will be police officer posts 1230 PCSO’s Police Staff 640.

This will leave local forces unable to effectively tackle crime in the context of growing unemployment and massive rise in the levels of poverty.

Boris’s ideological hatred of race equality and his commitment to implementing austerity cuts will leave Londoners facing future disturbances that will cost the city millions, and the poor and vulnerable will be doubly victimized as they are left over policed as result of racial profiling and under protected as a result of the decline in the economy and increased rates of crime and violence.

Lee Jasper