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Stop-and-search targeting of ethnic minorities ‘corrosive’
Professional Asian man in his 40s felt he was treated ‘as potential terrorist’
PEOPLE from ethnic minorities are being “racially stereotyped” and disproportionately stopped by police, Islington councillors warned this week.
Liberal Democrat councillor Marisha Ray said figures show Asian people are twice as likely as white people to be stopped and searched – and black people eight times as likely.
Following a meeting to discuss policing and civil liberties, Lib Dem councillor Greg Foxsmith, a civil liberties lawyer, branded as “corrosive” the excessive use of powers granted to police under the 2006 Terrorism Act.
Last week’s meeting, held by Islington and Hackney Lib Dems, was attended by ex-police commander and former Lib Dem London Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick. Mr Paddick said: “Despite what they might say, figures show police are racially stereotyping people – in other words, equating blackness with criminality, which is wrong.
“If you stop a young black person in London at random they are far more likely to be a victim of crime than a perpetrator.”
Figures from the Metropolitan Police Authority show the number of people being stopped and searched in London has risen year on year since 2006.
Cllr Ray said she had chosen to speak out about “disproportionate” targeting of ethnic minority people after being contacted by “a professional, law-abiding Asian man in his 40s” who had been stopped “for no reason whatsoever” outside Highbury and Islington station on his way home from work.
“The man was taken to one side and the police said: ‘Can we have a word with you?’” Cllr Ray said. “The man said: ‘Yes’. They told him they wanted to search him and he said: ‘Have you any reason to?’ They said they didn’t need one.”
Cllr Ray said the man, who was distressed by the incident and wishes to remain anonymous, felt he had been “treated as a potential terrorist”. She stressed that she was not attacking Islington police specifically, as the way police used stop and search powers was “a London-wide problem”.
Cllr Foxsmith said: “Asian people who are decent, law-abiding citizens are finding they are being stopped where white people of similar age and employment would never be. It’s corrosive.”
Ozcan Keles, from Islington-based Muslim group The Dialogue Society, who attended last week’s meeting, said people from ethnic minority groups would be less likely to help police if they felt stigmatised.
An Islington police spokesman said that without knowing the details they could not comment on the incident raised by Cllr Ray but they encouraged anyone with concerns about police behaviour to contact them so they can investigate.
Inspector Joy Halder, stop-and-search leader for Islington police, said the presence of officers using stop-and-search powers helped prevent terrorism and reassured the public.
He added: “No one community is singled out or targeted as terrorists come from all backgrounds. We understand being stopped by police may cause an inconvenience, but it is our duty to protect the public and their patience and co-operation will help keep Islington safe.” |
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