Thread by @docrussjackson

#THREAD

The MET is STILL institutionally racist. In February a UN working group wrote to the UK Govt to express “very extreme concern” about its failure to address “structural, institutional & systemic racism” against people of African descent in Britain.
theguardian.com/world/2023/jan…

The UN working group of experts on people of African descent called for an immediate & unconditional moratorium on the use of joint enterprise, warning it was leading to the disproportionate imprisonment of black adolescents.

#ToryBritain

ohchr.org/en/press-relea…

In the damning interim findings that concluded a 10-day fact-finding mission, the experts also called for an immediate moratorium on the use of strip searches during stop & searches by police.

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1530945182530666496?s=20

“We have serious concerns about impunity & the failure to address racial disparities in the criminal justice system, deaths in police custody, ‘joint enterprise’ convictions & the dehumanising nature of the stop and (strip) search.”

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1483001023392370691?s=20

The UN added that UK Tory #austerity measures - responsible for 330,000 UK excess deaths between 2012 & 2019 - had exacerbated racism and racial discrimination for people of African descent, which had an adverse impact on their fundamental rights.

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1636381079505616900?s=20

“I’ve never visited a country before where there is a culture of fear pervading black communities – relating to a range of asylum, residency, policing issues. An entire community experiences constant & ongoing human rights violations as a routine & normalised part of daily life.”

Officials said they had had a “robust” discussion about their preliminary research with the UK equalities minister Kemi Badenoch. A 19-page summary of recommendations was sent to the government.

#ToryBritain

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1638181508241317889?s=20

The working group noted the continuing fallout from the #WindrushScandal. “The experience of the Windrush generation has left a deep scar on the collective psyche of people of African descent in the UK,” the UN investigator Barbara Reynolds said.

theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/m…

She said elderly people had been forced to confront “deeply troubling” questions about their identity and were made to question “‘who am I, where do I belong? Why am I here? How did I get here, what happens next?’”

#ToryBritain

independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-n…

The report also raises concern about maternal & infant mortality. “Black healthcare professionals have cited the pervasive racism and discrimination across maternal and infant childcare that have resulted in relatively high mortality levels.”
#ToryBritain
bmj.com/content/377/bm…

The chair rapporteur of the working group, Catherine Namakula, said investigators had been startled by the findings on joint enterprise, whereby two or more defendants are accused of the same crime in relation to the same incident.

#ToryBritain

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1571156338171846657?s=20

Campaigners have long warned that the use of Joint Enterprise over-criminalises people & can lead to the imprisonment of those who have not committed any serious violence themselves.

#ToryBritain

thejusticegap.com/massive-increa…

“There are many black boys in detention not because they have committed offences but because they are associated with people who have committed offences.” The legal system inappropriately cast “expressions of black culture, including drill or rap music as markers of criminality”.

Investigators raised concerns about the disproportionate exclusion of young black males from school: policing of schools appeared to be “directly linked to the presence of black students... a practice that intimidates, stigmatises, & criminalises black children & young people”.

“Students reported that a group of black kids is seen as a gang while a group of white kids is seen as a friendship group,” Day said.

As part of its fact-finding mission, the working group visited London, Birmingham, Manchester & Bristol.

#ToryBritain
nottinghampost.com/news/nottingha…

The UN experts met with senior officials of the UK Govt, including Badenoch & minister for the UN Lord Ahmad. They also met with officials from the devolved governments, local city council representatives, MET police & officials from the Equality & Human Rights Commission.

The UN experts spoke to hundreds of individuals, representing a broad section of civil society.

In Brixton, they visited a house in which the ceiling caved in three years ago & had yet to be repaired.

“I accompanied them to the visit and I was shocked that Lambeth council could see it fit and acceptable to leave a family in such conditions,” Ife Thompson, a criminal defence lawyer & community organiser said.

In London, the UN group met with families whose loved ones had died in custody & heard moving evidence of the impact of racial stereotyping in family courts.

In Birmingham, they visited a prison and spoke to inmates, while in Manchester, they sat with youth group leaders.

Entirely predictably, a UK government spokesperson said: “We strongly reject most of these findings... We are proud that the UK is an open, tolerant & welcoming country but this hard-earned global reputation is not properly reflected in this report.”

https://twitter.com/coldwarsteve/status/1637012306998575105?s=20