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AIBU to report racist comments made by a couple the GP waiting room?

351 replies

rhomb · 08/05/2026 15:47

At the GP practice this morning. The practice has screens around the waiting areas which come up with name of patient, medical staff and room number when called up.

I was sitting behind a couple who did a running commentary between them. They used racist terms on the foreign sounding names. Then when a name came up such as John Pearson “ooh a proper name”.

I moved seats as I got fed up with the racism. They decided to move (unsure why) next to me. Then carried on. I was in two minds whether to report them. The couple would know it was me that reported them.

I am sick of racist people.

OP posts:
ConstanzeMozart · 08/05/2026 16:23

People are being really shitty to the OP here.
I totally understand the feeling of wanting to speak up but not feeling able to. Nobody wants a mouthful of abuse or any other abusive behaviour back, but you never know how people will respond.
OP, I'd write to the practice manager giving the day and time and tell them all the things this couple said. I know it's after the fact, but at least they can keep an eye out for it happening again.
And if it does happen again when you're there, go and have a quiet word at reception. So what if they know it's you? They've got something to be ashamed of; you haven't.

GoodkneeBadKnee · 08/05/2026 16:22

neveraskingtime · 08/05/2026 16:18

A thought spoken is still a thought, what do you even mean?

Huh?

TheGreatDownandOut · 08/05/2026 16:21

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nomas · 08/05/2026 16:21

ProudAmberTurtle · 08/05/2026 16:19

The OP is desperate for everyone to tell her what a decent anti racist person she is.

Who would you report these people to?

How would you report them given you don't know their names?

What would you report them for?

What evidence do you actually have?

Can the other people who were there back you up over this story that definitely did happen?

She is a decent, anti-racist person. Why would you think otherwise?

nomas · 08/05/2026 16:20

neveraskingtime · 08/05/2026 16:18

A thought spoken is still a thought, what do you even mean?

It becomes verbal when it’s spoken and subject to hate crime laws when it meets the threshold.

ThatCyanCat · 08/05/2026 16:19

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It's 4.20 on a Friday and I didn't have any caffeine today, you could get me with a rubber chicken right now.

Error404FucksNotFound · 08/05/2026 16:19

neveraskingtime · 08/05/2026 16:09

Thoughtcrime police has graced us.

Edited

Thoughts are the silent ones that stay in your head.
When you say it out loud, it's speech

ProudAmberTurtle · 08/05/2026 16:19

The OP is desperate for everyone to tell her what a decent anti racist person she is.

Who would you report these people to?

How would you report them given you don't know their names?

What would you report them for?

What evidence do you actually have?

Can the other people who were there back you up over this story that definitely did happen?

nomas · 08/05/2026 16:19

YANBU, OP. You were right to move, the smell of their racism would have tainted you.

It sounds like they wanted a reaction from you, that’s why they moved closer to you.

neveraskingtime · 08/05/2026 16:18

Anyahyacinth · 08/05/2026 16:17

It's not a thought is it if it's spoken? It has become something more

A thought spoken is still a thought, what do you even mean?

Locutus2000 · 08/05/2026 16:18

This reply has been deleted

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Anyahyacinth · 08/05/2026 16:17

neveraskingtime · 08/05/2026 16:09

Thoughtcrime police has graced us.

Edited

It's not a thought is it if it's spoken? It has become something more

Error404FucksNotFound · 08/05/2026 16:17

You should have told them to keep their racism to themselves.

I assume when you say report them you mean you would report them to your gp surgery. What do you think the surgery will do?

Clue - it rhymes with duck call.

SonyaLoosemore · 08/05/2026 16:17

If an employee was being racist you could report them. A member of the public not, unless it was hate speech.
You could have tried talking to them, maybe pointing out that many local citizens have names that originate in different parts of the world so it's not surprising that some come to the surgery.

emuloc · 08/05/2026 16:17

Also if they moved next to you, as you claim that they did, and carried on, why did you remain silent? Strange.... But yes people should call out racism, Islamophobia etc.

Johnogroats · 08/05/2026 16:16

I might have been tempted to make a comment at the time but don’t think a complaint is appropriate.

Anyahyacinth · 08/05/2026 16:16

Wow the support for racism on here.

Yes the practice manager would have an interest in this ...Drs surgeries would have zero tolerance policies related to these things and remove people from their lists. Creating an intimidating environment is definitely not a no impact or harm event

If nothing else I'm sure they have the capacity to send out a message that such behaviour won't be tolerated...text, poster etc..

Most practices have a patient participation group who would discuss how to respond to this too

coulditbeme2323 · 08/05/2026 16:15

thepariscrimefiles · 08/05/2026 16:00

I presume to the GP surgery who could remove them as patients. They do sound like racist arseholes. Objecting to racism and racist insults directed at staff and patients isn't 'being the morality police'. It creates an intimidating environment for non-white patients which is unacceptable.

They would still need medical care.

Plus there sounds like there is zero proof.

GoodkneeBadKnee · 08/05/2026 16:15

Katypp · 08/05/2026 15:52

Because the main purpose of the OP's post is to virtue signal about how much she hates racism.
I'm suprised the couple were not described as 'elderly'. It goes with the territory.

Is hating racism bad then? Oops.

GreenWheat · 08/05/2026 16:13

What is this obsession with "reporting" things these days? Report to whom? We can all call out racists twats, why are you expecting to pass the buck and have someone else to do it for you?

They sound awful, but you should have made a comment to them at the time if you wanted them to know they were being offensive pillocks.

Pinepeak2434 · 08/05/2026 16:12

Is this a wind up?

emuloc · 08/05/2026 16:11

TheSmallAssassin · 08/05/2026 15:49

Why didn't you say something to them?

This. Either say something at the time, or let it go. The surgery will not do anything, I would have thought.

ThatCyanCat · 08/05/2026 16:09

Report to whom? To do what?

Obviously it's horrible but it's a private conversation. It's not illegal.

midlifeattheoasis · 08/05/2026 16:09

Hilarious

neveraskingtime · 08/05/2026 16:09

Thoughtcrime police has graced us.