To think he’s being racially profiled.

[LetMeSpeak]

Ok so Dbrother and I went onto the metrolink yesterday and there was a ticket inspector there while we were getting on. I don’t often see them on the metrolink. So a few of us enter the tram by the same door. The inspector points and then stops and asks to check my DBs ticket and only my DBs ticket. I don’t think they realised we were together, so DB shows the ticket but the inspector doesn’t look at anyone else’s who was getting on. I found that rather strange and asked DB about it. DB has said that they have been inspecting more this week and the times he has seen them they only inspect his ticket and nobody else’s .

Aibu to think there is some sort of profiling going on. I really am eager to complain to them about it. My DB is mixed race and I’m white. It’s the way the inspector just pointed at DB. For me it’s a clear indication they were looking for a certain profile of people. DB is telling me to just leave it. I asked DH and he doesn’t seem as convinced but wouldn’t be surprised if they are.

I just think it’s so unfair to be targeting specific people when everyone is meant to be paying to get onto the metrolink.

Unfortunately I suspect you’re probably right. It’s far more common than we like to acknowledge.

You're probably right. However, your DB is asking you to leave it, so that's what you should do. You sound lovely and clearly you feel protective but he is the person of colour and its for him to decide how he deals with it.

I would complain if it's happened repeatedly. On any one of these occasions it's acceptable that your brother's been chosen - it has to happen sometime. But the fact that it's happened multiple times proves a systemic problem. Your complaint would carry a lot more weight if you could include dates, times, locations though. It may also be more useful to them if they can find out which inspectors are doing it.

Oh right, I missed that he Does want you to do anything. You have to respect that.

I think all you can do is offer to support your DB, or help him filing a complaint, providing a witness statement etc. it’s not your place to complain if he doesn’t want to.

Happens to us most times when we fly.

Oh it’s just random checks, they say 😡

How old is he? It could be an age thing plus being male too. Young men are basically the most likely to fare dodge. It’s just a fact.
My dh proudly declares he rarely paid fares in his teens and twenties. ( he does now)
I see people jumping the exit barriers regularly where I get off the tube and they are all without exception young adult men. ( maybe as older people can’t physically make the jump!)
I also get tail gated sometimes into the gates , always young men. I have a sense as to who is likely to do it while waiting to go through and gesture for them to go first.

Oh it definitely happens. My friend is one of four kids - half Turkish - two are white appearing, the other two are dark. He was once on the tube for a day out in london with a big rucksack, with his white dad who was also carrying a rucksack, and he alone was asked to leave the station! There have been other instances of him being treated differently from his siblings. He's a nerdy skinny guy with a PhD from Imperial. It really bothers him that anyone would find him threatening or - as he assumes - think he might blow up a train.

They check people they think are more likely to dodge fares. Young men dodge fares the most so if he's youngish yes he'll be checked rather than you.

So if the inspector had been black and the traveller white, would you have suggested the same?

I get checked a lot, my husband has never had a spot check, we’re both men, hes white, I’m not.

That does sound odd, on the trams near me if they do ticket checks it’s for everyone in that carriage, not singling out individuals.

If your brother doesn’t want to take it further then respect it, but they do have cctv on the trams I believe if he did want to raise it.

Thank you for the advice. Just to say his ticket being checked wasn’t the problem. It’s the fact that they only checked him ticket and nobody else’s.

I travel by train often and they check everyone no matter what they look like. Surely it should be the same for the trams. I’m sure it used to be that way however now there seem to be a change for some reason.

This completely misses the point. Had it been once it might just be a coincidence but OP has said it’s consistent. And racial profiling, against young male people of colour is well known to be an issue.

Racial profiling the other way doesn’t work because there isn’t the same power imbalance.

It is sadly highly possible that the person checking did make a (conscious or unconscious) decision based on race.

If your brother doesn't want to pursue it you have to leave it, I think. It must get tiring having to deal with it all the time.

Absolutely this what @Igotjelly says 👆

Ffs, there's always one isn't there.

Yep, no doubt some more will soon turn up.

I never said the inspector was white. In fact they weren’t.However it did look to me like they where targeting a certain profile. Especially the way they pointed at DB. Something like that wouldn’t be down to the individual. Its most likely something the inspectors are told to do.

Oh it happens constantly.

DH is a tall, black man, he gets checked and stopped at every occasion. On transport, at air ports, refused entry to clubs, always asked to see tickets.

I as a blonde white woman am never ever checked for anything.

In fact, I've been settling my son into nursery for 3 weeks, that's 15x I've been on the school site in a designated area. Not once have I been approached. DH went yesterday and immediately they asked who he was, why he was there and made him get a photo badge and provide ID.

That’s not what fucking happened though, is it??

give me strength.

I'm sorry for the trouble and every day racism your Dbro is faced with.

Yes the inspector most likely was tapping into his subconscious or conscious mind.

We have a great little diverse group of friends playing outside until a new boy moved in using the N word regularly, he told the children he has a pass to use the word.

There are black children in the group alongside mixed race, Indian, Irish, EE.

I went to his parent, he wasn't allowed use that word again. I know he picked it up from his parents.

I wanted them to feel very embarrassed .

Yep, there’s loads of them unfortunately. This site is developing a real problem with it.

someone will be along in a moment to accuse us of being ‘woke’.

OP, this is 100% a ‘thing’, and I’m sorry that it’s happened.

You are sadly not wrong OP, but if your brother has asked you to leave it I would respect his wishes. Dealing with it all the time must be soul destroying.