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Original poster

This would not have happened if these men were white

88 replies

spokette · 12/03/2009 18:26

Reading this story reminds me just how institutionally racist are the police.

It is bad enough when a black person is pulled over for having the temerity to drive a nice car. Now we cannot even window shop without being suspected of being thieves.

OP posts:
TheDevilWearsPrimark · 12/03/2009 18:27

I was stunned by it too. I think he has handled it very gracefully.

Nabster · 12/03/2009 18:27

You don't know that.

ScummyMummy · 12/03/2009 18:27

That is disgraceful.

FAQinglovely · 12/03/2009 18:30

hmm I don't know if we can categorically say they were being racist - if the spate of robberies which has recently been carried out was my black men then they're not going to arrest a white man are they?

Original poster
spokette · 12/03/2009 18:32

FAQ, if the robberies were done by white men, the police would not target every white man window shopping! Just in the same way that white men do not get stop for driving a nice car.

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FAQinglovely · 12/03/2009 18:41

well given that there's been a spate of violent robberies targeting jewellers in that area they may well do if they had been white robbers and they felt they were acting suspiciously.

There were reports of "heated dialogue" with the footballer and his friend, which never goes down well if the police are questioning you, and they weren't detained

I have visions of him doing the "don't you know who I am" line and getting arsey with them when they didn't (which I hastedn to add would have as easily come out of the mouth of a white "star", or a orange and green spotted one).

Generally it's not a good idea to get arsey with the police they do tend to whip out the handcuffs regardless of who you are or what colour skin you have.

ScummyMummy · 12/03/2009 18:48

There's no evidence at all that he got arsey, though, FAQ. I find it very difficult indeed to believe that a white man looking in a jewellery shop window would have been similarly treated, I'm afraid. This happens frequently to black men, particularly young ones. It's just that your average ordinary black guy doesn't have access to the press to publicise it.

FAQinglovely · 12/03/2009 18:50

Several of the articles say that he "explained who he was" and that a "row" or "heated" conversation took place.

Haribosmummy · 12/03/2009 18:53

I'm sorry, but I don't believe the police just wander up to black people and slap hand cuffs on them.

SOMETHING must have been said to make them react.

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 12/03/2009 19:04

There's also the point that being a footballer doesn't make you incapable of commiting crime.

Original poster
spokette · 12/03/2009 19:09

"I'm sorry, but I don't believe the police just wander up to black people and slap hand cuffs on them."

Haribo, you are really clueless.

FAQ, the footballer was on crutches but yet the policemen took away his crutches to stop him from fleeing the scene. If he had been someone like Frank Lampard, as soon as he explained who he was, they would have asked for his autographed and grovelled apologetically for any inconvenience caused. When you are black, that is all many of these enlightened policemen see.

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StewieGriffinsMom · 12/03/2009 19:11

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edam · 12/03/2009 19:11

I've had black friends who drive nice cars and are stopped practically on every single ruddy journey. Because a black man in a Beemer or Porsche MUST be up to no good, according to the Met...

Original poster
spokette · 12/03/2009 19:13

The comments from those defending the police just proves what most black and Asian people know about the law in this country.

When you are white, you are innocent until proven guilty.

When you are non-white, you are guilty until you prove your innocence.

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Comewhinewithme · 12/03/2009 19:13

Well my brother was stood waiting for me yesterday and the police pulled up and questioned and searched him .

No explanation at all .

He is 18 and white . It has happened to him three times twice on his way home from college and yesterday . He tells me it happens to lots of his mates black or white .

FAQinglovely · 12/03/2009 19:15

lets not forget the long list of white footballers who have actually been arrested/charged for various assaults and other crimes.........I doubt the police officers arresting them said "oh and by the way can I have your autograph"

Tbh I think the fact that he was a footballer is TOTALLY irrelevant - all of the articles have him (the footballer) admitting that he explained who he was (does it really matter - doesn't mean he was innocent!), and most of them mention a "heated" conversation, some say "row" - hence his friend being handcuffed

I believe that would be pretty standard practice in any police force no matter who was being challenged if they felt the person they were talking to was becoming aggitated.

The crutches - yes well that was a bit of a bugger, but I'm sure it would be the first case that a suspected criminal has had an "injury" which turned out to be fake.....

FAQinglovely · 12/03/2009 19:18

yes this is what the law does in this country - involved in a fatal crash because he was texting

Twims · 12/03/2009 19:19

And what about the white people that were arrested yesterday by police when it was the muslim/asian community protesting/moaning when the troops arrived back from Afghanistan/Iraq

Original poster
spokette · 12/03/2009 19:19

"lets not forget the long list of white footballers who have actually been arrested/charged for various assaults and other crimes"

They were not window shopping at the time though, were they because they were actually caught in the act.

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Original poster
spokette · 12/03/2009 19:20

Twims, I saw white and asians protesting - your point is?

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StewieGriffinsMom · 12/03/2009 19:20

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FAQinglovely · 12/03/2009 19:21

but the CCTV controllers didn't know they were just window shopping otherwise they wouldn't have alerted police would they?

StewieGriffinsMom · 12/03/2009 19:22

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Message withdrawn

Original poster
spokette · 12/03/2009 19:22

FAQ, who are deliberately been obtuse. The link who posted is of a man who was caught in the act doing something illegal. These two guys were window shopping. Is window shopping now an illegal activity?

OP posts:
FAQinglovely · 12/03/2009 19:22

No I would answer their questions calmly - as I've seen first hand what the police round here do to people if they start arguing with them when being questioned (they handcuff them and take them down to the station).