Who does the police work for? A Statement by Southall Black Sisters

[IwantToRetire]

This is from October last year and I thought there was a thread about it, but if there was it has gone. So will post link to the statement from that time as there has been an update today.

On the night of Friday, the 29th September, Selma Taha, Executive Director of SBS, and her friends were verbally and physically assaulted in an extremely violent racist attack on public transport; this included pulling clumps of hair off Selma and her friend and biting Selma’s flesh, leaving a deeply embedded imprint of her teeth which necessitated a tetanus injection and antibiotics.

A Metropolitan Detective Constable was present at the scene but did nothing to de-escalate the verbal racist abuse when the assailant, a white woman, began making monkey sounds, calling Selma and her friends “bitches”, and “slaves,” and subjecting them to other vile racist slurs. Nor did he apprehend the attacker until it turned into extremely violent physical assault.

To make sense of today's statement you do read the original statement in full which is at https://southallblacksisters.org.uk/news/who-does-the-police-work-for-a-statement-by-southall-black-sisters/

Update – Violent Racist Attack on Selma Taha and Friends

On 5 October 2023, I made it known publicly that I and two friends had been the victims of racist abuse and physical violence on the tube, and that a police officer was present, off-duty, who had failed to intervene during the incident to de-escalate the situation so as to protect me and my friends.

In a development that is deeply shocking to the three of us, the CPS has now made the following charging decisions:https://southallblacksisters.org.uk/news/update-violent-racist-attack-on-selma-taha-and-friends/

The American Government own that acre in a private capacity but it is not ‘America’ any more than an acre of land in America would be part of the UK if I bought it. It is still part of the UK and subject to UK laws.

The American Embassy? US air bases? Are they subject to UK law or tax?

Your statement I think was an attempt to avoid comparison between the alt-right and the MAGAs in the US and their counterparts here. It's ridiculous to ignore the relationship just as it would be to ignore the links between trans activists and gender critical supporters between the two countries.

Those links aren't just philosophical either and include shared funding, groups and activists.

All I see is "it's ok for me to be racist, here's some fancy words why"
You are literally a racist.

I didnt describe anyone as a MRA - but perhaps you have a guilty conscience there. The tactics are the same.

You have shown you have no interest in justice. Justice does not require that everyone is given special treatment because of the colour of their skin and demanding that is racist. I dont subscribe to "it's prejudice not racism", that's just minimising racism. One of the women involved in this has admitted guilt, the rest are innocent unless the CPS can prove beyond a reasonable doubt they are guilty.

Ah now it is coming out. Gender Critical women in the UK actually want to make America great again. Presumably by supporting the expansion of American Airbases through buying up land with all that money from Christian fundamentalist 🤔

I think what we should hope is that people aren't dickheads and don't go around trying to insult eachother based on their skin colour - whatever colour that is.

Ignore idiot derailing a perfectly interesting discussion. There is no point conversing with incoherence.

This is incorrect. While discrimination against Jews could be classed as racism it depends on whether the discrimination is on ethnic or religious grounds. Discrimination against Muslims is religious discrimination, not racism. I suggest you acquaint yourself with the Equality Act 2010. Religion and race (which includes ethnicity and national origin) are treated separately. For example, discrimination on the grounds of religion is legal under certain circumstances, however there are no exemptions at all for racial discrimination.

Hello, all.
We've had some reports about personal attacks on this thread. Could you please avoid derailing this discussion.
Thanks.

Jesus wept. 🦖🦕

Ah! Are you one of those people who 'don't see colour'?

No, I see colour of people's skin, I'm not blind. I don't make a judgement based on it. And I certainly fucking don't go around using it as an insult.

To be clear - I have been talking generally about CRT / Racism/ The use of 'white' as an insult.

My comments aren't directed at this SBS situation, as I have no idea what happened (but I'm interested to find out)

So am posting this as it is an update.

For whatever reason (or maybe I just didn't see it) there was not update after the hearing 26 April, but it seems the case was sent for trial.

There is a tweet from SBS which is a graphic image at https://twitter.com/SBSisters/status/1788545535940378979

But they have provided a text description (of the graphic) which says:

At a hearing at Highbury Magistrates’ Court on 26th April, the trial date was fixed in the prosecution of our Executive Director Selma Taha and her two friends, Divina Riggon and Danae Thomas.

As many of you will be aware, the three women were the victims of a racist incident on a tube train that had stopped just outside King’s Cross Station. They are now being criminalised as the perpetrators.

The trial date is Wednesday 10th to Friday 12th July, at Highbury Magistrates’ Court.

At the same court, at 2pm on Wednesday 29th May, there will be a hearing of the prosecution’s application for ‘special measures’ to screen prosecution witnesses, and for reporting restrictions in relation to press coverage.

And a video message posted by WPUK at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=453051087301793 with the message

30yrs after the #MacphersonReport highlighted the Met’s institutional #racism & #misogyny, confirmed by the #CaseyReport, we have seen little change to restore our faith. Yet again we are being treated as offenders first & victims later
Southall Black Sisters
@SBSisters @SELMATAHA8
#KingsCross3 #KingsX3 #DropTheRacistCharges

(If you are not on facebook you just need to close the sign in box. X in top right hand corner of box.)

Whatever the rights or wrongs of the case, they are fools to be making comments like this on SM, with a trial pending. Courts do not like attempts to pressure them through the media, plus it locks the defendants into their current positions, which limits the options available to their defence.

Agreed, it's deeply troubling and thoroughly inappropriate.

I dont understand this bit:

... there will be a hearing of the prosecution’s application for ‘special measures’ to screen prosecution witnesses,

but do realise as an active case maybe commenting isn't appropriate?

@IwantToRetire the prosecutor wants actual screens to hide their witnesses from the gallery and have requested reporting restrictions to prevent their names being reported in the press or by anyone else on any platform.
Given the way that the 3 women facing prosecution have been speaking about this case online and the amount of abuse directed at the as yet unnamed off duty police officer I expect that the judge will grant them for the police officer 50/50 on the woman who accepted a caution.
Ianal btw

Will keep following this case, I am intrigued about what happened to the judicial review...I assume it either didn't happen or want upheld if this is going to court. I'm not a million miles from Highbury so would even be interested in attending as I've found reporting to be so confusing.

If I was a witness from the platform in the case I think I would appreciate reporting restrictions as it has been in social media tonnes

I am having an open mind about all of the events, but am still puzzling over the issue I started this thread about.

Whatever the rights and wrongs, should a charity / funded organisation take a position on an ongoing legal case because one of their employees is part of it?

I think I a right in saying this is highly unusual.

This looks to me to be an attempt by the defendants to have the trial conducted via social media.

I have never seen a person charged in court use the "I'm a responsible person in a position of authority, thus I cannot possibly have comitted a crime" defense sucessfully. It is far more appropriate to highlight positions of responsibility within the community during sentencing. Trying to bully the judge and court via social media isn't going help here.

I would love to see all the evidence in this case. I hope the trial gets a good write up with all the facts.

I was wondering how to phrase exactly that @lechiffre55
It’s a very troubling case. I want it thoroughly, transparently handled.

I agree that it's a highly unusual move for a charity, and one that would seem to be unhelpful to their cases. Although I guess if you're concerned that you have been systematically discriminated against, you wouldn't particularly expect other parts of the (criminal justice) system to treat you fairly, so use any means available to put your side of events.

SBS must be taking advice from their legal advocate(s) about how to conduct themselves, surely?