After the killing of George Floyd in US, watchdog advised British police to face racism within their own ranks to a "real and growing concerns".
After the killing of George Floyd in US, watchdog advised British police to face racism within their own ranks to a “real and growing concerns”. It happens after that protests maintain force across UK.
The Watchdog warns British police
Michael Lockwood, the director general of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) push officers to listen to the black community.
Questions like the use of Tasers, stop-and-search powers and, in recent weeks, fines for breaching the Covid-19 lockdown are interested disproportionately ethnic minorities in British policing.
As a part of the Black Lives Matter movement, thousands of protesters have gathered also the streets across of UK to protest over George Floyd’s death.
A reduced number of protesters had a confrontation with the police outside Downing street, after a peaceful rally on Wednesday in Hyde Park.
Videos prove that protesters threw signs and traffic cones at police, while later some Metropolitan Police officers were seen “taking a knee” as a manifestation of solidarity like in the US. Footage showed that an Australian television reported had to shut down his live broadcast due to the verbal abuse and offense received, then forced to run away.
Lockwood’s concern on protests
After that situation, Mr Lockwood wrote that “incumbent on the wider police service to listen and respond to the concerns being raised”. He continued:
“Right now, communities in the UK are expressing real and growing concerns about disproportionality. Only two weeks ago we highlighted increasing community concerns about the use of Taser. We are also hearing concerns about stop and search and, most recently, fines issued during lockdown being disproportionate to black people. There must be more research to understand issues of disproportionality, as well as assurance and scrutiny around tactics like use of force and stop and search.”
Police leaders respond
About Mr. Floyd tragedy, Boris Johnson said he was ”sickened“ to see what occurred to Mr Floyd, while British police leaders declared they ”stand alongside all those across the globe who are appalled and horrified”, in a joint statement
Mr Lockwood affirms that Britain has a “strong and very different system of police accountability to that in the US”, which does not have an equivalent national body that independently investigates deaths caused by officers. He also said there was “more to do”, but progress had been achieved on British policing practice, policies and training.
British policing leaders previously swear to “tackle bias, racism or discrimination wherever we find it”. Leaders of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the College of Policing and the Police Superintendents’ Association described as “horrified” Mr Floyd’s death and make an appeal for justice.
