Dangerous levels of racial violence in the UK are spreading into new areas, according to a report by the Institute of Race Relations. (IRR) The race equality watchdog says that since studies were first carried out a decade ago, there has been a reduction in racial violence in areas like Southall, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Newham where the majority of incidents took place.
But racial violence is now increasing in towns and cities where the arrival of asylum seekers, migrant workers, overseas students and the migration of settled families from black and minority ethnic communities is beginning to alter the demographic profile of these once predominantly white areas.
An analysis of 600 racial attacks that took place in 2009 reveals a pattern of certain groups being singled out who are at increased risk. These include newly arrived migrant workers, asylum seekers, those working as taxi cab drivers or in take-aways and people who are mistaken for Muslims.
The report says that competition between the mainstream parties to appear tough on immigration has not helped the situation but has exacerbated it by causing heightened tensions where black and minority ethnic communities bear the brunt of the ill feeling created.
The authors say that although the authorities feel that the Macpherson inquiry (set up in the wake of the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993) has dealt with racial violence, on average five people a year have died as a result of racial violence – 89 victims in 17 years.
Victims of racial attacks are mostly Asian (45 per cent) and black (18 per cent) but men are more likely to be attacked than women (80 per cent). The majority of attacks take place on the street (37.6 per cent) and at the weekends when attackers are likely to be intoxicated (34 per cent).
The authors say:
“The UK is now witnessing an ever-expanding mosaic of different racisms based on different local conditions. And politicians themselves are responsible, through their neglect of poor disadvantaged areas, policies including the demonization of certain groups and rhetoric around the war on terror, for creating, particularly in areas where competition over scarce resources is keenest, a climate in which racial violence will flourish.”
Scotland Yard’s most senior Muslim officer takes on racist yobs
Coinciding with the release of the IRR report on racial violence, it has been revealed that Chief Superintendent Dal Babu 47, challenged a group of men who hurled racial abuse at him as he was on his way to attend a church confirmation while off duty last month.
The Evening Standard reports that on hearing the chants of “Paki” shouted repeatedly, Babu found himself surrounded by three white men who continued to hurl abuse at him while laughing and challenging him to respond.
Babu then identified himself as the Chief Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police and ordered them to wait while he called for back-up, warning the perpetrators than CCTV cameras were recording their every move.
When the men tried to jostle past him, he stood firm and blocked their path until uniformed officers arrived on the scene.
Two men have now been convicted over the incident, one man aged 27 pleaded guilty to a public order offence and another aged 24 admitted causing racial aggravation.
