Friday, April 08, 2005
More on stop and search
In the Western Mail this morning Police try to justify their stopping and searching Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillor, Ashgar Ali, by alleging that he was not wearing an appropriate ID badge. Further inquiries reveal that nobody was wearing an ID badge at the event. When challenged further the Police then said that they acted in this way because Councillor Ali was "quiet". It seems that one of the questions they were keen to ask him was why he was wearing a hat, which goes to show how well they have been trained in cultural awareness issues.
On Radio Wales a senior Police Officer tried to justify the decision to pull the only Asian person out of a room of Party dignitaries and candidates and challenge his identity. All he could say was that he has a duty to protect visiting VIPs and that his officers acted appropriately.
Nobody is disputing his duty and everybody at that event would have been happy to provide proof of identity and/or wear ID badges. What we cannot get away from however, is the feeling that Councillor Ali was singled out because he is a Muslim. This is the society we are now living in.
On Radio Wales a senior Police Officer tried to justify the decision to pull the only Asian person out of a room of Party dignitaries and candidates and challenge his identity. All he could say was that he has a duty to protect visiting VIPs and that his officers acted appropriately.
Nobody is disputing his duty and everybody at that event would have been happy to provide proof of identity and/or wear ID badges. What we cannot get away from however, is the feeling that Councillor Ali was singled out because he is a Muslim. This is the society we are now living in.
Labels: ID
