Metropolitan Police Demonstrate Racial Bias After Assaulting And Threatening Father & Son

01/07/2020

A few of days ago there was a story in the press about a father and son who were grabbed by officers and threatened with Tasers, having been wrongly suspected of involvement in a stabbing.

Huugo Boateng suffered minor injuries when he was attacked and threatened by a plain clothes policer officer

Andrew Boateng and his son Huugo were taking part in a charity cycle ride along the River Lea in Tottenham, north London. Huugo, aged 13, was riding a few metres in front of his father when a man, who turned out to be a plain-clothed officer, appeared out of nowhere and grabbed him from his bike.

The teenager leapt in fright and tried to escape what he thought was a mugging, but was tackled to the ground. As he lay powerless on the floor, the officer pointed a Taser at him and threatened to shoot him.

According to Mr Boateng everything happened incredibly quickly. He repeatedly shouted for them to stop, explaining that Huugo was his son and was only 13. As he approached his son, another officer turned on him and threatened him with a stun gun.

Both Mr Boateng and his son were handcuffed and he told Sky News: "It was very distressing. I felt helpless, me on my knees with handcuffs on, and not being able to reach out to my young son, who also had handcuffs on lying on the ground metres from me."

This is yet another example of racial profiling by UK police officers.

As the Black Lives Matter movement stages protests across the globe, including here in the UK, is it obvious that significant work is required to try and combat the systemic discrimination against members of the BAME community.

No doubt some people will argue that such actions are entirely justified; but they are wrong.  It isn't acceptable to detain people just because they happen to be black, or the same ethnicity as someone suspected of a crime.  White people don't suffer this sort of bias in profiling and it is time it was stopped for all.

When you see a Black Lives Matter protest, remember this case as an example of the many thousands that happen every year.  When someone refers to white privilege, don't argue (if you are white) saying you've had a tough life and haven't had this privilege.  Recognise the fact that racial bias has a negative impact on the lives of many, if not most, non-whites.