News

Hatred is an invisible cancer that ultimately demands murder. In the 21st Century, this has never been more clearer than watching the grotesque spectacle of mass murderer Anders Breivik.

The governing body for European football, UEFA, has clearly shown what it thinks of racism: not much. In fact, as far as punishments go, a football team arriving a minute late on to the pitch will be sanctioned greater than if their supporters indulge in constant racist abuse.

In local and Mayoral elections, today (18th April) is the last day to register to vote. It couldn’t be simpler: Go to www.aboutmyvote.co.uk, fill in the download and pop into your local authority. Job done.

OBV reported last year the horrific case of Cleveland police officers ‘fitting up’ a fellow Asian colleague Sultan Alam for a crime he didn’t commit. Today he has been awarded more than £800,000 in compensation. The largest of its kind.

London’s Black communities left the Mayoral candidates with no doubt what area of governance needed radical change: Policing; particularly, Black deaths in custody; disproportionate levels of Stop and Search; and growing levels of racism recently exposed within the Metropolitan police.

The Black Britain Decides event, organised by Church leaders and Operation Black Vote had a global audience of millions thanks to the excellent coverage of OH TV, including the 500-600 who turned up on the night, and hundreds engaging on Twitter.

In what has been described as a ‘dark day for Europe’, a nine month investigation by the Council of Europe into the deaths of over 60 African migrants left adrift at sea, highlights so many spectacular failures that it is difficult to say other than in some these African lives were not worth saving.

These African migrant workers were not fleeing Africa to find a ‘better life’ in Europe, they were fleeing a bloody civil war in Libya in which they found themselves were caught up.

Almost 1000 people have already signed up for tomorrow's London Mayoral hustings.

The BBC, ITV, The Sunday Times, Guardian and most of the BME media will be on hand to cover the event.

The Black vote could be a significant factor in these elections and give an indication about the political landscape for the General election in 2015.

BME groups and individuals have put together a dynamic Black London manifesto. At its core, it calls upon the Mayor to help restore confidence between BME communities and the police, to creatively tackle BME unemployment and depravation by unlocking business potential in urban areas, and recognising the social, business and education hubs’ Black led churches and other faith groups can be.

However, these are our ideas. What do you think, are there others?

Policing and Community Safety

I have written many articles on the increasing nature of Metropolitan Police Service racism in recent times. Today devastating news - another three police officers have been referred to the IPCC for allegedly racially abusing George Asare, a young Ghanaian shot and then tasered in Lewisham recently.

This brings to a total of 6 police officers currently being investigated for racism. The official and anecdotal evidence is that racism is spiralling dangerously out of control as a resurgent and unrestrained and institutional racism returns with a vengeance.

Political editor Medhi Hassan writes in this weeks Newstatesmen what many people believe to be going in regard to Party Chair Baroness Sayeeda Warsi and certain quarters of the Conservative Party. He states ‘it’s difficult to come to any other conclusion that they don’t like her because: she’s a woman; she's Asian, and she’s’ a Muslim’. He goes to say of course her critics wouldn’t say that so they use other language such as lack of ‘competence and ability’.