White Privilege - MET Police

so am I, but I know why, and it is not my skin (2 artificial knees).

If she had just shown her bus ticket when asked the whole incident would have been avoided.

The only time I’ve seen anyone refusing to show their tickets was on a train midway between Carlisle and Leeds. Four teenage lads thought they’d have a great laugh tormenting the guard and throwing their tickets back and forth across the table so he couldn’t inspect them.

At the next station four burly officials got on and marched them off without a word, amidst much wailing about how were they going to get home and how sorry they were, they were just having a laugh and here are our tickets, we’ve got tickets, you can’t throw us off when we’ve got tickets. We gave them a little wave as the train pulled away without them.

It is part of the terms and conditions of using bus, train or tube that you show a valid ticket or proof of payment if required. Everyone knows this.
Bus inspectors and police do not just ask one person on a bus, be they black or white. Same in a tube carriage, everyone’s tickets are checked.
It is nonsense to say otherwise not part of their remit do otherwise.
If someone decides to kick off at this not unreasonable request, they will be made aware that it is a criminal offence and should not expect a pat on the head.

Fleurpepper

so am I, but I know why, and it is not my skin (2 artificial knees).

I must just look suspicious.

Maggiemaybe Served them right!
They won't be in a hurry to do that again.

Quite simple.
Establish why she refused to show her ticket when asked.
Everyone is asked to show tickets, receipts at some time in spot checks.
Calling it white privilege is silly.

Maggiemaybe

Iam64

Given the huge disparity in stop n search, driving while black, the awful search of the 15 year old girl etc etc I think suggesting this is some kind of set up to ensure film of two male police officers man handling a black woman over possible ticket avoidance is surprising

As I’m the only person to have mentioned the video in this case, I assume that you’re accusing me of suggesting that this was a set up.

As that had not crossed my mind, I suggest that you retract this and apologise.

I can only apologise for not realising you mentioned video in this case. I certainly wasn’t accusing you of anything Maggiemaybe.

Thank you, Iam. I am very much against people having cameras pushed in their faces, and videos that only show half a story being posted on line, but I certainly don’t think this was staged. I don’t think anyone else has suggested it either.

We don't know how many times she has been stopped, and for whatever reason, that day, or in days, weeks, months passed. Pretending that black people don't get stopped, questionned, doubted, and have to constantly prove that they are who they are, etc, etc, is just plain silly indeed.

There is a real cumulative effect that builds up over many man years. And this is not just in the UK either. When you are singled out out of a crowd, on a repetitive basis over many years-no wonder it has an effect on how you react.

It is not an excuse for refusing to comply with public authority that you may have had a bad day.
We are continually reminded in public spaces that aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated for everyone’s benefit and safety.

We are not talkinga about 'having a bad day'. Honestly, you truly don't get it, do you.

Unless you have spoken to young black people who are aggressed by others, including the police, day in, day out - you probably won't get it. Some police are great at diffusing- others know exactly which buttons to press, and do so, with great delight.

There is no excuse to refuse to comply with a request to show your proof of payment and that is the bottom line.
You leave yourself open to criminal proceedings, as you will have been warned.
It really is an extremely simple law which is easy to understand by everyone

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jane1956 clearly you don’t understand how many ethnic minorities get stopped and searched for various reasons- I know this to be the Reality!!

If she had done as asked and produced proof she had paid, none of this would have happened.

Don't blame the police for her actions.

jane1956 clearly you don’t understand how many ethnic minorities get stopped and searched for various reasons- I know this to be the Reality!!

Yes and it’s not down to white privilege.

She was in the wrong, she refused to show her ticket. Skin colour has nothing to do with it. If she’d shown her ticket then none of it would have happened. When I’m asked to show my ticket on a train I do so. That’s why this has never happened to me. Nothing to do with white privilege, it’s just that I comply with the reasonable and legal request.

Why not just show your ticket? The escalation of this incident and the shouting in front of a child was not in the hands of the police. If this lady had her hands full with a child, shopping and a buggy, then seat the child in the buggy, put the shopping down and show your ticket. Is that so difficult? I've been asked for my ticket several times on bus and train journeys- I don't ignore the inspector and walk away. I would expect to be stopped if that happened.

Callistermom21 Having just travelled back from Turkey wonder what would happen if the person involved in incident refused to get out her boarding pass/documents when asked. Strict searches, yes more than one, hand luggage scanned then later searched and swabbed for drugs. Would like to see someone say No to any inspector, officer in these circumstances. The bus inspectors have the right to "inspect". Its awful that police officers are needed to attend a simple procedure no matter which force. It was the woman's choice how she behaved in front of her child.

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4allweknow

Callistermom21 Having just travelled back from Turkey wonder what would happen if the person involved in incident refused to get out her boarding pass/documents when asked. Strict searches, yes more than one, hand luggage scanned then later searched and swabbed for drugs. Would like to see someone say No to any inspector, officer in these circumstances. The bus inspectors have the right to "inspect". Its awful that police officers are needed to attend a simple procedure no matter which force. It was the woman's choice how she behaved in front of her child.

Perhaps you look suspicious, like me, for no discernible reason!
I even got my hat swabbed in case it was impregnated with drugs 👒

DH did question why he needed to take off his belt and shoes - and got swiftly taken away and strip searched at one airport.

This is unacceptable

Doesn't matter the circumstances

No one should be manhandled in fron if their child over a bus ticket

It is a fact this happens more to black people because of unconscious bias.

There is a lot of reading online for those who have it to educate themselves

She should have produced her ticket when asked and not behaved the way she did, especially as she had her child with her at the time.

DH did question why he needed to take off his belt and shoes - and got swiftly taken away and strip searched at one airport.

Mine got threatened with the same at Manchester when he protested a little too robustly about having to put his asthma inhaler into a plastic bag. Luckily for him I created an unintentional diversion by scattering 3 weeks’ worth of daily disposable contact lenses across the floor.