Racism and policing

• What was the demographic composition of the Metropolitan Police in the 1950s?


  Mostly white and overwhelmingly male
• How many officers were in the Metropolitan Police in 1952?


  Approximately 16,400 officers
• What percentage of Metropolitan Police officers were white and male in the 1950s?


  Over 97%
• How did the Metropolitan Police interact with the black community in the 1950s?


  They made little effort to build relationships or understand the community
• Who was Norwell Roberts?


  The first black officer to join the Metropolitan Police after WWII
• When did Norwell Roberts join the Metropolitan Police?


  In 1967
• What challenges did Norwell Roberts face in the police force?


  Racism, isolation, bullying, and blocked promotion
• What significant legislation was introduced in 2000 regarding race relations?


  The Race Relations Act
• What was the impact of the Race Relations Act of 2000?


  It helped identify racially motivated crimes
• What was the public perception of the term 'institutional racism' in the early 2000s?


  It was not widely accepted in British society
• How did the black community feel about police support in the 1950s?


  They felt the police were not interested in protecting them
• What were the main grievances of the black community against the police in the 1950s?


  • Denied entry to pubs and shops
  • Police support for business owners in these situations
  • Racist attacks with police inaction
• What powers did the police have in the 1950s regarding racial harassment?


  They could stop, search, and arrest people suspected of intent to commit a crime
• What is institutional racism?


  • Deliberate unfair treatment of a group based on race
  • Encouraged or unchallenged behavior within an organization
• How did the West Indian Federation (WIF) propose to improve police relations?


  By training police officers about Caribbean culture
• How much training on racial issues did most police officers receive?


  Only a half-hour talk
• What was the general attitude of police officers towards the Caribbean community in the 1950s?


  They found aspects of the community threatening and un-British
• What impact did anti-immigrant groups have on the black community in the 1950s?


  • Created an atmosphere of fear
  • Increased distrust of the police
  • Led to violent confrontations
• What was the name of the neo-Nazi group that campaigned against black migrants?


  The White Defence League (WDL)
• What was the WDL's motto?


  'Keep Britain White'
• What was the Union Movement?


  A far-right political party led by Oswald Mosley
• What was Oswald Mosley's rallying cry?


  'Keep Britain White'
• What was the outcome of the Notting Hill riots in August 1958?


  They were some of the worst race riots in British history
• What triggered the Notting Hill riots?


  A fight involving a mixed-race couple outside a pub
• How did the police respond to the violence during the Notting Hill riots?


  They denied that race had anything to do with the violence
• How many people were arrested after the Notting Hill riots?


  108 people
• What was the racial breakdown of arrests after the Notting Hill riots?


  72 were white and 36 were black
• How did the media portray the Notting Hill riots?


  They often blamed the black community for the violence
• What was the significance of Kelso Cochrane's murder?


  It highlighted the neglect of the black community by the police
• When was Kelso Cochrane murdered?


  On 17 May 1959
• What was the public reaction to the police investigation of Kelso Cochrane's murder?


  Many in the black community were angered by the police's inaction
• How did the media cover Kelso Cochrane's murder?


  Most newspapers claimed it was not racially motivated
• What was the response of the black community to Kelso Cochrane's murder?


  • Immediate outrage and protests
  • Growth of black organizations for civil rights
  • Visit from Jamaican Prime Minister Norman Manley
• What was the role of the West Indian Standing Conference (WISC)?


  To promote racial equality and understanding
• Who helped organize Kelso Cochrane's funeral?

  Claudia Jones
• What did the Inter-Racial Friendship Coordinating Council request from the Prime Minister?


  To make racially motivated violence a crime
• What was the outcome of the government's response to the request made by the Inter-Racial Friendship Coordinating Council?


  The government did not take action but allowed a rally by the WDL
• What was the impact of Kelso Cochrane's murder on civil rights activism?


  • It spurred the growth of civil rights organizations
  • Highlighted the need for self-protection among black communities
• Who founded the British Union of Fascists?

  Oswald Mosley
• What was the focus of Mosley's Union Movement?


  Racism and anti-immigrant sentiments