Faizah Gilani
The brutal killing of an African-American George Floyd at the hands of a white policeman in the United States stoked worldwide outrage.
Footage showing the policeman kneeling on Floyd’s neck as he struggled to breathe went viral, leading to protests across the globe.
Anti-racism protests also broke out in the United Kingdom and these protests along with the Black Lives Matter movement have opened up a serious debate on racism in the country.
The UK has always taken pride for being a ‘tolerant’ society, but it is this tolerance that has now become a part of the problem. The word ‘tolerant’ reflects a culture of putting up with people that are different to you, but it does not necessarily mean that you are not racist. Even then, simply saying that you are not racist is not enough. It is time to be anti-racist.
And this is what recent protests have stood for. It is for breaking down the barriers of racial inequality and fighting for the end of racial disparities within society. It may be uncomfortable for some to accept but systematic racism does exist within the UK. It is deep rooted at all levels, and this discrimination on the basis of race is experienced within the education system, housing, medical care and policing.
Sadly, the country is being led by a government that does not wish to recognise the challenges faced by BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities). Health Minister Matt Hancock faced strong criticism recently for denying that the country is racist.
He was criticised as being ‘ignorant.’ Politicians are fully aware of the racism deeply embedded within the British society but they choose to remain in a state of denial. Boris Johnson’s government has shown a lack of understanding towards anti-racism protestors, in particular towards the Black Lives Matter movement.
This was highlighted when Home Secretary Priti Patel called the pulling down of slave trader Edward Colston’s statue in Bristo ‘utterly disgusting,’ despite the fact that its presence serves as a torturous reminder of a painful past for the black community. History, albeit good or bad, cannot be erased and remains with a nation’s present and future. But the statues of history’s controversial figures are well suited to stay in museums than in public places.
One can perhaps question the manner in which Colston’s statue was removed but it begs the question as to why a slave trader’s statue was erected to begin with. This has stirred up a fierce discussion, with Oriel College Oxford now backing calls for the removal of the imperialist Cecil Rhode’s statue. There are now growing calls for a change and people want to see that change in the form of action.
But a section of the British society remains in a state of denial and is not ready to break with its colonial past, and many still take pride in the British Empire and the country’s colonialism. The pain and suffering inflicted upon other human beings is callously forgotten for the sake of what is prided as a past glory. That is why it is unsurprising that wartime leader Winston Churchill’s racism is still being cherished.
The Nazis were defeated under his leadership, bringing an end to Adolf Hitler’s evil designs. Churchill undoubtedly remains popular, but there is also a dark and less heroic side of him. He played a role in the Bengal famine of 1943, in which an estimated 5 million people died, and yet he continues to be celebrated and fawned over by politicians and admired by the general public.
Churchill’s racism has now become a hot topic for debate, creating fissures in the already divided nation. George Floyd’s death could not only serve as a catalyst for change for UK but could also provide a chance for rectification for any historical mistake, no matter how painful it could be. The strong emotions shown in the protests with participants even defying social distancing guidelines for Covid-19 pandemic might have built up pressure on the government to genuinely do something to address issue of racism.
With anti-racism protests going strong, the Prime Minister announced a commission on Race and ethnic disparities, but it has already come under fire. Johnson has chosen NO10 advisor, Munira Mirza, as part of the commission, despite her controversial comments that she does not believe that institutional racism exists in the UK. She also controversially said that there was a ‘culture of grievance’ among anti-racism campaigners.
Ms. Mirza’s involvement in the commission has also drawn heavy criticism from Shadow Justice Secretary David Lammy, who argued it ‘further undermines’ Johnson’s race commission. The Institute of Race Relations echoed Lammy’s sentiments, saying it would be hard to have confidence in the findings.
The No10 advisor also plans to rope in support of Trevor Phillips, a former chair of the Equalities and Human Rights commission but he too is controversial for the job as he himself has referred to the UK Muslims as ‘a nation within a nation.’ With the involvement of such controversial figures, it is hard for most people to have faith in the outcome of the commission as they see the entire exercise as a mere eyewash.
But the government’s mishandling of the race commission comes as no surprise. Johnson’s government performance has come under question with regards to its handling of issues relating to BAME communities. The government’s lacklustre response to the disturbing figures that show BAME communities are at greater risk of catching and dying of COVID-19 is another reason why people have not much faith in the race commission.
A recent study has found that hospitalised patients of South Asian ethnicity are 20% more likely to die of the virus, as compared to white people. The South Asian community mainly lives in sordid health conditions which serve as breeding ground for diseases such as diabetes, asthma and heart related issues, making them susceptible to the virus. But way before the advent of the epidemic, locals say there existed social and economic inequalities, discrimination and occupational risks against BAME communities.
The fact that BAME communities are more likely to fall victim to the virus shows that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way UK society is structured. BAME communities remain at a lower economic and social standing, which can be attributed to prejudice and bias. This simply highlights how little progress has been made in terms of equal opportunities for different communities.
People do create history and bring about change. But in a democratic society, one would expect the government to take the lead. It should listen, empathise and act. Governments are responsible to work for a fair and just society for all regardless people’s ethnicity or colour of their skin. We need to strive together until these disparities are gone. It is a tall order. But one can try.
The writer has studied History and Politics at Queen Mary, University of London. And Near and Middle East studies at SOAS, University of London.
