Twitter is full of reports of the UK Border Agency stopping and performing random ID checks on people of colour in South East train stations today.
The above picture (click to enlarge) was taken by twitter user @SaveKRLibrary at Kensal Tube station in the capital this morning. There have been so far unconfirmed reports coming in from other stations.
The following account was reported to the Kilburn Times:
“…according to several witnesses the officers were aggressive, intimidating and were specifically targeting non-white individuals.
Kensal Rise resident Phil O’Shea told the Times he was threatened with arrest when he asked what was going on.
He said: “I thought the behaviour of the immigration officers was heavy-handed and frightening. They appeared to be stopping and questioning every non-white person, many of whom were clearly ordinary Kensal Green residents going to work.
“When I queried what was going on I was threatened with arrest for obstruction and was told to ‘crack on’.
“I asked that officer for his name but he refused to give it and said I could read his number on his shoulder but I couldn’t see a number there.”
Matthew Kelcher, who lives in All Souls Avenue, also witnessed the operation, he said: “They said they were doing random checks but a lot of people who use that station are tourists so I don’t know what message that sounds out to the world.
“They seemed to be picking out foreign people in an intimidating situation.
“Kensal Green is a diverse community which is settled and they (the government) are going about it on the wrong approach.
“This is more about publicity than dealing about the issue.”
This is not the first time UKBA have made such strident public appearances, but the timing of the move seems part of a conspicuous ‘zero tolerance’ pantomime, as the political parties compete in a race to the bottom on immigration policy.
This week, the #RacistVan is touring London streets delivering the government’s new ‘Go Home’ campaign against illegal immigrants. The van is tells illegal immigrants to go home and has received a wave of criticism from the twittersphere, ably coordinated by @PukkahPunjabi. The government plans to roll the #RacistVan out nationwide.
The following picture is the actual #RacistVan
The subsequent pictures are the valiant photo shop efforts currently doing the rounds.
The graphic below (click to enlarge) provides an overview of the rights you have within the law, if approached by UKBA officers. Please print out and carry in your wallet if you feel you may find yourself caught up in these political raids.
UPDATE 31/07/2013: The following picture was taken by @NRBrizzle at Stratford Tube Station this morning. He is live tweeting as he sees tens of officers stopping predominantly non-white people to check their credentials.
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Scriptonite Daily 
[…] NEWSFLASH: UK Border Agency ID Checking People of Colour At Train Stations […]
Howdy just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The words
in your article seem to be running off the screen in Chrome.
I’m not sure if this is a format issue or something to do with web browser compatibility but I figured I’d
post to let you know. The design look great though!
Hope you get the issue solved soon. Thanks
urgent; the ukba network system its blocket to media contact page!!!!!!!!!!!
dear;sir/madam
my name is murat bulut.i live at UK.since 2007.i always felt safe and secure.
i have problemwith immigration authorities.they arrestedme on 20\6\2013
with out respeck my education,without respeckt my health issue,without
respeckt my 3 years reporting on time to centre.suddenly change
everthink in my life.i m in detaniee more than 42 days,indoor not enought
defence right,the immigration try to removal direction to turkey on 267\2013.
in mean timei apply to high court myself to stop this think.i been always respeckt
UK.rules.i call to high court and i took some advice.i follow this advice.acoording
the advice i have show evidence to airport authorities to cancel my flyt.and i tryed.
unfortunatly i have been shock.the staf (who is tall and glasses) he said me;the UK
goverment dont want you!you have no right to live in UK.dosent matter your
position orsituation.if you dont sighn we deport you by force.i said to him ok.
please deport me.i suddenly feel dictatour regime country.he sait go AND wait room,
and wait fly time.when i lost my believe to see judge i destroit my paperwork (
i preparing to show evidence to court) about 1 hours to fly one person came and
said me your fly cancel mr.bulut……what…i try to take the staf detals who is
the treating me.unfortunatly mr.raymond (extremly fa tand glasses guy)and
other staff didnt gave to deatils.thay said me fill to complain form.anyway
can i ask somethink?
when the staf has gut right to deport by force?
when they become representative of goverment?
when they become to judge me instud of high court?
is it goodhabitsof your respeckt rules and human rights?
why thay gave me RIGHT to apply high court?
ACCORDING TO BBC,SKY,AND OTHER MEDIA ;THE UKBA AUTHORITIES RIED
ALL UK AREA TO CATCH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT.THEY SAY ON THE STREET ON THE VAN
GO HOME OR FACE ARRESTED….ITS PRUF EVIDENCE OF RACISM
.COUSE I M SURE MANY EU COUNTRIES MEMBER IN UK ;
THEY HAVE NO WORK PERMISSION IN UK ..BUT THEY HAVE TO RIGHT TO WORK..
IN DETAINEE CENTRE I SAW MANY UNDEFENDED PEAPLE!
SOME OF THEM MORE THAN 12 YEARS LIVE AT UK WITHOUT CRIME RECORD.
SOME OF THEM SUFFER FROM HEART DISEASE,SOME OF THEM DISABLE,SOME OF THEM
MENTAL,SOME OF THEM STUDENT LIKE ME!!!!!!SOME OF THEM MEMBERS OF FAMILIES..
COMPLAIN SYTEM ITS NOT WORKING AT CENTRE..LEGAL AID AUTHORITIES DEFENT
UKBA…I DO BELIEVE THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE UNDER THE GOVERMENT PRESSURE..
MEDIA IS TOO!!!!
I M SURE ITS NOT IMPORTEND FOR YOU THIS EMAIL..THIS IS YOUR GOVERMENT
AND YOU GAVE TO RAY THEM…ACCORDIG TO SURVEY INDIPENDENT
YOUR GOVERMENT ECONOMY POLICY AND SAFE AND SECURE POLICY
ALREADY DAMAGED!!!THEY TAKE YOUR FUTURE IS WELL THE BEST
EVIDENCE UNIVERSITIES FEE PER YEAR…MANY UK STUDENT
WANT TO GO OUTSITE TO STUDY…ITS VERY DIFFUCULT TO UNDERSTED
HOW IS GROW UP WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE .CHARLES DARWIN,
WINSTON CHURCHIL..ALREADY IF YOU RESPECKT THEM YOU
DIDNT GAVE TO HIS NAME ONE DOG…..
BUT I NEVER GIVE UP MY BELIEVE TO RIGHT!!!!!
WHEN UKBA DEPORT ME I SENT THIS EMAIL INTARNATIONAL AUTHORITIES..
yoursincerly
murat bulut
hormondsworth irc
@Pete Harrison
Having that sort of thing is even worse, I don’t want to have to carry a card with my IRIS and FINGERPRINTS on them, sketch that one some people don’t have anything to hide they just love their privacy, like me XD
If all people claiming benifits where properly screened and given Iris and fingerprint recognition claim cards this would solve a substancial amount of problems ,then if we do have ilegal people here they would be working and not scrounging ,
There is always people that say ID cards again but I have worked in Numerouse countries and everyone has them
Only problem is for people with something to hide
“ONLY PROBLEM IS FOR PEOPLE WITH SOMETHING TO HIDE”?
As Himmler might have said!
Like being a Jew, or a Communist, or a homosexual, or mentally disabled? Or agin the government, or a flat-earther, or a Christian, or a Buddhist, or a Muslim, or a ‘racist’, or a ‘bigot’, or, or, or, or, or – or anyone who is out of step with ‘tight thinking people'(?)!. ,
I have lots of things to hide. None of them are crimes but I still like to hide them. That’s my right as a private citizen. If you’ve got nothing to hide, you won’t mind if I come round to your house to install webcams in every room?
So a black guy has who has nothing to hide doesn’t have to worry about being aggressively stopped an searched on his normal commute to work whilst all other white people go on their merry way. You have obviously done no research. There are numerous articles about how people have had the police turn up at their houses because they searched for standard kitchen items on Google, such as pressure cookers. They also have nothing to hide.. should they worry? Even better, let’s given the state biometric information on a card that can be hacked in seconds so that they can hassle innocent people who don’t have to worry about their lives being constantly intruded on false grounds.
If you watch Sky TV regularly, you will have seen some of the programmes that pass for “reality shows”. One current programme deals with visits by the UK Border Agency to various establishments where illegal immigrants are apparently often to be found (Asian and Far Eastern restaurants and so forth). The border agents are often seen to be very off-hand and frequently question their “suspects” rudely. I’ve even noted that in some of the “shows” people have been pushed around even though it is quite obvious that most of them are terrified at just being questioned, and the agents are in no danger so the attacking mode of defence adopted is completely unnecessary! What concerns me is that this “attitude” is displayed in front of TV cameras. What is the level of rudeness, or even violence, displayed when there are NO cameras around to record the event..?
Disgusting and indefensible !
Just heard a colleague mention they’ve been doing this in Mile End too. ffs.
Police on trains in Germany used to check people of color for no other reason than they were people of color. Suprisingly the German traveling public started protesting when they saw this happening. Shouting at them, taking pictures, going up to then and saying “check me first”. Amasing. – the police seem to have dropped the tactic.
[…] UK Border Agency ID Checking People of Colour At Train Stations Quote: […]
[…] London today, members of the UK Border Agency were stopping people of color at various tube stations and demanding that they show identity papers. Several eyewitnesses confirmed that the patrol […]
Well, truthfully, most illegal immigrants in the UK happen to be colored. You can only accuse the police for trying to do their job effectively. Their job wouldn’t be necessary if so many illegals hadn’t entered the UK to begin with. Think about it.
Well done for highlighting your own racism. Considering the bulk of immigration in the UK comes from mostly Caucasian states…most of the illegal immigrants are more likely to be Caucasian.
Current government stats indicate that whites make up the bulk of illegal immigrants in the UK.
“Think about it” is a good start, but even better is “get some facts, then think about it”.
Looks like Kensal Rise Overground station to me – please check?
Meanwhile, IIRC, what UKBA are doing is flat-out ILLEGAL.
They should be told to fuck right off.
UKBA are definitely a white supremacist organisation. Nasty racist shit getting worse in this country.
Come on people everyone I mean everyone, is discriminatory, It could be because your small, tall, back hair, blond hair, different ethnicity, girl, boy, one gang or another, religion, socioeconomic differences, everyone Will discriminate. It’s fashionable at this time and has been for some time, to isolate different ethnicities to point the finger at. As a result everyone is racist and it will never stop, don’t get tangled into their web of crap.
Yes and how does one Reason with criminals who are hell bent on their own agenda ? My summery is you can’t. We are all equal and free, and thus they have no right at all to demand ID’s or interrogations of you unless they know you have committed a common law crime. They are assaulting you if they attempt to physically prevent you from going about your lawful freedoms. That is a crime, arrest them and demand they are charged with assault, after all under the law we are all equal are we not ?
When an ordinary people are given an unethical authority to decide the future of other ordinary people, they strangely act in a strange way. May it be the Hitler’s SS men or the US’ Contras of Nicaragua or Stalin’s NKVD squads or Cameron’s UKBA’s officers in this particular ID checking shame-stunt, I’m sure that they all share the same perception of power, authority and inhumaneness.
Can I ask why the van is “racist?” While I dislike it for a variety of reasons, I cannot exactly see anything particularly racist about it. If you cannot give a reasonable explanation, prehaps re-evaluate your use of the term, as it is not exactly useful to devalue it like this.
The van is racist because it has been driven through predominantly non-white areas… That is all…
That’s not a logical conclusion. They are not targeted for being *non-white*, but for being *illegals*. Therefore it is *not* racist. The van is driving through neighbourhoods where statistically most illegals would be living. If those illegals happen to be non-whites, so be it, but that’s still not racist. Just because certain behavior runs along the lines of different races, doesn’t mean you are target for your race, but rather for your behavior.
See my previous comment. Your comment only serves to highlight your own negative racial profiling.
I met a few ‘illegal’ (overstaying or working without a permit) immigrants in Belgravia. Most were white and rich.
Was there a go-home van in this area and I just missed it?
I can’t judge on the reliability of the sources here but I was disappointed to read this angle on the government’s recent crackdown on immigration. I do believe the police should go about their job in the correct, non-threatening manner, but I am fairly sure it is within their remit to stop and search whomever they see as a potential danger to others, and they have to make quick judgement calls which aren’t always, if they are human, right, but the majority of the time certainly are. I think we have to remember that the UK border agency are actually doing a job which protects legal residents’ rights and freedoms- protects our economy from the many people living illegally in the UK diminishing resources and affecting public services which tax payers fund. And this #racistvan thing? There are no racial slurs here in this refreshingly honest campaign. These ‘valiant photoshop efforts’ are examples of people confusing stereotyped conservative leader images with a campaign which should benefit the country, and very poor taste.
White people ARE the majority of the illegal immigrants. The biggest group of illegal immigrants are people from Australia for fuck’s sake.
In the 80s and early 90s that may have been correct. Your data is 20 years out of date.
It was true in 2008 that the majority were white.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/05/451993.html?c=on
Granted, things can changed in only five years. The stats for this year are presented in a rather tricky way that makes it hard to get these numbers.
I dont think the checking is racist. They are there to do a job, a difficult and thankless one at that. Agreed sometimes they could be a bit more tactful but this happens anywhere in the world. In most countries you are advised to travel with a passport on hand in case you need to be identified if pulled up in the street by authorities. If your allowed to be there you have nothing to worry about. I am an Australian with a British Passport and I have had my fair share of scrutinising questionings coming back into the UK.
given that area is 75% none white, I’d argue that this is simply harrassing residents. Or should brits also be carrying their passports for the agents to check at will?
http://crimeinlondon.com/brent/kensal-green/profile/
Fair Do’s, I dont know a lot about Kensal Green as I have spent 10 years in south london Brixton/Stockwell/Vauxhall
Nothing about this is racist. They are just going after the ethnic groups that are most likely to be illegal immigrants. If white people were the majority of illegal immigrants i am pretty sure they would id every white person.
If you are stopping all people of colour, regardless of whether they are committing a crime, and are aggressive and intimidating to them then yes, you are racist – or your actions are racist, which is the same thing.
White people ARE the majority of illegal immigrants. They are called Australians.
The aboriginals actually live in northern Australia, while the whites settled in uninhabited(!) southern Australia. FYI.
Wrong again.
Only uninhabited after the aborigines were “ethnically cleansed” – have you no brain at all?
This is so incredibly wrong that I have to wonder how much effort it takes to be so ignorant.
The current statistics the government work with indicate that most illegal immigrants in the UK are white. I’ll say that again. They are white.
omg This is terrible.
You appear to be making a point about ‘people of colour’. I can assure you, British police are NOT racist! They can be just as brutal with a white, British World War 2 veteran as with a young black man! See http://www.normanscarth.blogspot.com Also go to Youtube & type my name. Too much to hope that you will take up this horror story, but I hope you might at least acknowledge this message? Norman Scarth. Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2013 12:46:38 +0000 To: againstcorruption@hotmail.co.uk
You’re making a bit of a logical error there, Norman. You seem to be working on the assumption that if someone is only brutal with people with colour then thay are racist, but if they are also brutal with white people then that precludes them from being racist because racists only only ever nasty to black people. This is not sound reasoning. It is entirely possible that a racist can also, for many reasons, be brutal to people of their own ethnic group.
You are also saying that the British Police as a group are not racist. The British police are not a homogenous group with identical backgrounds and attitudes. There are absolutely racist police, and there are absolutely police who are not racist. This article was not even vaguely hinting that all police are racist, but was in fact saying that employees of the UK Border Agency have been behaving in a racist manner today. The officers referred to in the article were immigration officers, not police officers.
Dear Psimon. I was being facetious (:-). Sorry you didn’t get it. (Must be the way I tell ’em!).
My comments about police & racism were NOT put as a ‘Comment’ (so don’t know how it got there), but as a reply to Kerry Ann Mendoza. The main point was not about whether there is racism or not, but that a WW2 veteran had to flee the land of his birth to escape potentially lethal persecution. It is one of those stories which is totally suppressed by our Goebellesque ‘News Media’ – a story a HELL-OF-A-LOT lot more important than that about Border Guards. Kerry Ann claims to publish just such stories, So, I wondered if she might think it worth taking up. We shall see.
I am disappointed that neither Psimon or Anonymous saw past my facetious attempt at humour, & thus failed to pick up on what is a true horror story. No doubt the fault is mine.
Hey Norm,
They came through the wordpress moderation as all comments do. No other means of them getting published as doesn’t link to FB or twitter.
To Kerry Ann Mendoza,
I am puzzled by you nom de plume, ‘Scriptonite’. Does it have some significance?
You claim to publish the stories which the Main Stream Media refuse to publish. I am also puzzled that though you take the trouble to explain how my message became a comment, You STILL make no comment on the horror story. Do you intend to suppress it in the same way as the MSM do? Or do you think that 18 years of persecution of an honest, law-abiding, hard working veteran of the Arctic Convoys of WW2 is of no consequence? It has included potentially lethal terror attacks & physical attacks, malicious prosecutions, Quisling Court ‘Trials’, legal trickery to seize all his life savings & much, MUCH more. Do you feel none of this is worth commenting on? I ask the same questions of Psimon & Anonymous.
See the video of Prime Minister Cameron echoing the expressions of many who acknowledged ‘The Great Debt the Nation Owes’ when presenting the new Arctic Star to some of the few surviving men who served on those convoys. Do you feel no such debt?
Norm, when I’ve properly digested the story I may well make a comment on it. I don’t tend to hog the comment section for myself but step in when I am moved to. This might not always be the same time as you want me to.
On the monicker, it was a reference to Kryptonite for Scripts.
I also write under my own name and link to external articles where this is the case.
Police are very much racist. Just because occasional brutality towards white people occurs does not mean that PoC suffer from such violence equivalent or less frequently. In fact it is far more frequent, with PoC singled out for stop and searches purely on the basis of their race. And thats barely scratching the surface. It’s an easy example. There are many more.
This is an issue of structural racism. Not just the actions of individuals. Throw away your white privilege.
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