Majority of black, Asian and ethnic minorities feel there is police bias

Around two thirds (65 per cent) of ethnic minority communities in Britain surveyed for Hope Not Hate feel members of the police are biased against them.

Four out of five respondents of black and Bangladeshi heritage felt this way, compared to around half of those of Chinese and Indian backgrounds.

The research suggests the majority do not believe the issues are systemic, with 64 per cent agreeing that any issues were down to a few individuals within forces.

Meanwhile, three quarters of black people, 71 per cent of Bangladeshi people and 53 per cent of Indian respondents felt they are dealt with more severely in the courts.

Responses from around a thousand BAME adults, surveyed between July 3 and 10, also revealed widespread anger about the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and feelings of political alienation.

Detective Inspector Andy George, interim president of the National Black Police Association, said the results confirmed its concerns around trust and confidence in UK policing.

He said: ‘Building strong relationships with ethnic minority communities makes us more likely to understand new and emerging crimes in the community and more likely to receive community intelligence which will allow us to target those causing most harm in the community.

‘Now is the time to acknowledge the evidence produced in this report and build long-term strategies to increase trust and confidence in BAME communities.’

More than half of respondents (57 per cent) said the government has not done enough to protect BAME communities from Covid-19.

Action to address BAME communities' concerns must not wait, given the imminent threat of a second wave, the report argues.

It reads: ‘Given the devastating impact this first wave of coronavirus has had on BAME communities, the government must do more than simply reflect on what went wrong.

‘They must act to put protections in place that directly support those from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, and to put a greater emphasis on addressing structural racial disparities as part of an economic recovery plan.’

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