I have waited for a cou[le of days before commenting. I think a lot of the noise has been a result of the institutional racism of the Met.Police rather than the specific facts of this case. The police presumably knew about the victims history of violence and therefore may have feared for their lives. Would he have been shot in the head if he was white? – we will never know that. Was it right for the police officer to undergo a trial? – almost certainly, although the murder charge was harsh!
What is known is that the county lines and associated gang violence will not be cured by armed police or harsher prison sentences. Whilst the press can pander to their white, middle class, elderly readership with crass attention seeking headlines, the problem will fester unfettered.
oor Stop and search seems reasonable on paper, until as a black person you are stopped for for the 20th or 30th time! Those fo right wing persuassion will cry about two-tier policing and positive discrimination, but the reality is that we are neglecting the young of all colours. A well funded job market for those with the social contacts has been created that is based on inherited wealth rather than merit. A stat from a phone in was that 76% of black men in prison did not have a positive male role model. Youth clubs and Sure Start were cut to pay for tax benefits for the rich. Trickle down economics is a fairy story to assuage the guilt of the white middle class (yes me and those like me!).