As race hate crimes soar to a new high, the Scottish Executive deny their strategy is failing, saying its down to more people reporting attacks and abuse. But campaigners firmly believe racism is getting worse in Scotland and claim as many as eighty percent of incidents still go unreported.
CCTV footage was released a few weeks ago when the authorities launched another campaign against racism. The true extent of the problem is difficult to determine.
Official figures released today appeared to show it is getting worse. This is the first time statistics on racist incidents have been brought together from all of the eight Scottish police forces - and they make grim reading. There were over 5000 racist incidents last eyar - 13% more than the previous year and there were over 65000 racist crimes - an increase of 12%.
Ministers say it is a complicated picture. Justice minister Cathy Jamieson said: “We can’t assume that just because the figures are up in terms of people being brought to justice that that shows an increase in the problem. It may well show is that people are less tolerant of that kind of behaviour and more willing to report it.”
But some campaigners believe racism is on the increase - fuelled by a post 9/11 backlash and fermented by the far right.
Robina Qureshi from Positive Action on Housing said: “From our experience and from research carried out by Strathclyde Police, 80 percent of incidents aren’t reported.”
Osama Saeed from the Muslim Association of Britain said: “The BNP and far right racists have moved from racism to Islamophobia.”
Since 2002 the Executive has been funding the One Scotland campaign. Some community leaders praise it - others are not so sure. Bashir Maan from the Muslim Council of Britain said: “If it was working the figures would be going down, but going up.”
Most of the crimes were committed by young white men in their 20s. While the authorites know who is causing the problem, they do not know how to solve it.
STV NEWS
http://www.stv.tv/content/news/main/display.html?id=opencms:/news/Executive_promises_crackdown_on_racism
7 responses so far ↓
hazel smith // March 31, 2007 at 7:42 pm
It was stated that there was 1500 racist crimes against Pakistani/Asian people and 1000 racist crimes against white British, in proportion you are more likely to be attacked if you are “white British” so where do the figures come from that most of the crimes were committed by white young men?
anonymous // April 11, 2007 at 10:38 am
Hazel,
THINK about what you are saying! You just said “in proportion”, but look at the figures! Do you know anything at all about statistics?
sunniva // November 17, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Hazel can do her sums. What she means is that Asians are 0.87% of the Scottish population. Therefore if 0.87% can make 1000 attacks a year this is far higher that 1500 attacks made by 98.3% of the population. The inference is clear: the 0.87% are far more violent than the 98.3%.
Michael Woods // November 18, 2007 at 5:54 pm
I can see the figures 5000 and 65000 above. Have I missed something because I cannot see 1000 or 1500 ? Could someone point me at the other source please.
As for 9/11 -
I commend to you the report by Thomas R. Olmsted, M.D which begins -
“I am an ex Naval line officer and a psychiatrist in private practice in New Orleans, a Christian and homeschool dad. ”
And which found -
“evidence from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), that there were no Arabs on American Airlines Flight 77.”
This is on subject because had there not been a 9/11 there would probably be no increase in racially-motivated attacks on Moslems.
If no Arabs were involved then we are being misled.
If we are being misled then the UK and US governments and media are guilty of a concerted racially-motivated attack on Moslems.
As always if the authorities wish to take action against me I can be found via my email address.
shuck // November 19, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Why do you seem to think that the authorities would have the slightest interest in what you have to say Mr Woods?
Many people have views which don’t agree with Government policy and I am sure they wont look to track you down and make you a prisoner of Conscience.
I am sure that many people would agree that you shouldn’t take yourself so seriously Mr Woods.
Michael Woods // November 20, 2007 at 4:05 pm
I quite agree with you there Shukc, the Authorities don’t give a hoot about what you or I have to say. Their indentured thugs have far easier targets than those of us with the right to free speech.
Those attempting to find shelter here for instance make a very easy mark for official harassment and thuggery.
And of course libellous remarks about them, from the anonymous safe haven of the World Wide Web.
Very astute of you to note that.
shuck // November 20, 2007 at 9:43 pm
What are you on about Mr Woods? You do worry me!
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