A racist screaming the N-word and a Black person using it in conversation are poles apart. Why can’t the CPS see it? | Nels Abbey
Another ‘hate crime’ case against a person of colour has collapsed. The fact it even got to court reveals an alarming ignorance It was summer 2014. Driving back to London with my baby daughter after a day out in Waltham Abbey, I was waiting for a traffic light to turn green. Pulled up beside me on my right-hand side was a long-haired, long-bearded man on a classic motorcycle. He looked around my car, and shook his head in seeming disapproval. Suddenly – with absolutely no provocation – he roared out “FUCKING NIGGERS”. Then he jumped the red light and sped off.Every decent person could see that as a credible hate crime. But there are exchanges less clear cut, with motivations more arguable. How should society – and the law – deal with those?Nels Abbey is an author, broadcaster and the founder of Uppity: the Intellectual PlaygroundDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
Another ‘hate crime’ case against a person of colour has collapsed. The fact it even got to court reveals an alarming ignorance
It was summer 2014. Driving back to London with my baby daughter after a day out in Waltham Abbey, I was waiting for a traffic light to turn green. Pulled up beside me on my right-hand side was a long-haired, long-bearded man on a classic motorcycle. He looked around my car, and shook his head in seeming disapproval. Suddenly – with absolutely no provocation – he roared out “FUCKING NIGGERS”. Then he jumped the red light and sped off.
Every decent person could see that as a credible hate crime. But there are exchanges less clear cut, with motivations more arguable. How should society – and the law – deal with those?
Nels Abbey is an author, broadcaster and the founder of Uppity: the Intellectual Playground
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
