People of colour were more likely to be hit with lockdown fines, report finds

Figures show that people of colour were more likely to be fined for attending “amplified music” events or illegal raves during lockdown in England and Wales.

According to a report from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), 441 fines were issued in England and Wales between March 2020 and July 2021 with Black, Asian and mixed-race people accounting for more than a third.

The report claims that people of colour only make up 15% of the overall UK population yet 342 of 441 fines were issued to the minority group.

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Whereas 60% of “amplified music” fines were issued to white people even though they make up over 80% of the UK population.

Earlier this year the human rights organisation Liberty reported that Black and Asian people were more likely than white people to be given fines for breaking lockdown rules.

Liberty told The Guardian that the police were given too much power which resulted in “heavy-handed policing” and exposed “symptomatic” biases.

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“This isn’t new,” Liberty’s Emmanuelle Andrews added in a later report by The Guardian. “These disparities weren’t created by COVID, but the pandemic certainly amplified existing racism and discrimination.”

In January, a former Radio 1Xtra DJ was fined £1000 for supplying an illegal lockdown rave with a soundsystem.

The rave was held days before the alleged Downing Street flat party.

[Via: The Guardian]

Becky Buckle is Mixmag's Video and Editorial Assistant, follow her on Twitter