Individuals of color have been extra possible than white individuals to be fined for attending unlawful raves or different occasions that includes “amplified music” throughout Covid lockdowns in England and Wales, knowledge has proven.
In response to figures launched by the Nationwide Police Chiefs’ Council beneath freedom of data legal guidelines, 441 fines have been issued to individuals throughout England and Wales for attending occasions involving “amplified music” between the introduction of lockdown guidelines in March 2020 and the lifting of restrictions in July 2021.
Black, Asian and combined race individuals accounted for greater than a 3rd of those fines, regardless of making up lower than 15% of the general UK inhabitants.
Of the 342 fines issued throughout England and Wales the place the ethnicity of the recipient was recorded by police, 18% have been issued to individuals listed as Black, 11% to individuals listed as Asian and 6% to individuals of combined race. Solely 60% of “amplified music” fines have been issued to white individuals, regardless of this group comprising greater than 80% of the UK.
Whereas there isn’t a knowledge for the general ethnic breakdown of those that attended unlawful music occasions throughout lockdown, consultants and campaigners mentioned the figures pointed to clear disproportionality in the way in which minority communities have been policed throughout the pandemic.
A joint investigation in 2021 between the Guardian and the human rights organisation Liberty revealed that Black individuals have been 54% extra more likely to be fined for breaching pandemic laws as an entire, with the policing of “amplified music” occasions representing a very stark instance of those wider disparities.
“The federal government’s method throughout Covid was too broad, and laid the foundations for overzealous and inconsistent policing,” mentioned Emmanuelle Andrews, coverage and campaigns supervisor at Liberty. “We noticed all through Covid that marginalised communities, these in disadvantaged areas and folks of color actually bore the brunt of fines and over-policing on the whole.”
This, mentioned Andrews, was fully consistent with the over-representation of Black and minority ethnic individuals in police statistics and throughout the broader felony justice system outdoors the pandemic. “This isn’t new,” she mentioned. “These disparities weren’t created by Covid, however the pandemic definitely amplified present racism and discrimination.”
Specialists have additionally drawn connections between knowledge on unlicensed occasions throughout Covid, and the broader policing of Black and Asian music occasions, such because the Metropolitan police’s much-criticised use of type 696 to close down occasions that includes grime artists or catering to predominately Black audiences between 2008 and 2017. The Met was answerable for 203 of the 441 “amplified music” fines issued throughout England and Wales throughout lockdown, by far the most important variety of any particular person police power.
“These statistics are surprising however not stunning,” mentioned Lambros Fatsis, a senior lecturer in criminology on the College of Brighton, whose analysis focuses on the policing of Black British music genres akin to grime and drill. “Each time Black music is policed, we see it related to dysfunction. The notion that one thing doesn’t belong, doesn’t rely as music or artwork, doesn’t match the mould of what we think about regular.
“4 cellists strolling right into a park to play music collectively wouldn’t be seen as a risk, however 4 or 5 Black youngsters rapping over a observe on their telephones may be. It’s a end result of wider attitudes to cultural distinction and notions of civility.”
Responding to a request for remark, a spokesperson for the Nationwide Police Chiefs’ Council mentioned: “Covid-19 knowledge associated to fixed-penalty notices can solely inform us what number of fines have been issued and to whom. What the info can’t inform us is whether or not or not the variety of FPNs issued at such occasions was reflective of the precise demographic who have been in attendance. It’s subsequently not attainable to say whether or not their subject at these occasions was proportionate in that singular context, or not.
“Covid introduced an unprecedented set of public well being obligations for police to tackle, and we did it within the fairest approach attainable. An impartial ethics committee guided the selections of chiefs at each stage. The place errors have been made, forces shortly sought to make clarifications, and rescinded FPNs the place it was applicable to take action.”
