Baroness Casey Review of the London Met
In March 2023, the London Met was found to be institutionally racist, sexist and homophobic. This news comes as no surprise to us at WAR. We have been campaigning for the Met to be exposed for a very long time.
>>> Read more here about our perspective and the media coverage around the Casey review.
The sentencing of David Carrick
On 6 and 7 February 2023 together with Women of Colour in the Global Women’s Strike, we held a lively protest outside the sentencing hearing of David Carrick, former Met police officer, a prolific serial rapist, domestic abuser and torturer of women.
>>> Read more here about our protests and the media coverage around the sentencing of David Carrick.
We reported on WAR’s open letter to Met Commissioner Mark Rowley. Our demands for change included:
- An end to police impunity.
- Stop arming police rapists, racists and murderers.
- Stop increasing the power of corrupt police forces over the public – NO Public Order Bill!
What is the problem?
For several decades we have demanded action to stop police rape and police racism. In 2020, Black Lives Matter brought police racist violence to public attention. That year after two sisters of colour, Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry, were murdered in a London Park, the police behaved appallingly, not even investigating. Their mother Mina Smallman publicly campaigned for the police to find the murderer and it emerged that two officers had taken selfies with their bodies and mocked them in a WhatsApp group. They were later prosecuted.
In 2021, Sarah Everard was kidnapped, raped and murdered by a serving police officer, Wayne Couzens. There followed an extraordinary outpouring about police violence, particularly against people with less power: women, people of colour, queer, trans, people with disabilities… including from women officers and police wives/partners.
Rape has been practically decriminalised. Convictions are at an all-time low of 1.3% of reported rapes. We demand thorough rape and domestic violence investigations and convictions. Investigate the accused and stop the intrusive searches of victim’s phones, other media, and medical records. But instead, Parliament gave police sweeping new powers including to arrest and criminalise protesters, in the Police Crime Courts and Sentencing Act, against which we protested as it passed through parliament. Now they seek to extend these powers via the Public Order Bill.
The police do not need more powers. They need to use the powers they have to protect women and children and everyone against violent men, including violent officers. For decades they refused to investigate child abuse (see Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford, Jersey, Shirley Oaks…), and dismissed women reporting domestic violence (2 to 3 women a week are murdered by ex/partner!) and racist attacks.
In 2022, we joined protests against the police strip searching of teenage girl Child Q at school. A report by the Children’s Commissioner found 650 children were strip searched by the Met 2018-2020.
A series of damning official reports into police criminality, including sexual violence, have been published, including by Dame Louise Casey and HMICFRS.
There is still no visible sign that officers who break the law are held to account for their crimes. Many are transferred rather than sacked, or leave with a full pension, even fewer are prosecuted. A police force that grants impunity will attract men who long to impose their will, biases and violence on the public, especially on women, children, people of colour, immigrants, and others who suffer discrimination.
Police leaders say they are trying to restore public trust. There is a long way to go…
Read more on Police Violence
Published letter, The fight for justice goes on, Camden New Journal
Published letter, The fight for justice goes on, Camden New Journal Letters Editor Camden New Journal: Thank you for raising the question “Can the Met be trusted with their new powers?” From our experience as organisations campaigning for protection and justice, the answer is a resounding No. But we must ask, why is an institution found …
Press: London Police officer sentenced to Life for Rape and Sexual Abuse.
Press: David Carrick had pleaded guilty to 49 crimes against 12 women in the latest case to cast a harsh spotlight on the Metropolitan Police. Activists gathering for a protest outside Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday during the sentencing trial of David Carrick, a former police officer.Credit…Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu Agency, via Getty Images New …
Press: Scrap plans to give cops more power, say women as David Carrick is jailed for life.
Scrap plans to give cops more power, say women as David Carrick jailed for life. By Anita Mureithi for Open Democracy. 7 February 2023. A Met officer has been locked up for dozens of rapes. Yet Suella Braverman’s priority is clamping down on protesters. Protesters gather outside Southwark Crown Court for the sentencing of serial …
Press:’Defending this racist, male supremacist force’
Defending this racist, male supremacist force’ Hampstead & Highgate Express Opinion: View from the Street Published: 8:52 AM February 9, 2022 Ms Kristina O’Connor was assaulted in a street robbery in Kentish Town in 2011. When she reported it, DS James Mason, called her “amazingly hot” and asked her out. A disciplinary hearing found him guilty …
Press:’Women’s safety is not a police priority’
‘Women’s safety is not a police priority’ Camden New Journal, edition almost exclusively written by women, 18 November 2021 For four decades our multiracial group has organised for protection and justice for women and children who suffer rape and domestic violence in the home, in institutions and outside. This includes violence by police officers and …
Press:Time to clean up the police force
Time to clean up the police force Camden New Journal LETTERS 15 Oct 2021 ‘How can we expect convictions of violent men when police abusers protect other abusers inside and outside the force?’• AS Camden women’s organisations, we welcome the CNJ‘s article and Comment on women’s safety. Since then national newspapers have criticised the institutional …
Statement : Why women oppose the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill
Why women oppose the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill Women Against Rape & Women of Colour Global Women’s Strike We have been organising for decades for protection and justice from a pandemic of sexual and domestic violence against women and children, reinforced by policies of austerity that target us, undermining our financial independence and …