The 'B' in BEMA is non-negotiable

Dear Friends, Imagine being stopped and searched by the police because of the color of your skin. Then imagine it happening to you again and again. This is the reality for law-abiding people like Paul, an educator and father. And Anthony, a video editor and father. And even Nick, who is himself a police officer. They’re not alone. Black people in the United Kingdom are stopped and searched by police at seven times the rate of white people. Asians are stopped at twice the rate of whites. People of color in France, the Netherlands, and other countries are also stopped disproportionately. If you think those numbers are staggering, what do you think ethnic profiling is doing to those who are subjected to it? What is it doing to our communities? Please take a moment to watch this video about the devastating human cost of stop and search in the UK. Ethnic profiling is not just ineffective. It fosters a more damaged, divided, and dangerous society. Let’s end the denial about the real cost of this practice. Thank you for your support, James A. Goldston Executive Director, Open Society Justice Initiative