Guernsey's racial discrimination laws "must change"

Monday 08 June 2020

The Black Lives Matter movement has spread quickly across the globe in recent weeks and Guernsey - which currently has no laws against racial discrimination - is no exception, with a peaceful protest planned for this coming weekend.

The movement has been brought to the attention of many following the death of George Floyd - a black American man who died in police custody in the US last month.

Four officers have been fired as a result of the incident and are now facing charges over Mr Floyd's death.

It sparked anti-racist protests across America, which have been echoed by thousands of activists in the UK campaigning for Black Lives Matter.

Now, a group of local residents are planning to stand in solidarity with them at a socially distanced, "peaceful protest" this weekend.

Pictured: The protest will take place at North Beach car park.

"We want to remember and honour the black people who have lost their lives to police violence in shockingly disproportionate numbers, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, David McAtee, Tamir Rice, Ramarley Graham, and so many others," a spokesperson for the demonstration said.

"This is a peaceful, static protest that will not involve a march. The purpose of the protest is to raise awareness of the issues of racist police violence and show solidarity with black people in our local community and globally.

"We need to show the black community that they are not alone and encourage white people to question their racial privilege and history."

Guernsey Police have said they will support the campaigners' right to a peaceful protest, so long as Public Health guidance is followed at all times. For this reason, protestors have been asked to stay at least two metres away from one another and will be gathering in North Beach car park, where they will be able to spread out.

The demonstration is expected to get underway at midday on Saturday.

“We stand alongside all those across the globe who are appalled and horrified by the way George Floyd lost his life," the National Police Chiefs' Council commented in a public statement, which has been backed by Guernsey's Head of Law Enforcement, Ruari Hardy. "Justice and accountability should follow.

"We are also appalled to see the violence and damage that has happened in so many US cities since then. Our hearts go out to all those affected by these terrible events and hope that peace and order will soon be restored.

"Policing is complex and challenging and sometimes we fall short. When we do, we are not afraid to shine a light on injustices or to be held to account.

"The relationship between the police and the public in the UK is strong but there is always more to do. Every day, up and down the country, officers and staff are working to strengthen those relationships and address concerns. Only by working closely with our communities do we build trust and help keep people safe.”

Meanwhile, Guernsey's Committee for Employment & Social Security has put pressure on deputies, asking that they quickly adopt legislation to protect people in the Bailiwick from racial discrimination, in light of the global events.

Pictured: President of ESS, Deputy Michelle Le Clerc.

"To think we are somehow so different from other communities and there is nothing for us to learn, is to bury one's head in the sand," a spokesperson for the committee said. "With the global focus now so acutely on tackling racism, this is not acceptable.

"The UN's International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) was extended to Guernsey in 1969.

"51 years later we still haven't done anything about it. Racial discrimination is still not prohibited. This must change.

"It can change, and it can change soon, if our fellow States Members move to quickly debate and support proposals our committee has prepared and put before them."

ESS has drafted legislation protecting people in Guernsey from being discriminated against on the grounds of disability, race or being a carer, which has to be approved by the States before it can be put in place.

Pictured: States meetings have been taking place virtually.

"This debate would have happened already had the covid-19 pandemic not rocked our island, and the rest of the world," the spokesperson continued. "Quite understandably, this has put a few things on hold. But the introduction of race discrimination legislation has already been on hold for more than half a century. We've all waited long enough.

"Nothing, not even the threat of this terrible virus, should stop us now.

"We are urging our political colleagues to push ahead with the debate and vote on our discrimination legislation, and to support it, so that finally we can begin to address our failure to protect all of those in our community from racism, prejudice and discrimination in its many forms."

The committee is in the process of attempting to address other types of discrimination, including age, religion and sexual orientation, although this is expected to take longer.