The Political Asylum

wakeyboy

A mother, her husband and their disabled son who has autism and cerebral palsy were taking a day trip to Calais via the channel tunnel when they were accused by a plain clothes police officer for people trafficking. The female officer said that their child was "obviously ntohing to do with them". The child is mixed race and the mother asked the police officer if they would have been accused of trafficking if her son was white. The police officer said "are you accusing me of being a racist?"

The officer then told them they had powers to detain them under the Terrorism Act. Next thing, 10 armed police officers surrounded the carriage and arrested the family.

The family were released after two days.

The family have since received a written apology from the police, had their fair paid for and the female officer involved has been given other duties.

The police say that this sort of thing is extremely rare.

The mother who is a legal advocate said that more and more people are being detained under the Terrorism Act and that theres nothing to stop individual police officers abusing their powers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7520598.stm

I'm glad that the family werent kept in custody for 42 days!
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Vintage Girl · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:32 pm Post subject:

A very clear indication of why the 42 day rule should NEVER become law.

What a terrible experience for this family!
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Girls are like phones. We love to be held and talked to, but if you press the wrong button you'll be disconnected!

Merak · Inmate of the Asylum Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 214

Child trafficking is an issue and where a kid doesn't look like it fits in with whoever it is with, then the port/customs authorities are doing their job to ensure that all is well. It's an established practice at airports as well - if a family doesn't seem like it quite gels, then they'll get pulled by customs just to check. Offence should not be taken at it and instead a bit of appreciation that these checks actually exist. They'd be the same people up in arms no doubt about lack of security if their kid got nabbed and smuggled out of the country. Rolling Eyes

The officer concerned's actions were nothing to do with being racist and everything to do with checking a child wasn't being trafficked.

The initial comment from the woman was uncalled for "would you have said that if my son was white". Think about it! It was an insinuation of racism, and no doubt something that *would* be said by somebody trafficking children in a bid to avoid getting caught.

This is a mountain out of a molehill - if you get questioned by port authorities, then comply. If you want to take the piss, then you'll get collared, like they did, til they're satisfied that all you've done is waste their time whilst quite possibly some other child has been trafficked or drugs smugelled in the time it took dealing with them. Rolling Eyes

I have no sypmapthy for them at all. Serves them right. Just a shame it's so namby pamby these days that apologies get issued. Rolling Eyes