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ALLEGED RACIST ACT BY THE WEST MIDLANDS POLICE


Premi

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Not sure if all here were aware, I posted this on SS previously

 

https://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/19675661.acist-act-west-midlands-police/

RACIST ACT BY THE WEST MIDLANDS POLICE

On Tuesday 26th October 2021, it had been reported, that the racist West Midlands police had attacked a Sikh man. The police officer Kasim Shafiq, who is part of the West Midlands police force had stamped on and riped the Sikh man's turban.

Due to this, a peaceful protest had been held outside the station, All protesters are urged to maintain peaceful and respectful conduct, Also be cautious of the rise of covid cases this would be taking place in the Perry Barr police station, Holford Drive, Birmingham, B42 2TU. This would be held on Wednesday 27th October 2021 from 7 pm-7:30 pm.


A Sikh man who supports the Sikh youth UK (which is a campaign that raises awareness on international Sikh matters) was arrested yesterday in the afternoon by PC 22391 around 14:30. The arrest was about providing proof of address for a very minor traffic offence, The young Sikh man was taken to Perry Barr custody suite and was being booked in at the reception when PC Kashi Shafiq became very aggressive asking the Sikh man to remove his turban.PC Shafiq then reached across the reception desk and ripped the turban off the Sikh man's head, and then purposely stamped on it.
As a community, we do not tolerate religious hate by anyone. especially police officers who take advantage of their power to attempt to degrade Sikhs. 


We urge the Sikh community nationwide to write complaints and share this far and wide.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-59154164

Police apology amid claim Sikh headwear was forcibly removed

Published
22 hours ago
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ProtestIMAGE SOURCE,SIKH PRESS ASSOCIATION
Image caption,
Protesters gathered outside Perry Barr police station last week

A police chief has apologised to a Sikh man whose arrest sparked a protest amid claims his religious head covering had been forcibly removed.

An officer removed the head covering in a private room at Perry Barr police station in Birmingham and it fell on the floor at one point, police said.

The force said the head covering, a patka, was immediately retrieved.

Assistant Chief Constable Richard Baker said he met with the man to apologise to him for any distress he experienced.

The matter has been referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct who are now carrying out an investigation of the officers' interactions with the man on 27 October, West Midlands Police said.

"We understand the religious significance of head coverings to the Sikh faith and we know reports of this incident have caused outrage and anger to the Sikh community and the wider public," ACC Baker said.

"I do not underestimate the impact this has had on the man as well as the Sikh community, both locally and further afield.

"This is absolutely not representative of West Midlands Police.

"We are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect and we continue to strive for better relationships with the communities we serve. We are determined to hold to account any officer who does not adhere to the standards of professional behaviour."

The IOPC previously said a video on social media suggesting the man had his turban stamped on in a custody suite was "false".

The man, who was released on bail, is due at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 25 November charged with obstructing a police officer and two counts of driving a vehicle when the VRM (vehicle registration) fails to conform with regulations.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-59154164

Police apology amid claim Sikh headwear was forcibly removed

Published
22 hours ago
Share
ProtestIMAGE SOURCE,SIKH PRESS ASSOCIATION
Image caption,
Protesters gathered outside Perry Barr police station last week

A police chief has apologised to a Sikh man whose arrest sparked a protest amid claims his religious head covering had been forcibly removed.

An officer removed the head covering in a private room at Perry Barr police station in Birmingham and it fell on the floor at one point, police said.

The force said the head covering, a patka, was immediately retrieved.

Assistant Chief Constable Richard Baker said he met with the man to apologise to him for any distress he experienced.

The matter has been referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct who are now carrying out an investigation of the officers' interactions with the man on 27 October, West Midlands Police said.

"We understand the religious significance of head coverings to the Sikh faith and we know reports of this incident have caused outrage and anger to the Sikh community and the wider public," ACC Baker said.

"I do not underestimate the impact this has had on the man as well as the Sikh community, both locally and further afield.

"This is absolutely not representative of West Midlands Police.

"We are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect and we continue to strive for better relationships with the communities we serve. We are determined to hold to account any officer who does not adhere to the standards of professional behaviour."

The IOPC previously said a video on social media suggesting the man had his turban stamped on in a custody suite was "false".

The man, who was released on bail, is due at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 25 November charged with obstructing a police officer and two counts of driving a vehicle when the VRM (vehicle registration) fails to conform with regulations.

 

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https://www.sikhpa.com/seven-wmp-officers-given-misconduct-notice-for-sikh-hate-crime/

 

Seven WMP officers given “misconduct notice” for Sikh hate crime

December 24, 2021/in News /

A statement from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed that a West Midlands police officer behind a hate crime against a Sikh man has been issued with a “gross misconduct” notice, whilst six more have been given a “misconduct notice”.

The statement comes months after the original incident took place in October, which saw a Sikh man issue a complaint about having his patka (religious head covering) removed and stamped on by officer Kashif Shafiq. The news of the misconduct notices was originally revealed by Sikh Youth UK (SYUK), a community activist group supporting the Sikh man at the centre of the incident.

Despite the findings, IOPC Regional Director, Derrick Campbell said the misconduct notice given to seven WMP officers “does not necessarily mean that misconduct proceedings will follow. It is only once our investigation is complete that we will make decisions about whether or not the officers have a case to answer and should face disciplinary proceedings.”

Whilst the outcome of the IOPC investigation continues, questions are arising as to why the video and audio footage of the incident has not been shared publicly, to provide clarity on what exactly happened. Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said of the latest update, “To end questions about what occurred, WMP could simply share footage from the cameras worn by the officers involved in the incident. At some point, especially in consideration of the outcome of the investigation, the footage will need to be revealed.”

With this update, many are wondering why the Metropolitan Police are yet to give any update on complaints about one of their officers punching a Sikh man in the face in an unprovoked attack during last year’s #FarmersProtest #KisaanRally in London, which legal group Kaurs Legal have pushed for.

 

 

Unsaid Digital spoke exclusively with Mr Singh who was subjected to the racial attack.

Officer served gross misconduct notice over Sikh man’s head covering uproar


Posted On December 23, 2021

Seven officers have been served misconduct notices following an incident where a Sikh man’s turban was said to be forcibly removed.

The incident took place on October 25 when the Sikh man (we will call him Mr Singh) was apprehended for minor traffic offences in the West Midlands region.

West Midlands PC Kashif Shafiq was accused of carrying out the religiously-motivated hate crime of allegedly forcibly removing Mr Singh’s turban.

He said: “I am happy that the IOPC is communicating with me openly and honestly. It is appreciated from my side and I cannot thank the Sikh community enough for the support they have given me.”

Jas Singh, Advisor to the Sikh Federation (UK) also addressed the events. He said: “We welcome both the investigation and verdict of the IOPC into the inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour of the West Midlands Police officers at Perry Barr station.

“The whole Sikh community were outraged to hear about the racial attack and desecration of a young Sikh man’s turban and Patka.

Gurmel Singh, Supreme Sikh Council UK, said:

“Based upon experience there is a clear perception in the community that there is a lack of Sikh awareness amongst officers particularly when it comes to visiting homes. Gurdwaras on policing matters .The custody suite has its own challenges . This is now a real opportunity for  the WMP to reach out to credible representative Sikh organisations to discuss a way forward.”

Assistant Chief Constable for Local Policing, Mr Baker said:”This investigation remains with the IOPC and it will be some time before we know the final outcome.

“We do not underestimate the impact this has had on the man as well as the Sikh community, both locally and further afield.

 

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5 hours ago, Premi said:

@dalsingh101 what do you think in the tweet at the bottom of the page they mean by 'what's the full form of WMP' ?

In police parlance 'form' usually means 'previous convictions' - but I don't know how it's being used here?  

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1 hour ago, dalsingh101 said:

In police parlance 'form' usually means 'previous convictions' - but I don't know how it's being used here?  

I think you might be right. The tweet might be alluding to 'what other gandh have the WMP done in the past (which was covered up)?'

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20 minutes ago, Premi said:

I think you might be right. The tweet might be alluding to 'what other gandh have the WMP done in the past (which was covered up)?'

That's what I thought. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

https://barficulture.tv/culture/905

20th January 2021   •   ARTICLE
'Coercive control is normal in Sikh families' - West Midlands police told a women's charity
 
3.png
by Barfi Culture Team | @barfi_culture.

forced_marriage.jpg

A Midlands-based charity has said a women it was helping was told by a West Midlands Police officer that "coercive control is normal in Sikh families" and there is nothing they could do to help her.

The incident drew outrage from women's groups and other community organisations.

The claim was made by SWAN Empower, a community based organisation run by Sikh women across Birmingham, Sandwell and Walsall regions. It aims to "tackle the negative impact of cultural influences, and specifically where this influence can lead to the exploitation of women".

On Tuesday it posted this tweet

One of our victims got told by @WMPolice today that coercive control is normal in Sikh families and there is nothing they could do to help her, despite her having independent evidence. They refused to take her statement @LordIndarjit @VictimsComm @jessphillips ðŸ¤·ðŸ½â€â™€ï¸

— SWAN (@swanempower) January 19, 2021

The account added in response to an Asian woman: "Kay we are seeing this a lot. Victims turned away, statement taken then nothing happens and case closed, sexual abuse cases not taken seriously, child sexual abuse incident which should be taken most seriously offered telephone statement while peodophile walks free. No updates"

Numerous women spoke out in response
 
 

1/2 The first time when I ran away from my family. My father hired a private detective (an apna police officer advised him to). They were able to hunt me down by using my National Insurance. I knew then I couldn’t escape him and I had no one to turn to. https://t.co/7LlKsS2wu1

— KAUR (@Deep5110) January 20, 2021
 



West Midlands Police said they were looking into the incident.

The charity is already struggling. 


SWAN had received £20,000 from the fund last year and will have to lay off three case workers in l

Quote

Last week it emerged that Labour's Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner Waheed Saleem has cut funding for women's groups to redirect money to victims of hate crime.

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  • 7 months later...

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-62659583

 

West Midlands Police officer faces misconduct panel after Sikh man's patka removed

 

A police sergeant is to face a gross misconduct hearing after a Sikh man said his head covering was forcibly removed in custody.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it investigated the actions of seven officers over an incident at a custody suite in Perry Barr, Birmingham, in October.

It said one, a sergeant, may have breached standards.

The complainant described his experience as a "racial hate crime".

He said his treatment was due to discrimination against him as a Sikh.

Hundreds of people demonstrated outside the Perry Barr station in October after a video started circulating on social media suggesting the man's patka had been stamped on, although the video was quickly branded by the IOPC at the time as false.

 

On Wednesday, it said CCTV confirmed this was the case.

However, the watchdog said standards for equality and diversity may have been breached during the incident.

'Significant unrest'

It also referenced the sergeant's "use of force relating to his handling of the situation and his decision to remove the man's head covering".

IOPC regional director Derrick Campbell said the incident had "caused significant unrest within the local community at the time".

He said a misconduct panel would now be put together by West Midlands Police.

While the watchdog said the other six officers would not face a hearing, it said four of them "would benefit from taking part in reflective practice".

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  • 11 months later...

 

https://www.west-midlands.police.uk/future-misconduct-hearings

West Midlands Police - Misconduct Hearing

Start Date

31 July 2023

Finish Date

3 August 2023

Time    
10:00 am

Venue    
West Midlands Police Headquarters,
Lloyd House,
Colmore Circus Queensway,
Birmingham,
B4 6NQ
(Sat Nav B4 6AT)

Standards of Professional Behaviour breached

  • Use of Force
  • Discreditable Conduct
  • Authority, Respect and Courtesy
  • Equality and Diversity

Conduct that gave rise to breaches    
It is alleged that in October 2021 at a Custody Suite, the force used by an officer when removing a persons religious head covering was not appropriate, necessary or proportionate.

Furthermore, it is alleged that there was a lack of respect and courtesy shown by the officer and a failure to take into account the religious sensitivity of removing the head covering.

Legally Qualified Chair
Callum Cowx

Conditions placed by Legally Qualified Chair 

Cameras or other recording devices will not be permitted within the hearing venue.

There will be a reporting restriction upon those attending the hearing in relation to the identity of the officer.

In accordance with the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 the Legally Qualified Chair is appointed from a list maintained by the Police and Crime Commissioner.  This appointment is independent of West Midlands Police.

In accordance with the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 the Legally Qualified Chair is appointed from a list maintained by the Police and Crime Commissioner.  This appointment is independent of West Midlands Police.

In accordance with the regulations the outcome will also be published.

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Don't know if I should be surprised, but I am extremely disappointed

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/birmingham/2023/08/01/police-misconduct-inquiry-begins-over-sikh-mans-turban-removal-in-custody/

Police misconduct inquiry begins over Sikh man's turban removal in custody

By Paul JenkinsBirminghamPublished: Aug 1, 2023

An inquiry has begun into the conduct of a West Midlands Police officer who allegedly removed a Sikh man's head covering when he was taken into custody.

The case is being investigated by the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) in a hearing at Birmingham's Lloyd House which is expected to last four days.

It surrounds the treatment of Randeep Singh-Kular who was taken into custody at Perry Barr on October 25, 2021, when stopped for driving a vehicle with a registration plate not conforming to regulations.

Mr Singh-Kular alleges the officer – who cannot be named – 'manhandled him' into the custody suite when he refused to take off his head dress or keski as part of a search, and that when it was forcibly taken off by the officer and three others it was stamped on.

The tribunal was shown 20 minutes of CCTV footage featuring a timeline of when Mr Singh-Kular was brought into the custody suite, to what happened when he objected to taking off the head dress and the events afterwards. It showed four officers surrounding him taking it off before it fell to the ground as he struggled,

......

Harpreet Sandhu KC, representing the officer alleged Mr Kular wasn't telling the full truth when he said the turban was stamped on.

He said: "We have all seen the CCTV footage and it is clear the turban was removed but nowhere does it show that it was stamped on – it fell to the floor and was then picked up straight away

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1 hour ago, Premi said:

Don't know if I should be surprised, but I am extremely disappointed

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/birmingham/2023/08/01/police-misconduct-inquiry-begins-over-sikh-mans-turban-removal-in-custody/

Police misconduct inquiry begins over Sikh man's turban removal in custody

By Paul JenkinsBirminghamPublished: Aug 1, 2023

An inquiry has begun into the conduct of a West Midlands Police officer who allegedly removed a Sikh man's head covering when he was taken into custody.

The case is being investigated by the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) in a hearing at Birmingham's Lloyd House which is expected to last four days.

It surrounds the treatment of Randeep Singh-Kular who was taken into custody at Perry Barr on October 25, 2021, when stopped for driving a vehicle with a registration plate not conforming to regulations.

Mr Singh-Kular alleges the officer – who cannot be named – 'manhandled him' into the custody suite when he refused to take off his head dress or keski as part of a search, and that when it was forcibly taken off by the officer and three others it was stamped on.

The tribunal was shown 20 minutes of CCTV footage featuring a timeline of when Mr Singh-Kular was brought into the custody suite, to what happened when he objected to taking off the head dress and the events afterwards. It showed four officers surrounding him taking it off before it fell to the ground as he struggled,

......

Harpreet Sandhu KC, representing the officer alleged Mr Kular wasn't telling the full truth when he said the turban was stamped on.

He said: "We have all seen the CCTV footage and it is clear the turban was removed but nowhere does it show that it was stamped on – it fell to the floor and was then picked up straight away

Weird how the video shows two entirely different things depending the bias of the viewer. 

Let's see the original. 

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11 hours ago, Premi said:

Don't know if I should be surprised, but I am extremely disappointed

My point was about the Advocate for the Police being a Sikh!

11 hours ago, Premi said:

Harpreet Sandhu KC, representing the officer

 

10 hours ago, GurjantGnostic said:

Weird how the video shows two entirely different things depending the bias of the viewer.

Definitely 

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1 hour ago, Premi said:

Not convinced, no  smoke without fire. Bolded parts especially

 

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/birmingham/2023/08/03/police-sergeant-cleared-of-gross-misconduct-allegations-relating-to-treatment-of-sikh-man-in-custody/

Police sergeant cleared of gross misconduct allegations over treatment of Sikh man in custody

By Lisa O'BrienBirminghamPublished: 6 hours agoLast Updated: 6 hours ago

A West Midlands Police sergeant has been cleared of gross misconduct allegations relating to his treatment of a Sikh man in custody.

After a two-day hearing before an independent panel, led by a legally qualified chairman at Birmingham's Lloyd House, the sergeant who removed the head covering has been found not to have breached police professional standards for authority, respect and courtesy, use of force, and equality and diversity.

 

IOPC regional director for the West Midlands, Derrick Campbell, said: “Part of our role is to address incidents involving the police which have significant community impact.

 

"This matter caused local unrest, and we established early on that, contrary to some reports, the man’s head covering had not been stamped on.

“We carried out a thorough investigation and from the evidence gathered it was our opinion that for one officer there was a case to answer for gross misconduct.

"That evidence has now been heard before a police disciplinary panel which found the allegations not proven.”

 

The IOPC’s investigation, which was completed in May last year, determined there was no case to answer for misconduct for another six officers whose conduct we assessed, but that four of them would benefit from taking part in reflective practice to learn from the incident.

Deputy Chief Constable Scott Green, of West Midlands Police, said: "The hearing was held by an independent legally qualified chair and we note the outcome.

We do not underestimate the impact this incident had on the man as well as the Sikh community, both locally and further afield. I would like to acknowledge the valuable support of our Sikh police officers who provided a perspective to this sensitive case.

“We are grateful for the on-going input from the numerous community groups and individuals who continue to assist West Midlands Police to improve the experiences of people going through our custody suites to ensure they are treated with dignity and respect.”

Chief Reporter@lisaobrien_Star

Chief reporter at the Express & Star

 
 

😂

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