News from Siân Berry: ‘Actions speak louder than words’ Sian Berry on Met Action Plan

The excess force used by the Met, and use of more dehumanising and dangerous tactics like spithoods and tasers will be put under the spotlight as the Mayor’s Action Plan, welcomed by Sian Berry, launched this morning.

Sian Berry says:

It’s right that the Mayor has recognised the disproportionate way the Met treats Black Londoners in every way, and the hurt this causes in communities. A badly handled, unfair stop and search isn’t just a statistic on a policing database, it’s a person dehumanised, often humiliated and insulted by the experience.



The Commissioner has consistently taken an attitude that there isn’t a problem in the Met when I’ve challenged her in the past, so I’m glad she is fully signed up to this action plan.



I would warn, however that there is a real risk this action plan become a PR exercise aimed at improving people’s perception of the police, without real changes on the ground that make sure every Londoners has true equality before the law.

We need to see a real reduction in discrimination and a new respect for human rights, especially for those of Black Londoners. I will wait to see outcomes we can measure and will be scrutinising the evidence at City Hall.”



More young people should complain about police mistreatment.