London police accused of racism, sexism and institutional homophobia

Report author Louise Casey hopes it will serve as a trigger. REUTERS - POOL

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2 min

Racist, misogynistic, homophobic... A new report overwhelms Scotland Yard already in crisis after a series of scandals. The Metropolitan Police has been under investigation in the wake of the 2020 kidnapping, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by an officer.

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With our correspondent in London, Emeline Vin

The report's author, Louise Casey, who sits in the upper house of Parliament, denounces a culture of discrimination within the Metropolitan Police. "A third of female police officers experience sexism on a daily basis: 10% of them experience harassment or even sexual assault. It's breaking all records," she says. And I could say the same about homophobia and especially racism.

Radical reform

A wide-ranging investigation was opened in 2021 at the request of the former police chief of the British capital, Cressida Dick, following the sentencing of a Met police officer to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of Sarah Everard. This case shocked the country and, in addition to highlighting the climate of insecurity for women, raised questions about the systemic practices of the London police.

After a year of investigation, the senior official believes that the Metropolitan Police harms its officers... But also to Londoners, who are no longer adequately protected since the austerity budget cuts. One example: this summer, dozens of pieces of evidence in rape cases were lost because of a faulty refrigerator.

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I spoke with a fantastic team of investigators for the assassinations," Casey said. One of the officers told me: if a woman is raped and killed, our resolution rate is excellent, at least 20 people are working on the case. The Met handles murder cases remarkably. On the other hand, she said, if a woman is raped and then "only" in a coma, the team that will take care of her will be a very serious team, but which no longer has any means, she regrets. And meanwhile, armed police units can claim any toy, anything they want. It's hard to hear, but it's the truth.

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Serious » Breaches

"Serious" shortcomings that require it to be "radically reformed", according to the author of the report. Louise Casey lists structural changes to "fix" the Met. Otherwise the police will have to be dismantled, having lost the trust of Londoners.

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• United Kingdom
• Justice
• Human rights
• Society
• Criminality
• LGBT+
• Racism