A survey of African residents in Melbourne has prompted more allegations of racism in Victoria, this time against the police. The report by a coalition of Melbourne legal centres claims discriminatory treatment of African youths by police has led to increased tensions.
Thirty young people were interviewed over the past year, as part of the study by the Springvale Monash Legal Service. Community development worker Shane Reside has told ABC local radio that most reported feeling over policed and unfairly hassled.
"The kinds of things that they were describing was being stopped several times in a single day by the police to give them their name and address and to explain themselves," he said.
"Sometimes this was when they were hanging out at night or around a train station, but for a lot of these young people it was actually part of their daily lives, you know, like on their way to school, on their way to childcare to pick up their baby brother."
"These are the kinds of day-to-day activities they were doing when they found that the police would come and just stop them randomly, which is certainly not something that happens for the rest of the community."
Some of those interviewed also reported being racially taunted and roughed up by police officers, but were reticent to make formal complaints.
Police discriminating against Africans: report - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Thirty young people were interviewed over the past year, as part of the study by the Springvale Monash Legal Service. Community development worker Shane Reside has told ABC local radio that most reported feeling over policed and unfairly hassled.
"The kinds of things that they were describing was being stopped several times in a single day by the police to give them their name and address and to explain themselves," he said.
"Sometimes this was when they were hanging out at night or around a train station, but for a lot of these young people it was actually part of their daily lives, you know, like on their way to school, on their way to childcare to pick up their baby brother."
"These are the kinds of day-to-day activities they were doing when they found that the police would come and just stop them randomly, which is certainly not something that happens for the rest of the community."
Some of those interviewed also reported being racially taunted and roughed up by police officers, but were reticent to make formal complaints.
Police discriminating against Africans: report - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
