African-American Rosalind Williams discusses her personal experience challenging racial profiling in Spain and in Europe at the Open Society Institute forum. Listen to the podcast here.
On a brisk winter day in 1992, Rosalind Williams—an African-American woman and naturalized Spanish citizen—stepped off the train at a railway station in Valladolid and was immediately asked to produce her identity document. It was December 6, a national holiday celebrating Spain's new constitution—one of the most modern in Europe. Yet when asked why Williams was the only person on the platform to be stopped, the police officer explained that he was following orders: it was because of the colour of her skin.
Williams produced her identity document, and took the number of his badge. Eighteen years later, after winning a landmark ruling from the UN Human Rights Committee in 2009 on her case, Williams is still waiting for the Spanish government to issue a public apology and end ethnic profiling by police.
Rosalind Williams is an African American artist and photography curator. She became a naturalized citizen of Spain after marrying the Spanish documentary filmmaker Tino Calabuig in 1968.
Today, racial and ethnic profiling remains a pervasive—and ineffective—practice across Europe.
Challenging Police Profiling in France (April 11, 2012)
http://blog.soros.org/2012/04/challenging-police-profiling-in-france/
After the Riots, London Reflect on Racial Profiling
http://www.dominionofnewyork.com/2012/03/25/after-the-riots-london-reflects-on-racial-profiling/#.T4q1rNmO5cQ German Court: skin colour good reason for cop ID check http://www.thelocal.de/national/20120327-41589.html
On a brisk winter day in 1992, Rosalind Williams—an African-American woman and naturalized Spanish citizen—stepped off the train at a railway station in Valladolid and was immediately asked to produce her identity document. It was December 6, a national holiday celebrating Spain's new constitution—one of the most modern in Europe. Yet when asked why Williams was the only person on the platform to be stopped, the police officer explained that he was following orders: it was because of the colour of her skin.
Williams produced her identity document, and took the number of his badge. Eighteen years later, after winning a landmark ruling from the UN Human Rights Committee in 2009 on her case, Williams is still waiting for the Spanish government to issue a public apology and end ethnic profiling by police.
Rosalind Williams is an African American artist and photography curator. She became a naturalized citizen of Spain after marrying the Spanish documentary filmmaker Tino Calabuig in 1968.
Today, racial and ethnic profiling remains a pervasive—and ineffective—practice across Europe.
Challenging Police Profiling in France (April 11, 2012)
http://blog.soros.org/2012/04/challenging-police-profiling-in-france/
After the Riots, London Reflect on Racial Profiling
http://www.dominionofnewyork.com/2012/03/25/after-the-riots-london-reflects-on-racial-profiling/#.T4q1rNmO5cQ German Court: skin colour good reason for cop ID check http://www.thelocal.de/national/20120327-41589.html