Black people, ethnic minorities more likely to be fined for violating Covid curbs in England, Wales: Report

People from minority ethnic backgrounds in one area were up to eight times more likely to be fined for breaking Covid rules in England and Wales, a study commissioned for Britain’s police chiefs found, reported The Guardian, on Wednesday (May 31). The media report citing the findings also said that racial disparity was found for every single force.

What else did the study find?

Citing the report commissioned by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), the data for which was collected by academics at the University of Edinburgh, the Guardian reported that black people were three times more likely to be fined for breaking COVID-19-related restrictions when compared to white people.

Reportedly, the fines were also seven times more likely to be issued in the poorest areas in England and Wales than in the richest neighbourhoods. The study was conducted between March 27, 2020, and May 31, 2021, when the police issued a total of 122,506 fines.

The study is said to be one of the most detailed analyses of who was fined and how fair the police were while invoking emergency powers to enforce lockdown rules which in the UK changed several times.

In England, the report found that the rate of fixed-penalty notice (FPN) per 10,000 people was 19.9 for white individuals as opposed to 46.1 for those belonging to an ethnic minority background. However, the ethnic disparity rate was highest for black people who were a little more than three times more likely to be issued with an FPN.

Meanwhile, in Wales, the ethnic disparity rate was 2.8 times for people from ethnic minorities while the number remained close to the same for black people. “There was not a single force area that did not have a higher disparity rate for ethnic minority groups,” said the report’s co-author, Professor Susan McVie, as quoted by the Guardian.

However, the media report citing the study also noted that the highest rate of disparity was found for those above the age of 45 and not the youth belonging to the ethnic minority group who were stopped and searched by the police. Additionally, in England, men were twice as likely to be fined.

It is also worth noting that this study was not published despite the NPCC commissioning it. “I was surprised they did not publish it having commissioned and paid for it,” said McVie, as per the Guardian.

Earlier this year, a separate report by the London Metropolitan Police which reviewed the standards of behaviour and internal culture of the service unravelled some very disturbing assessments including key findings of institutional racism, sexism and homophobia.

As per the report, there are people in the Met with racist attitudes. It underscores that Black, Asian and ethnic minority officers and staff are more likely to experience racism, discrimination and bullying at their hands.

What did the police say about the report?

The UK-based media report quoted NPCC lead for enforcing Covid rules, the assistant chief constable Owen Weatherill, who said it is “clearly a concern” to see these disparities in the number of FPNs issued to white and black, Asian or ethnic minority people.

However, the data does not indicate why these disparities exist, said Weatherill, adding that each force will study the data to “assess and mitigate any risks of bias – conscious or unconscious – and to minimise disproportionate impact in the future, wherever possible.”

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