Arrested and Beaten
Published by deviousdiva June 29th, 2006 in Asylum.A Nigerian political asylum applicant was arrested and beaten by plain clothes officers at Larnaca municipality only minutes before his marriage to a British woman was performed.
The incident was brought to light by immigrant support group, KISA, which issued a press release yesterday, and said it expected the authorities; immediate and thorough investigation of the couple’s claims,
The officers said the reason for his arrest was because he was an asylum seeker residing in Cyprus illegally
And he was beaten up because…? Anyone ?
In case anyone is still confused about the definitions, an asylum seeker is someone who is fleeing persecution in their homeland, has arrived in another country, made themselves known to the authorities and exercised the legal right to apply for asylum. There is no such thing as an illegal asylum seeker.
In the meantime, the man’s future bride told KISA that while she was at Larnaca police station she was told women such as herself should not marry men of African, Asian or non-EU nationality
How can the police handle cases of immigration or asylum if they do not even know the basic laws that apply and they are not being educated to deal with their own racism and prejudice. The racism in this case is shocking but sadly, I cannot say that I experience shock anymore when I read articles like this. These stories are so relentlessly common, it’s mind-numbing.
Technorati Tags: greece, immigration, racism
Diva,
I have an African-American acquaintance here who is retired from the American Army and he’s doing quite well for himself financially and otherwise, and he still tells me of occasionally being stopped by the Greek police who want to search his bag. After they realize he’s American, their demeanor immediately changes, and the last time, he even asked the cops why they stopped him and they said that there are a lot of illegal peddlers of CD/DVD and since he had a black bag, that’s why they stopped him. So, my friend seems to think that although he was stopped because he was stereotyped as an African CD peddler, he believes that if Red Haired Asians were the ones selling CDs, maybe they would be stopped. Just mine (his) two cents. Doesn’t make it right, but at least an explanation.
zardoz says :
scruffy what is the point ,,? in your arguement..?
seriously…?
Point was that they were looking for illegal activity based on a perceived stereotype.
thats what the police do ,,,,or am i wrong ,,,?
all over the world ,,?? right
In New Jersey, they call that "routine police work." Although the courts have called it "racial profiling," and declared it unconstitutional. They did that after a group of state police officers shot up a car full of unarmed young black men, who had broken no laws other than "driving while black." Luckily, no one was killed.
At least we can say we don’t have the market on illegal behavior by the authorities completely cornered. Yet.
Zardoz,
Yep, you are right. All over the world and not right to do it. At least for my African-American Army retired friend, when they see his American passport they tend to treat him a bit nicer after that. So, now when I see him, I kid him by asking if he has any CD’s I can buy and he tells me "Yeah right!".
That’s all good, scruffy American, but it doesn’t appear to have been about selling CD’s, unless you think marrying a British woman is the rough equivalent of selling a briefcase full of CD’s. I think it’s about racist-ass cops beating up people for racial intermarriage.
Yeesh.
Thanks for posting this, Devious Diva, just wish I hadn’t read the comments!
Heart
I have black friends who have been arrested numerous times and locked up overnight on occasion because they were…. well, just because they were on the street and they have black skin. It had nothing to do with criminal activity. It is racism. Plain and simple. Black skin equals bad.
I was stopped and questioned by police after getting out of a mini-cab driven by an African guy and accused of knowing him and they implied that we were “up to something”.
Another time I was sitting outside my own house with a very good friend who was dropping me home and we were “interrorgated” by cops. Why? We have black skin so therefore we are suspicious.
The man in this case was arrested inside City Hall minutes before he was to marry his girlfriend becasue the police were “tipped off” about his alleged illegal status.
The central issue here is racism. Plain and simple. He’s black. He must be doing something illgegal. Racism. His girlfriend is white and she should not be marrying a black man. Racism.
Even if it was purple giraffes from Venus selling CDs on the street, black people would still be arrested and beaten. For having black skin. Racism has no logic. It must be challenged and eradicated not explained.
What happened to the Nigerian man in Cyprus were despicable. My comments were only related to my friend and his experience here in Athens.
I am a resident both of Athens and of Beverly Hills. I have been the object of racism and have witnessed it during my seven years in Greece; however, African Americans driving down the street in Beverly Hills are routinely stopped and questioned about their business there. The police have been brutal with people who have dark skin and assume if they are in that neighborhood they must be up to no good. It is not just a Greek phenomenon, unfortunately.
Melina, welcome and thank you for your input. You are absolutely right. This is not just a Greek phenomenon. Sadly, it is widespread and very common in England. I had forgotten to write that the experiences I wrote about above occurred in England not here in Greece. Thank you.Scruffy American, I understood that the comments you wrote were about your friend. I think that people were troubled because seemed to be trying to explain the police behavior. That’s how I read it anyway. I can’t speak for other people.