Labour MEP speaks out against dangers of ethnic profiling - 2009-04-24

The European Parliament today voiced its support for a report which emphasises that whilst the use of ethnic profiling in law enforcement is widespread in Europe, not only can it be discriminatory, it can also be ineffective in preventing crime and terrorism.

Claude Moraes MEP, a member of the Civil Liberties Committee in the European Parliament and involved in the drafting of the report, said:

"This report is an important step forward in the political and moral debate on ethnic profiling. People shouldn't be stopped and searched by the police and border personnel simply based on stereotypes about their ethnicity or race. Legitimate stop and search should be based on a person's conduct and known history."

Commenting on his experiences of this issue Claude Moraes said: "As a British Asian male travelling by air and rail most weeks I am stopped and searched regularly. I fully accept that effective searches must be carried out, but stops and searches including strip searching are a serious matter if they are not based on the conduct and known history of the individual." He continued, "Over the years I have taken up the cases of individuals who have been strip-searched or who have endured similar ordeals simply based on their ethnic profile."

This report highlights that profiling may also lead to intelligence agencies missing perpetrators who do not fit a particular profile. "For example before the 7/7 attacks on London, MI5 had come across the leader of the bombers in connection with another plot, but had not pursued him because he did not fit their profile. In Germany, expensive dragnet operations have come up with no arrests." Claude Moraes said.

Claude Moraes added: "In place of large scale profiling we should see timely and accurate intelligence based targeting. Good policing and improved search technology at airports will be part of the mix. Combating terrorism and equal treatment are not mutually exclusive."

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