RIDING THE WINDS OF INSTITUTIONAL RACISM

‘RIDING THE WINDS OF INSTITUTIONAL RACISM’

M. GUPTA

Covid-19 brought the whole world to a standstill. Yet, when people were coming to terms with these unprecedented times, the atrocity of the murder of George Floyd caused widespread shock and outrage, igniting anger, passion and fear once more. The resulting "Black lives matter" movement, brought to the forward the issues of race and prejudice. Issues such as institutional racism, white privilege and supremacy were brought to light by a tragic incident that went viral as a result of modern technology and social media. From this, the BLM movement grew with protests taking place internationally, including in our town of Reading. Historical figures were condemned as statues were pulled down for the wrongs they represented. Institutional racism or systemic racism, is racism that is embedded into a society or an organisation. In many cases, it leads to discrimination in work environments, the criminal justice system, in political structures, education and in employment. Whilst the issue of racism is vast and emotive, this article focuses on the issue of institutional racism, and specifically, a recent issue

within Britain that sparked outcry – ‘The Windrush Scandal’. The ‘Windrush Scandal’ was the unlawful deportation of legal Caribbean immigrants that arrived in the UK from 1948 to 1971. I was inspired by a moving BBC dramatised documentary, called “Sitting in Limbo”, which brought the issue to my attention. The main protagonist is Anthony Bryan. Anthony Bryan was eight when he came with his mother to England from Jamaica, in 1966. Anthony was part of a group that came known to be the ‘Windrush generation’. This name was given to the thousands of immigrants from areas of the Caribbean who arrived between 1948 and 1971 in Britain. The British Nationality Act of 1948 gave citizens of the United Kingdom and its colonies, status and the right of settlement in the UK. The reason behind this was to deploy labour, in order to aid the recovery of Britain, following the Second World War. So, in June 1948, the MV Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury, Essex, bringing nearly

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43782241

500 Jamaican citizens to the UK. Lucille Thompson, Anthony’s mother, had worked as an NHS nurse for 30 years and Anthony had lived in Britain for over 50 years. Yet, for three horrendous years, Anthony’s identity and British citizenship were questioned and debated by the Home office, under new immigration laws put into effect by Theresa May, the then Home Secretary, as part of her "hostile environment policy". For three years he was put into detention centres. For three years he lived without any pay as he was unable to legally work. For three years he was unable to claim any benefits, and for three years he was treated like a criminal by the immigration authorities.

‘Sitting in Limbo’ is an emotive drama written by Anthony’s younger half-brother, the novelist Stephen Thompson. With moving scenes that encapsulate the hardships faced by Anthony and his family, the documentary addresses the issue of the Windrush scandal, and the injustice that was brought onto them. A total of at least 83 people were wrongfully deported back to the Caribbean. One of the major problems faced by the Windrush generation was that many of the immigrants had arrived as children. As such, they arrived on their parent's passports. Although many had lived in Britain for decades like Anthony, paying taxes and insurance, they never formally became British citizens. Over time, the paper trails disappeared, and in an era which was not as technologically advanced as today, being able to produce the documentary evidence was difficult, if not impossible for many. In 2012, Theresa May stated that her aim “was to create here in Britain a really hostile environment for illegal migration”. The policies thereafter were subsequently called the "Hostile Environment" policies. The policy mainly consisted of ID requirements for banks, work and the NHS. Many individuals who were previously overlooked by the Home Office, were now put under pressure to provide documentation to prove their citizenship. However, there was lots of controversy due to the belief that many of these policies were racist and targeted a particular group. In their entirety, the Hostile environment policy was a disaster. Innocent British citizens were deported and treated like criminals. Amid the tightening of the immigration rules, an estimated 50,000 long-term UK residents faced severe problems. The Windrush Scandal raised racial issues, and many Caribbean diplomats called upon the UK to address the injustice. "I am dismayed that people who gave their all to Britain could be seemingly discarded so matter -of- factly," was a statement made by Guy Hewitt, Barbados High Commissioner to the UK.

The government promised to compensate the victims for the unlawful actions, yet only a small portion of the victims were ever provided with a monetary payment. Anthony received a minimal award compared to what he lost. He stated in an interview, “ It cost me everything. It has cost me my job. It has cost me my home. It has cost me my freedom. It has cost me my identity.” This comment was made in the aftermath of the Windrush Scandal, when the government was questioned about this injustice. People who had contributed to the British community for decades were cast away from Britain, without a second glance, thus causing widespread criticism. Racism has been heavily integrated into societies for centuries. Institutional racism is a current issue that is still affecting individuals. This form of racism is often more subtle and can take place in many forms - from slight inferences, to injustice in a work environment, or in these circumstances, a government policy. The crucial step now is to educate our future generations about its existence, and to try and address it in order to stimulate change.

"Sitting in Limbo" raises the question of what it means to be British. Does your skin or ethnicity define you, or is it what you as an individual stand for? Is it our values that matter, or else where we live, and where we have come from? Ironically, Lucille Thompson, Anthony’s mother served the NHS for 30 years. Whilst on one hand we clap for the NHS workers, on the other hand large portions of essential workers are from ethnic minorities, and can be discriminated against by institutional racism present in British society. This must be addressed and it is our duty to act.