• Claim: £22k for man arrested after watching stop-and-search
• Interview: ‘Some PCs are looking to put me in my place as a black man’

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Veritas as tiresome as you find it I feel constrained to point out rank hypocrisy whenever it's so very obvious.

And I disagree with Angela's comment. It answers nothing. Opinion isn't fact.

The fact is if your against Apartheid, you must, I say must be against it in the UK as well.

There is no middle option on this question. No shades of grey.

- Ethan, uk

I have lived in central London for more than 30 years. I have never been stopped and searched, and I have never been arrested. I have also never been rude to a policeman - it's not my culture. I am ethnic Chinese.

- Xian Cheung, London England

As an outsider, who never been to London, I think most of the commentries are one-sided. First of all, lets put this particular situation in context. Next look at it from an openminded point of view (not from a "black and white"). The gentleman was arrested illegally, and his home searched, for the most part, illegally. In those instances, and the admission of the police of malicious prosecution, the settlement is not enough. Irrespective of race, or for that matter, neighbourwood, the gentlemans' rights were infringed. The police has no right to discrimnate against any person. And 100 times are too many. It's profiling and I do think that it reflects what actaully goes on in Britain, and indeed most european coontries police forces'--officers hide behind the badge and discriminate against "minorities." It should not be a divisive issue; rather, all races MUST utterly condenm any and all act of police misconduct whereever it occurs.

- Peter Marsh, Toronto,Canada

Oh Ethan, you are tiresome. Angela has eloquently answered your point so no need for me to repeat it. It does make me laugh, though, that those who a accuse others of playing the race card jump into bed with the BNP and their vile ilk whose sole reason for existing is to play the race card. Jack Strap, I refer you to Sonya's comments. To the other ignorant posters, Mr Hinds was stopped 100 times and found to not be guilty of any crime 100 times. How much time and money has been wasted by the police in harrassing this man? Smacks of gross incompetence to me, which we should all be concerned about.

- Veritas Noire, Purley

Isn't it strange how the likes of Charles from BATH and Ranter from MAIDSTONE seem to think they have a greater knowledge of the Met and race relations in LONDON, than Mr. Hinds who has spent his entire 50 years living and working in this city?

I'd say Mr. Hinds is more qualified to comment on the treatment he has received and has witnessed in his home city, wouldn't you?

If we asked him about policing and race relations in Bath or Maidstone I'm sure he'd reply that he had no idea and that it was none of his business.

The experiences he has suffered are quite disturbing, and nobody commenting on this article can deny that if they were illegally arrested for simply standing by and observing the police at work, or arrested under false pretences and had their home illegally searched, they would be straight on the phone to their lawyer suing the Met.

The fact is that in every incident he was illegally arrested. He had committed no crimes and they had no reasonable cause to detain him, therefore the police acted illegally.

Now, if that happened to you on a regular basis wouldn't you start to question the reasons why?

- Steven, London

As a newspaper worker for many years, and going home late at night in London, I was stopped frequently by local police and since it was usually between midnight and 6am., I could see their point and never complained.

- Jonathan Montmorency, cooden, uk

Hinds is doing himself nor the black community any favours by making such rediculous claims about racism in the Met.
Ask yourself some basic questions;
Which demographic group consistantly displays the most antisocial attitudes and behaviour?
Which demographic group has the highest conviction rate, by populace ratio, than any other?
Which demographic group(s) have a majority (or major) presence in the most crime afflicted ares of London?

And you, Hinds, think this is "..enduring and horrendous harassment {of black people}.."

Wake up.

- Jack Strap, LDN

. .the only comments that raised my brow were the fact he's over 30yrs old and he still gets stopped and searched. Also the fact he was taken to his house after being detained and the police went through his things when they were only entering the house to see his vehicle's documentation. Spectators are annoying during a public arrest, the officer was correct to ask if he knew the boy but incorrect to swear at Mr Hinds. Maybe if he'd announced himself as a youth worker and not just declared the fact he wasn't moving and he's aware of his rights, the officer wouldn't of been further irrated. Fair enough, black people have recognised we are more prone to flashing lights in the rear view more often than others and the occasional cocky officer, but most try to take it in their stride. It's become part of everyday life to tell you the truth. Obviously there's a handful of things you can do to avoid being stopped, but most youth see these things as humbling themselves or not being true to their nature, but it's part of growing up. Personally i think boys shouldn't drive til 20 years or older. . .not to take away from the fact that the majority of cops are powerhungry, cuffhappy predators. but most adolescent males seem to think they're boyracers.

- Elizabeth, Essex

This is just another money-grubber trying to exploit the biased race relations system in this country.
If black men were not disproportionately involved in knife crime, muggings and gun crime then they would not be getting stopped. It's funny you never hear of problems with the Chinese community in terms of getting stopped isn't it? It's because they don't get involved in gun and knife crime.

- Charles, Bath, Great Britain

Ken Hinds appears to be an 'angry man'. The incident at Kings Cross where he was arrested over a ticket highlights the fact that he posibly has an attitude problem. Such people make policing even more difficult and do little for their communities or the community at large. He also appears to be a racist and one questions whether he should be the cahir of a police monitoring group. He is certainly not a role model for young black people.

- Robin, London

Ethan, UK

If discrimination was not so endemic in society, there would be no need for minority associations.

- Angela, London

Its seems strange that the majority of comments on here seem to be against Mr Hinds, it must be that the majority of you have not had this treatment because of the colour of your skin excludes you from this treatment. You who have commented on this site should understand that 1st of all the pay out to Mr Hinds was for false imprisonment. And as a black man the comments i have read seem to be born of ignorance to what the police really do get up to. Although not a racist incident you have already forgotten about the protester who was killed by the riot officers at the G20 confrontation in the city earlier this year. Ihave no problem with being stopped by the police but when you use the N..... word and ask me questions about what im doing without giving me a reason for that stop and search then attitude should be expected back, this is when certain officers i have encountered start trying to play the obstruction and affray card so i say to you all wake up and smell the institutional rubbish from your nice little everyday lives.

- Wil, Tottenham, London

Having read this story I am reminded of the Not the Nine O'Clock News "PC Savage" sketch.

- Mark, South-East London

Ben Farrell, London

I hear you. I have non white friends who will not allow their children to have sleep overs with friends with white fathers or white older brothers. Why? Because the media image is that paedophilia is a natural facet of white men in general. Is it true, I don't know and like you avoiding black youths in the dark so too do some people. Better safe and (maybe wrong)than sorry.

- Sonya, London

Do some of your posters here appreciate the irony that by having and supporting race specific associations eg the Haringey Black Independent monitoring thing and the ever vociferous Black Plod associations. They are espousing apartheid? Apartheid meaning seperate development.

Yet these are the very people (Veritas Noire?) who one might reasonably expect to be violently opposed to Apartheid.

Please clarify why are they only supporting Apartheid at home while at the same time opposing it abroad, as I find their duality somewhat baffling.

Secondly does Mr Hinds make a good living from claiming regular compensation or does he have gainful employment because if so I wonder how he has the spare time to be constantly watching the plod at work.

- Ethan, UK

Steve, London oh yes they will! but with police protection and a stab vest, ala our last home sec.

- Les, London

@ Nolan, Londonist

Oh racism exists all right. Getting certain 'communities' to recognise that is another matter.

Are there many one way streets in your area?

- Frank, Home Counties, England.

100 times in 20 years? That's about 5 times a year, hardly harassment. Maybe we should look into why these stops were done - was he poking his nose into police business such as stops on others? This is bound to raise suspicions. Also, if you spend a lot of time in high crime areas you will be stopped more because the police use this power in those places more often (to prevent/detect crime!!). Being stopped while driving, unless you are searched, isn't a "stop and search" either, the cops are allowed to stop drivers to check details. I'm black and I've been in London 20 years and only been stopped once, funnily enough while driving at night, and I don't blame them for doing this. Leave the police alone and let them do their job, the British police are a whole lot better than in Africa where I lived before. Over there nobody would dare complain.

- J Savimbi, London

This is a non-story. If I am walking alone at night and see a group of Japanese guys heading towards me, I'd think nothing of it. If it were a group of goths or geeks I'd feel the same. However, if it were a group of black teens I would be concerned. Not all black people are involved in crime, but the ones that are do incriminate the ones who aren't. It's just how it is. As a result, some law-abiding black people will get stopped and questioned. Would people rather the police specifically avoided black people incase some are offended. Also, black people who carry and use knives, tend to use them on other black people, so the police are actually doing law-abiding black people a service.

- Ben Farrell, London

Im stopped every 2 months as well ? is it cos i is white ...will this paper interview me as well ..ehhhh nope.

- Richard, LONDON

Profiling (e.g. targeting all Asian men as terrorists) does not work and does not make our communities or our property safer. It justifies the kind of corner-cutting, lazy police work that we all surely want to get away from. Targeting BEHAVIOUR rather than appearance is proven to be far more successful. Targeting a whole group because of race or age (or both) is enormously inefficient and does not work, whilst at the same time it alienates an entire section of society.

It does make me wonder, when presented with so much evidence, just why it is that so many white people are so intent on denying racism exists.

- Nolan, Londonist

I wonder what his attitude is when dealing with the police that would lead to so many searches and arrests. My godson is black and lives in Haringay. At the age of 23 he has yet to ever be searched or arrested. He keeps away from trouble spots and speaks with respect and humility to people in authority. A loudmouth of any colour would be treated just the same but a white loudmouth has no race card to pull in order to extract compensation.

- Jane Bewick, Palmers Green

Where is Haringey's White Independent Advisory Committee ?

If we had fewer minority groups influencing government agencies, we would end up with less racial discrimination ?

- Cap, London

Compensation compensation compensation welcome to the UK, the racist card again, wake up before its to late people!!!!!!!

- Steve, England

I can't help feeling that he has only himself to blame. He seems to put himself into (sticking his nose into) what must certainly be at the time, highly charged incidents. Certainly a very paranoid individual if he thinks 'some PCs are looking' to put him in his place. He's doing very well out of playing the race card at every opportunity. Having read the full interview I can't see where officers acted illegally. The reasons for stops seem legal, even visiting his home to establish ownership of the car is a reasonable course of action, especially where opportunity allows to prevent him from being arrested on suspicion of theft. His attitude seems to the cause of his unfortunate encounters with the Met and the BTP. He must be a nightmare to deal with and I am certain many officers would do anything to avoid an encounter with him. It is telling that the officers involved in the latest costly matter (for the taxpayer) were themselves black! This shows just how much the police service has changed over 30 years and how little people like this race monger haven't.

- Ranter, Maidstone, UK

".. the two officers who arrested Mr Hinds at Seven Sisters station were themselves black."!!!

If there was not such a disproportionate amount of crime being committed by the ethnic minorities then this would not be an issue.

- Frank, Home Counties, England.

As the majority of youngsters in London now are either black,asian or mixed race I don't see what the problem is.They're simply doing their job.As a youth I was stopped and searched on several occasions but I never moaned as I had nothing to hide.Crime is rife in this City and someone's got to enforce the law.Seems the government don't care,they won't go there.

- Steve, London

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