Institutional bias in policing contributed to minority ethnic groups receiving disproportionately more fines than white Britons during pandemic restrictions, a study revealed.
The research cited by the Guardian said the police approach “legitimised a differential approach to enforcement that reflected pre-existing biases in policing”.
The biases included the beliefs about which types of people were more likely to break the rules and required punishment to secure their compliance with the restrictions.
According to the study, based on interviews with police officers who spoke confidentially to academics from Liverpool University, some officers there was a belief that certain minority ethnic groups were more likely to defy the rules. But there was nothing to substantiate the generalisation of the behaviour.
Minority ethnic people in England and Wales were almost twice as likely to be fined than white people, national figures showed.
An officer interviewed for the research said he believed the Asian community was more likely to be obstructive and less likely to take the advice.
Liz Turner, a co-author of the report, said, “what we found was suggestive of the likelihood that institutional racism was at work.”
“There was a reversion to a business-as-usual mindset, a mindset that the problematic groups more likely to break Covid rules were those groups already viewed with suspicion,” Turner told the Guardian.
“There is no evidence of ethnic minority groups more visibly flouting the rules than other groups”, she told the newspaper, adding that, there was unwitting discrimination built into the processes of the organisation.
“None of the officers said anything they felt was outlandish in terms of bias,” Turner said.
Officers also revealed that the perception of people’s defiance of police authority formed a bigger basis for fines than the concern that breach of restrictions risked a faster spread of the pandemic.
“There was not a lot of focus on the risk from the disease. It was: ‘There are these people flouting the rules and not accepting our authority to make them follow the rules,’” Turner said.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council did not comment on the findings.
Minority ethnic groups paid more Covid fines than white Britons due to Police racial bias: Report
An officer interviewed for research said the Asian community was more likely to be obstructive
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)