Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:45 pm on 12 January 2021.
In 1990, following the most high-profile murder case in the history of South Wales Police, three black men were wrongly convicted of the murder of Lynette White, and, 11 years later, 12 police officers were acquitted on a technicality in the largest police corruption case in history. In the case known as the Butetown Three, five police officers were disciplined 11 years ago following an incident in Cardiff when two black students who had been attacked by skinheads were themselves arrested and charged with violent disorder. In 2019, the death of 13-year-old Christopher Kapessa, who drowned in the River Cynon, was described as an accident within 24 hours by South Wales Police. Only after a persistent campaign did the Crown Prosecution Service admit there was sufficient evidence for a manslaughter prosecution. Christopher's mother Alina described the force as 'institutionally racist'. Given the history and their daily experience, do you understand, First Minister, why so many people of colour would have some sympathy with that statement?