We study the past, to live the present, with an eye on the future.

As well as celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth https://abs.twimg.com/hashflags... draggable="false" alt=""> we need to talk about about Stop & Search...

#BlackLivesMatter https://abs.twimg.com/hashflags... draggable="false" alt="">

Intelligence-led stop & search can play a role in keeping us all safe but treating people like this is counter-productive & wrong.

The 14 year old in this video had just been bought a bike by his grandfather.

He wants to stay anonymous but did write this about his experiencehttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇🏾" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)">

“I was on my way home enjoying riding my new bike that I had received and suddenly I was thrown off my bike and against a wall for no reason. 1/7

“My first thought was ‘I haven’t done anything wrong, why are they harassing me? Is it because I am black?’ 2/7

“Nothing was explained to me and I was made to feel like I had done something wrong, even though I knew that I had not. 3/7

“Nothing was explained to me as to why I had been stopped and I feel like they were abusing their powers, as normally they would tell you what you have done wrong. 4/7

“I was scared and worried because if there were no bystanders who knows what would have happened. I’ve never had any interactions with the police before. 5/7

“After this experience, I hope never to again, as I no longer believe the police are there to help, but more to harass young black boys for no reason. 6/7

“I have seen them doing this all the time, but for it to happen to me has shown that they enjoy harassing young black boys and expect that every young person is a gang member or carries weapons.” 7/7