Page 16 - Urban Kapital Magazine Autumn 21

The campaign leader Faith Gakanje- Ajala said; judge simply decided to believe one over the
GUILTY BY RACE?
other. The injustice in her case has been caused
by a system that in the absence of real and tan-
“This is reminiscent of how black people and gible evidence, favoured the words that are ex-
black women in particular, are expected to pressed out of the mouth of a white woman over
dumb themselves down and be submissive to what has been said by a black woman without
white women, Claudia has never met this wom- applying fair balance. This is not justice; rather,
an, there was no evidence to support the claims this case is an example of someone being dis-
about acid attacks, yet the media ran with this credited, dehumanised, and presented for us
line anyway. As though to make a point that even to subscribe to the angry black woman, who is
an educated, high profile black woman is a phys- aggressively charged and ready to kill someone
ical threat on the streets. It is disgusting that for a man. It’s disturbing, It’s Claudia today, it
the judicial system and the media have been al- could be you or your loved ones tomorrow! We
lowed to do this. It feels like a deliberate attempt need to stand up to this injustice”.
to bring down yet another black woman. We are
concerned too, that Claudia is being treated so
disproportionately because she is a Corbynite, The group are also calling on people from Af-
and there are people who want to destroy her rican, Caribbean and South Asian communities
career. She has had no support from the Labour to reflect on the actions of a Labour party that
Party, instead she was immediately suspended. relies on the so called ‘minority vote’, and to
Something is very wrong with this case.” question their loyalties to any political party
that does not support its black politicians and
protect them from all forms of racial injustice
The campaigners say that the case has had both and abuse.
an emotional and financial impact. They say their
aims are to ‘balance the narrative’ around the
story, allow Claudia to have a voice and provide The spokesperson added:
financial support to fight her appeal. The group
is led by the African Women’s Empowerment Fo-
rum and their support page states: “The lack of support from the Labour party, does
make us question if there is a political gain for
them in bringing her down. When Keith Vaz was
Claudia is a woman of integrity, a woman of hon- accused of crimes involving a rent boy, when
esty, a woman of high morals, a woman that we people are caught up in fraud cases and insid-
hold in the highest regard, a role model and a er trading – none of them have been suspend-
leader. We cannot stand by and allow the sys- ed. In contrast, Claudia is criminalised like Guy
tem to fail another black leader. We must stand Fawkes, for what was effectively an argument
together and fight the bias and injustice in our on the phone. It’s both complex and simple!”.
society. If we allow justice to fail Claudia, Jus-
tice will continue to fail all of our community and
again prove that black people do not matter, not Controversial issues:
their aspirations and not their lives.

When asked what he thought was behind her
A campaigner and spokesperson said: treatment, the spokesperson stated there are
many layers, including judicial issues, political
agendas, and the use of social stereotypes. But
“If this were someone else, if it were two white the group also questioned whether this case
women, or two black women, this would nev- also highlights the argument for individuals
er have got to court let alone a sentence. How being judged in court by their peers. Ms Webbe
can it be that even a black woman who has as- was a black woman facing a white courtroom
cended to a senior position in the labour party and a white judge with what the group describes
is not even given the benefit of the doubt? Any as a disturbing history of acquitting people on
MAGAZINE // 16 as it was all circumstantial. So, ultimately the earlier this year. Continued....
charges of racism, referring to a neo-Nazi case
evidence presented didn’t stand the water test