Racist, misogynistic practices and harassment: London’s fire brigade is undermined by an independent report, behavior its command acknowledged on Friday and now intends to deal with with “zero tolerance”.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) commissioned this independent inquiry last year following the suicide of a 21-year-old firefighter, who said he was bullied by his peers because of his Caribbean origin.
As a result, in particular, of more than 2,000 testimonies from former and current members of the brigade, this investigation reveals “institutional misogyny and racism,” Nazir Afzal, former prosecutor and head of this investigation, which should be made public soon, said on Twitter. .
Many racist and misogynistic acts recorded
Among the excerpts cited by the British media are examples of a Muslim firefighter whose colleagues put bacon and sausages in his coat pockets, of a woman whose helmet filled with urine, of other non-male co-workers mocked of his weight imitating the sound of a truck backing up, or that of a black firefighter finding a rope with a noose in his locker.
“The report contains stories of shocking bad behavior and painful experiences that have taken place over the years,” in particular towards women, people from ethnic minorities and LGBT+ people, the LFB reacted in a press release.
“There is no place for discrimination, harassment and bullying on the team and from today it will be very clear to officials what behaviors are unacceptable and what the consequences will be,” he said. trust among your officers and with the communities we are here to serve.
“Zero tolerance”
In accordance with the twenty recommendations of the report, it intends to implement “zero tolerance”, with immediate sanctions, better consideration of the testimonies of possible misconduct, the obligation of agents to carry cameras when they go to the homes of the people, and training days to sensitize brigade members on these issues.
London’s fire and rescue brigade is the largest in the country, with 5,000 firefighters, of whom fewer than 500 are women and just over 500 are from ethnic minorities, according to the report.
Last month, a report denounced “institutional” racism in the judicial system, reflected in the decisions handed down and the lack of diversity within the legal professions. This investigation directed at the LFB also recalls the scandal that had plagued the London police at the end of the 1990s, with the publication in 1999 of a report that also pointed to institutional racism within it.
Source: BFM TV
