Australia soccer star Sam Kerr found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment of police officer

It was always going be difficult to equate a dumb racist insult to the charge of racially aggravated harassment.

Is there a blacklist of taxi and Uber customers?

This pair should be on it.

So racial discrimination is only against blacks? Another example of the UK's two tier justice system.

So in the U.K. it's perfectly okay to call someone stupid and black. I would never do that, but there it is.

Any charges for the damage to private property?

Taking notes out of Two Tier Kier's book I see.

So racial discrimination is only against blacks? Another example of the UK's two tier justice system.

Nobody said it was only against black people but they are most likely to get discriminated against and least likely to discriminate against other minorities

“Two Tier Keir” is a real thing, folks.

Nobody said it was only against black people but they are most likely to get discriminated against and least likely to discriminate against other minorities

Black/brown people are the least likely to discriminate?

Do you have any evidence for this claim whatsoever? Sounds very doubtful.

I can almost guarantee that a white captain of a national team that was caught on camera calling a black/brown officer "stupid and black" would lose that captaincy - and possibly never be picked again.

Kerr is no role model.

So racial discrimination is only against blacks?

No. The case was complicated, and there were various accusations from both sides about the events that took place. Calling someone black, or white, or brown alone is not discrimination unless the intent was to discriminate. I'll accept the jury's decision on this one. They heard far more than we did about what took place.

albaleo,

The case was complicated, and there were various accusations from both sides about the events that took place.

True, but Kerr calling the officer "stupid and white," twice, was on camera and played for the court.

Calling someone black, or white, or brown alone is not discrimination unless the intent was to discriminate.

Also true. However, the officer wasn't called "white" alone. He was called "stupid and white" which anyone would take as an insult. Much as anyone being called "beautiful and white" would take it as complimentary.

I'll accept the jury's decision on this one. They heard far more than we did about what took place.

I agree there. And anyway, I don't think we should be policing people's words. With obvious exceptions like incitement to violence of course.

Japanese defense should have been used..."I was drunk and I don't remember "

Hawk,

However, the officer wasn't called "white" alone. He was called "stupid and white"

True, and when I first heard of this story, I assumed she was guilty. But what's not clear is the behavior of the police officer prior to her saying that. As I said, I'll go with the jury's decision, even if they were all stupid Londoners. (joking)

GuruMick,

In this case it seems her defense was, "I was drunk and do remember."

I think some of the comments from some of you should read the full report that was released after this case ( bbc news) , it does not make the police look very good. And yes I do think she was at fault for a lot of the accusations

albaleo,

But what's not clear is the behavior of the police officer prior to her saying that.

There was 30 minutes of footage from the police station played in court. And as the Sydney Morning Herald reports: "At various points in the exchange, Kerr called people words beginning with C showed Constable Stephen Lovell her bank account, and made reference to the “best word beginning with F lawyers”." And I misquoted Kerr before. The quote was "word beginning with F stupid and white," and “sick” and a “white privileged man, " as if all white people are privileged, which is a racial stereotype in itself.

I'm sure the officer gave some back - coppers are like that, the Bill in particular - but there was no reference to race from him, as far as I know.

Kerr simply called an impeccable 'I'm the victim here' game of bingo in court and the jury seems to have bought it.

Anyway- can't we all just get along?

Hawk,

I'm not defending her behavior. She and her friend were drunk in a taxi. One of them was sick and also broke a window in the taxi. (I understand it was the other one that did those things, but not sure.) I don't know if other charges were brought for their behavior. But the article is about the charge of "racially aggravated harassment". I don't know the details of that law, but the jury found her not guilty.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/sam-kerr-racial-harassment-chelsea-b2696148.html

Anyway- can't we all just get along?

Indeed, and we should also all learn how not to throw up in taxis. :-)

She is a nasty, entitled, foul mouthed racist. The judge was not impressed with the jury’s verdict.

albaleo,

But the article is about the charge of "racially aggravated harassment". I don't know the details of that law, but the jury found her not guilty.

Absolutely. I'm obviously on the wrong side of this. What she said was belittling and insulting but, according to a jury of her peers who had access to much more information, it wasn't a crime. And nor should it have been, in my opinion. But that's another discussion.

I'll still be interested to know what happens when a white man calls a black officer 'stupid and black.' We'll see if the standard holds. Thanks for the discussion.

So, they were drunk in the taxi, one vomited in the back whilst the other smashed the window. They refused to pay for damages and you can only imagine what else was said the to taxi driver. Lets be honest here, the right thing for them to do at this point was to apologise to the taxi driver, and agree to pay for the damage they caused. That was the right thing to do, and well within their financial means as highly paid sports stars. But they don't.

So he drives them to a police station, which seems like a reasonable thing to do in his situation.

They get hysterical, because they are entitled, rich sports stars who don't want to face consequences.

They get to the Police station and continue to kick off and amongst the other things they did there, call the officer stupid and white.

Classy couple.

But she isn't guilty????

Come on. I doesn't appear as though justice has been served.