Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police,
The Metropolitan Police Service,
New Scotland Yard,
Victoria,
London.
20.12.2022

By email to mark.rowley@met.police.uk; paul.brogden@met.police.uk

Dear Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley,

You may recall that I was an independent member of the Metropolitan Police Authority (2000 to 2008) and Vice Chair for a period of two years. I was also the founder and Chair of the Metropolitan Police Race Hate Crime Forum which successfully led the MPS in combating hate crime in the capital.

In my role as former Chair of the Hate Crime Forum we did on occasions report incidents of incitement to racial hatred directly to the Commissioner’s Office for urgent action. I do so now to complain against two named individuals, Mr. Jeremy Clarkson and the Editor of the Sun newspaper, Ms. Victoria Newton. I am a defender of freedom of speech but this must always be balanced with responsibility for one’s own words and conduct.

In his article in the Sun newspaper, Mr. Clarkson wrote, “Meghan, though is a different story, I hate her. Not like I hate Nicola Sturgeon or Rose West. I hate her on a cellular level. At night, I’m unable to sleep as I lie there grinding my teeth and dreaming of the day when she is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant, ‘Shame!” and throw lumps of excrement at her.”

These words are clearly deeply offensive and for many people of colour, who have a history of slavery and colonialism, images of being paraded naked for sale and abuse are sadly part of our legacy. That such abuse should appear in a national newspaper and encourage assaults, is an absolute disgrace and gives potential incitement for extremists in our society and elsewhere to carry out acts of violence. We are aware that the intended victim, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle has received death threats and hate abuse online in the recent past, including use of the “N” word on a regular basis.

Words in this case have consequences, and a line has been crossed by this article in the Sun newspaper. Using the name of the First Minister of Scotland was serious enough, but Mr. Clarkson placed The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle in a special category, even beyond that of a serial killer. This is gratuitously abhorrent and a deliberate act, calculated to engender hate.

By way of background the Sun newspaper has a history of weaponizing offensive and racially derogatory comments from its cartoonists and journalists, whilst authorised at the highest level by the Editor. Given the huge circulation of these comments in the Sun newspaper, and in the media generally, the propensity for racial violence against people of African descent in the UK and to the immediate family of the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle is obvious. We request that these matters are investigated as a matter of urgency and the case file be passed to the CPS for a decision to be made as to the merits of a prosecution.

For instance, in 2016 the comments by the Sun journalist Ms. Katie Hopkins, authorised for publication by the Sun Editor and senior staff, were sadly some of the most offensive, xenophobic and racist comments that have appeared in a British newspaper for some years. The Sun newspaper therefore has a significant history of publishing racially offensive, and misogynist comments, whilst purporting to highlight women’s rights. It has done so once again, in all probability causing significant distress and anxiety to the intended victim, her immediate family, and to the wider black community. It is hoped that the Royal Family Press office, which has remained silent to date, may now speak out as they have a vested interest in securing the safety of Prince Harry and his family.

The Society of Black Lawyers (SBL), Bandung Africa, Blaksox, and Operation Black Vote therefore requests that this matter is investigated as a matter of urgency under the Public Order Act 1986. I am aware that this Section requires some intention by the perpetrator and the Editor, but given the scale and degree of race hate crime targeted at the Princess of Sussex, and the previous offensive conduct of Jeremy Clarkson, who is an individual who knows exactly what he is saying and the likely consequences of his editorial being published in the Sun newspaper, there is clear evidence of intent. The Editor is a person with access to legal advice at the highest level and cannot feign ignorance of the law.

This type of vile language has dangerous potential consequences not only in the United Kingdom, but also in the USA where domestic terrorism is also a significant problem. Such terrorist acts are often encouraged by such publications. There is a real likelihood that these comments can amount to incitement to racial hatred and be a real danger to the Duchess of Sussex, her family and friends.

We the undersigned therefore urge you to act as a matter of urgency.

Yours sincerely,
Judge D. Peter Herbert O.B.E. (retired)
Chair of the Society of Black Lawyers, Co-Chair Bandung Africa
Mrs Yetunde Asika, Co-Chair, Bandung Africa
Mr. Viv Ahmun, Director Blaksox
Mr. Lee Jasper, Director, Blaksox & Former Police & Race Adviser to Mayor of London
Hon. Claudia Webbe M.P. – Member of Parliament for Leicester East, U.K.
Hon. Bell Ribeiro-Addy M.P. for Streatham, London, U.K.

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