Diocesan Press
Release
Stephen Lawrence Inquiry
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 24 February 1999
STEPHEN LAWRENCE INQUIRY - THE MACPHERSON REPORT -
STATEMENT BY THE BISHOP OF SOUTHWARK, THE RT REV TOM BUTLER
(Please note this statement is based on widely publicised reports, prior to sight of the full report. It should not be taken as the Bishop's final comment on the Macpherson Report)
The Church of England in South London is a multi-ethnic Church and black people make an enormous contribution to its life and ministry. I meet black people from our South London churches almost every day, and I know from what they tell me that the Stephen Lawrence tragedy was not an unfortunate, isolated incident. Like Doreen Lawrence, many black people today feel that at present they cannot get justice from the British legal system. Racism may exist in other institutions of our society but it is particularly serious when present in the police service because of the power of individual police officers to put their prejudices into practice.
Leaders of the Black Community (including my colleague the Bishop of Croydon) have been telling the Metropolitan Police for years that racism within the force has to be addressed and so I am not surprised at the Report’s comment on the ‘pernicious and institutional racism’ found within the Police Service. I am aware that efforts have already been made to begin to combat racism within the force, and I am also conscious that many excellent individual police officers and civilian staff may feel that the report contains unjust criticism. I believe, however, that the wide public concern aroused by the tragedy of Stephen Lawrence’s death gives the Metropolitan Police the opportunity of making a radically new approach to addressing racism. This will require both structural change and individual commitment at all levels.
But the Police alone cannot solve this problem. Whoever killed Stephen Lawrence is at least partly the product of our environment and community and it is time for us all to shoulder our share of the responsibility. No institution, including the Church, has so far done enough to combat racism. This must change.
Ends.
Also see the Bishop's Monthly Letter - written by the Bishop of Croydon.