Humza Yousaf spoke for many Scots of colour yesterday when he recalled his own experiences of policing in this country. The First Minister rightly recognised the hard work individual officers do every day in keeping communities safe.
But he also warned that all public institutions must identify and dismantle any discriminatory barriers that have been erected. Yousaf was stopped and searched by police more than a dozen times as a youth.
It’s a matter of record that people of Asian or African descent were more likely to be stopped by police while going about their business. The SNP leader was speaking on the same day the country’s most senior police officer made an extraordinary admission. Iain Livingstone, who will soon retire from Police Scotland, said the force was institutionally racist.
