Black woman speaks out after racially-related hate crime

Legal consultant Angela Bennett has spoken out after facing another sickening and threatening verbal attack in Hawick because of her skin colour.

Just after 7am on Saturday, February 4, Angela was boarding a bus at Morrisons car park in Mart Street when she was approached by two white males and a white female, all thought to be in their late teens, and subjected to vile racist taunts and threats of physical harm.

The bus driver refused the three entry onto the bus and they are believed to have left the scene in a taxi.

For Angela it was far from the first time she had been subjected to racism in the town.

In September 2021 a 42-year-old man hurled racist abuse at her and her male companion near the cafe in Wilton Lodge Park.

That man was later charged and ordered to pay £70 in compensation to his victims during an appearance at Selkirk Sheriff Court in September of last year.

Also in 2021, on the X95 bus, Angela was subjected to more racism with the perpetrator also charged and ordered to pay £200 in compensation.

None of the compensation has been paid.

Angela said: “The culture of racism is very much alive and well, growing rapidly and extremely toxic, unabated it seems, in Hawick.

“This is a daily occurrence that goes on in the Borders, in particular areas. It’s macro and micro aggression, but all the same the connotations are racist.

“When you live in a certain skin colour this is what goes on. I know you get it in London, but it’s not so prolific.

“This is particular to Hawick, but also stretches to Galashiels, particularly at the transport interchange, which is full of delinquents, kids hanging around there that are abusive. There’s a lawlessness and the kids hang around there like it’s their second home.

“I go to Kelso and I don’t sense it so much and I go to Melrose and I don’t sense it at all. It’s to do with the type of people, and that’s not snobbery, it’s just honestly what I can say I have definitely experienced. I walk around and the sense is that in Kelso and Melrose, the people just go about their business and you’re invisible, not in a bad way, you just happen to be there as a black person.

“There is a scaffolding of allowance that enables this to happen – a lack of understanding, perceptions, cultural behaviour, a lack of criminal sanctions. Everyday someone like me is going through this. Once we don’t see black people in positions of importance, in decision-making, it mushrooms the situation.

“I’ve been here and I don’t see anyone who looks like me doing a top job. I don’t see anyone who looks like me as a teacher, or head nurse or a commissioner of police, or a judge, all those that people might see to form their view.”

Angela has criticised the criminal justice system over its failure to recover the compensation owed to her and the police, for the approach to the latest incident in particular.

She said: “I have not received a penny of compensation, shamefully and unacceptably by the criminal justice system. The police were called to Mart Street on 999 due to the threat of physical violence, without haste, and failed to take a witness statement even though what appeared to be a a public order offence had happened and instead chose to book an appointment for some days later. The police are not doing very much to abate racism and it is allowed to thrive in our community.”

But despite her ongoing concerns, Angela, a trustee of the not-for-profit charity Advice Solutions, is not about to leave the town.

She said: “I have been in Hawick for nine years and I have no intention of leaving. Why should I go? If you want to get anywhere you don’t run, you fight it diplomatically and to work with others about what we can do about this.”

In response, Hawick provost Councillor Watson McAteer has agreed to meet Angela to look at addressing her concerns.

He said: “If someone is suffering hate crime or is concerned for their safety then I am more than happy to meet and discuss what can be done to help.

“I am not aware of it as a specific problem in Hawick but I am conscious and not naive enough to know that these things do take place, sometimes in a way that is not obvious to people, so I would never dismiss the fact that such a situation is happening and being told about it means that I would like to find out more to try and do what I can to help.”

A statement from Police Scotland did not address Angela’s criticisms. A spokesperson said: “Around 7.15am on Saturday, 4 February, police received a report of a potential hate crime in the Mart Street area of Hawick. Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”