Two recent stories from the local English press you may have missed involving racial abuse of British Chinese restaurant staff, both with very different outcomes.
Nigerian Singer Threatened To Break Jaw of Chinese Restaurateur (8/4/2011)
An African gospel star has been cleared of making racist comments while on honeymoon in Scotland.
Okposo - who has won awards for Best Gospel Act in Africa and Best Gospel Artist of the Year - was alleged to have threatened to break a Chinese buffet manager's jaw and "poke his eyes out" at a Jimmy Chung's branch on the city's beach front.
Ronny Shui Hung Yung claimed the 31-year-old Nigerian said: "Do you know who the f*** I am? I could buy this f****** restaurant. I could buy you."
The 48-year-old manager told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: "He said 'Your people are cheap, your labour is cheap, your goods are cheap.'
He added: "I thought the guy was getting really scary - threatening. He was huge."
But defence agent Val Bremner said Okposo claimed he had only told the manager he was "in the wrong job" after Mr Yung repeatedly pointed his finger in his wife's face following a disagreement over menu prices.
Okposo waited for police to arrive following the row but was arrested. He was charged with causing alarm or distress to Mr Yung by shouting, swearing and uttering racial remarks at the restaurant on July 7, last year, and denied the offence.
Fiscal depute Karen Dow told Sheriff Edward Savage she was no longer seeking a conviction after the evidence of Jimmy Chung's assistant manager Paula Li, 31, who claimed she heard the same racist comments being made but could not see exactly who made them.
Racist Woman Threatened To Stab Takeaway Staff Avoids Prison Sentence (29/4/2011)
Full article http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/local/8937210.Racism_shame_for_takeaway_woman/
Kiya Brandrick, aged 23, Worcester, who pleaded guilty to racially aggravated harassment of takeaway staff and assault by beating and obstructing a policeman, has escaped going to prison.
Brandrick entered the Golden Fortune Chinese Takeaway in Dines Green, Worcester, on New Year’s Eve and repeatedly made racist comments to Annie Ung.
Miss Ung sister, Mui, came to the counter to ask what was wrong. They initially refused to serve Brandrick, who continued to be aggressive before leaning over the counter. They took her order but she lit a cigarette and other members of Miss Ung’s family asked Brandrick to leave. She blew smoke in Miss Ung’s face and threw fish and chip papers on the floor before threatening to “stab you up” and leaving.
Police were called and as an officer arrested Brandrick, she was “aggressive and hostile”.
A second officer was called and Brandrick was restrained on the ground, at which point she kicked out, striking him.
Ruth Edwards, defending, said her client was “appalled” by her behaviour but had little recollection of the events because of a combination of alcohol and drugs.
She was sentenced to three weeks for resisting arrest, suspended for 18 months. She was fined £400 for using racist language and ordered to pay compensation of £250 each to Annie and Mui Ung.
Brandrick was also ordered to pay £85 costs and £15 victim surcharge. She will also undergo a supervision requirement for 18 months and a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement.
Miss Ung sister, Mui, came to the counter to ask what was wrong. They initially refused to serve Brandrick, who continued to be aggressive before leaning over the counter. They took her order but she lit a cigarette and other members of Miss Ung’s family asked Brandrick to leave. She blew smoke in Miss Ung’s face and threw fish and chip papers on the floor before threatening to “stab you up” and leaving.
Police were called and as an officer arrested Brandrick, she was “aggressive and hostile”.
A second officer was called and Brandrick was restrained on the ground, at which point she kicked out, striking him.
Ruth Edwards, defending, said her client was “appalled” by her behaviour but had little recollection of the events because of a combination of alcohol and drugs.
She was sentenced to three weeks for resisting arrest, suspended for 18 months. She was fined £400 for using racist language and ordered to pay compensation of £250 each to Annie and Mui Ung.
Brandrick was also ordered to pay £85 costs and £15 victim surcharge. She will also undergo a supervision requirement for 18 months and a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement.
Just read the full story in that link. Absolutely disgusting. No doubt the police obviously thought that a non-white on a non-white attack can no way be racist. Just read the accounts for defence to see how ridiculous it sounds.
ReplyDelete"But defence agent Val Bremner said Okposo claimed he had only told the manager he was "in the wrong job" after Mr Yung repeatedly pointed his finger in his wife's face following a disagreement over menu prices.
Ms Bremner told Mr Yung: "This gentleman, whose wife you were pointing at, came over to ask why you were treating his wife in that way.
"You won't be reasoned with Mr Yung. That is the problem here. He tried to say that perhaps you weren't very good at treating customers."
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think about it - in what scenario what the business owner/manager/staff point their finger at a customer? NEVER, that's what. Pointing a finger at his wife over menu prices - sorry, that's the most bullshit "argument" ever - made up on the spot - and he GOT AWAY WITH IT. The chinese are always fearful of blacks because of the size difference - so why would one point at a big guy's wife, knowing full well he would respond? He wouldn't dream of it. Yet the courts somehow couldn't see through it - or didn't want to see through it - and as a result we have the continuation of the chinese being bullied - by whites and blacks alike.
Fiscal depute Karen Dow told Sheriff Edward Savage she was no longer seeking a conviction after the evidence of Jimmy Chung's assistant manager Paula Li, 31, who claimed she heard the same racist comments being made but could not see exactly who made them.
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This is what REALLY annoys me. The prosecutor drops the conviction because the assistant manager says she heard the same racist comments - but not who made them. Well let's face facts, Nigeria is hardly a creator of cheap goods on a global scale is it? And you would think she could tell the difference between a black man's Nigerian accent and one of her own.... furthermore, you would think the prosecutor would also pick up on this oversight by Paula i.e. the nature of the racist comment can only be directed towards one particular race....so much for British injustice!
What I dont understand is why there appears to be no other witnesses, are you telling me there are no customers in the restaurant to verify the story? why did Paula Li not see who made the comment? What was she doing at the time? hiding behind a cupboard? Were there no other waiters in the restaurant as witnesses? Its a restaurant with no waiters? Only a manager and a assistant manager?
ReplyDeleteDifference between the first case and second case is that Nigerian singer 'denied it,' if the second case ie. Brandrick also denied it, would she have got away with it too?