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Black youths arrested for seeking protection from racist attack

01 May 1998

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Two black teenage students, Marcus Walters and Francisco Borg, were arrested in Cardiff by South Wales police after seeking protection from a vicious racist gang attack. The youths were set upon while parked in their car and, when one of the gang attempted to push his dog into the vehicle, Walters was forced to hand his baby sister, Emma, to a passer by. Leaving Emma with the complete stranger the youths escaped and stopped a police car seeking help.

When they returned to the scene the racists attacked again as police officers looked on. The officers not only failed to intervene but sprayed the victims with CS gas, threw them in the back of a police van and arrested them for violent disorder. It was only after a local Citizens' Advice Bureau campaign and the discovery of CCTV footage showing the racist gang smashing the car in front of the police officers that the charges were dropped.

One of the gang, National Front member Sean Canavan, was arrested at the scene. Two other gang members, have been convicted. John Shepherd, the owner of the dog set on Emma, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and Raymond Lovell was found guilty of using threatening words and behaviour. Sentencing was delayed.

CARF 44 (June/July) 1998

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