UK: Police must end ‘appalling’ use of strip searches against children

In response to findings announced today from the Children's Commissioner for England's report on police strip searching children, Ilyas Nagdee, Amnesty International UK’s Racial Justice Director, said:

“The appalling use of strip searches against children must stop once and for all, they are a serious violation of children’s dignity and human rights.

“The massively disproportionate use of strip-searches against Black children exposes yet again deep-rooted institutional racism across the Police and the repeated abuses of power detailed in the report reveal the hollowness of commitments to make significant changes.

“Much more needs to be done to address the institutional inequalities persistent in policing.

“All children who have been strip-searched must have access to effective help and support to enable them recover and adequate reparations.”