Rosalind Williams and the Fight Against Ethnic Profiling in Europe

On a brisk winter day in 1992, Rosalind Williams—an African American woman and naturalized Spanish citizen—stepped off the train in Valladolid and was immediately asked to produce her identity document. When asked why Williams was the only person on the platform to be stopped, the police officer explained that he was following orders: it was because of the color of her skin.

Williams produced her identity document. Eighteen years later, after winning a landmark ruling from the UN Human Rights Committee on her case, she is still waiting for the Spanish government to issue a public apology and end ethnic profiling by police.

At a recent forum, Rosalind Williams discussed her case and the impact she hopes it will have in Spain. Rachel Neild of the Open Society Justice Initiative also spoke about the prevalence of ethnic profiling throughout the European Union, and its ineffectiveness. Additionally, she covered the steps being taken to document and eradicate ethnic profiling, including innovative projects being carried out in cooperation with Spanish police.

Listen above.