Campaigners appeal against border police ethnic profile ruling

Campaigners who went to court in a bid to stop ethnic profiling by Dutch border police have confirmed they will appeal against last week’s ruling which said selecting people for extra identity checks on the basis of their ethnicity does not amount to discrimination.

Some 12,500 people have so far signed a petition organised by campaign group ControlAltDelete to support the appeal process.

‘A week ago, The Hague court said in its ruling that skin colour can be an objective indication of criminal behaviour or not being Dutch,’ said Mpanzu Bamenga on Twitter. ‘We don’t believe this. Ethnic profiling is not legitimate and does unprecedented injustice to people. So we are appealing.’

The case centres on checks carried out by the border police on air and train passengers, and road users from within the EU. Formal border controls have been phased out within the EU but spot checks are sanctioned in order to combat illegal immigration.

Bamenga, a former Eindhoven city councillor was singled out for special questioning at passport control at Eindhoven airport after returning from Rome where he had attended a conference. Dressed in a suit, he was walking fast, other indicators, it later transpired, for resembling a ‘Nigerian money smuggler’.