response to racist arson attack, Cornwall

I saw these responses to  an awful attack in Cornwall,  where a black outdoors instructor that takes deprived kids from the city & local areas was burnt out & the council & police don't  seem  too active in helping.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=493772&v=1#x6750449
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=495909
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=494101&v=1#x6752978

I had a look on here and couldn't see anything..are climbers mor esympathetic & pro-active than walkers? or have i missed a thred?

 Anyway, the *main* points are that a 'fighting fund' has been set up to help them get back on their feet & provide outdoor experiences for kids and there are people ferrying donated gear down there, from  London and Cornwall
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=494101&v=1#x6752978

I hadn't heard about this incident before Mr Wright - are you saying that makes me racist or uncaring?  The tone of your OP is very accusatory - YOU may be less sympathetic or caring but I'm not, don't put me in the same category as you!

I assume that UKC raised it first because he was a known qualified climbing instructor?

I think its terrible that people are targetted because of their skin, I grew up in Liverpool about the same time as Mr Farmer and saw the racism by the police and others and it sickened us all.  It was a shame it took the riots to do something about it.

The repsonse of the Police is very disappointing - they are basically saying they will do nothing unless Mr Farmer can prove it was racist - despite all the previous incidents... its just like the police in Liverpool in the 80's - ignoring any crime against blacks because they were seen as lesser individuals.  Sickening to see instritutional racism alive and well and living in Britain.

Thanks for raising awareness of the story and links . I hadn't heard of it. Not good.

There is a short TV news piece on here

but you might  consider that no one on here had heard of the incident (or seen fit to make a thread)- the comment about sympathy - climbers v walkers is unnecessary IMO and comes across as a bit holier than thou...

it might give the appearance that you'd  like a broader themed thread about that rather than raise awareness of the incident?

First point Mr Wright, I am from an ethnic minority and have been targeted (because of this) since the 1980s when I first came to England from another part of the UK - I'll make it easy for you..I am from N. Ireland. The last incident was no more than 12 months ago.

Dont you dare - even if only by implication -  suggest that I (and many of us here) have any kind of tolerance to racism or any other ism.

Second thing, Mr Wright, as you will have picked up, many of us here havent heard of this event - so we wont have an opinion.

Third thing, from experience, the police cant act till they see some evidence and, at present, it is purely Mr Farmer's assertion that  the problem has a racist background. He is probably correct and seesm to have a very good point but nothing that would stand in a court.

Personally I know his sense of outrage and frustration only too well.

OK, Mr Wright, now I have bollocked you...what do you want us to do about it?

Woah, hornet's nest!

Let me apologise if anyone thinks I was accusing anyone of racism, cynicism or lack of sympathy.

Rereading that sentence, i could have phrased it better.....I merely wondered if people here has seen/heard anything about it - after all, Mr Farmer is trying to run an outdoors experience business/project. That's why I asked if I had missed a post on here.

As I hoped was clear, my main objective was to make people aware of it in case they wanted to help.

 What do I want you to do about it? Think about helping!  It could be a good place to camp later in the year, Sam  has said he's thinking about organising a barbeque!

Thanks for providing a link, Alexander.
It's in Sam Farmer's own words, but:

"“In a matter of minutes, flames had charred canoes, surfboards, musical instruments and my partner’s artwork.

“That night, £70,000 was senselessly destroyed.

“It’s not the first time we’ve been targeted by arsonists; the barn was set alight 18 months ago but this time the damage was devastating.

“The fire had started in the early hours of the morning, but the police didn’t notify us until just after 11am.
“We raced over to the scene and saw all of our possessions smouldering.

“I’ve had people scream ‘go back to the jungle you black bastard’ at me. The words ‘Emmets Go Home’ (Emmets is a Cornish term meaning ‘outsiders’) has been scrawled on sign posts at the end of my lane. What am I supposed to think?"
“Since moving here, rocks have been hurled at me and my five-year-old daughter, and as a family we’ve endured a torrent of racial abuse. We also went to the police after a brutal attack on one of our horses, which lost an eye as a result.

“A lot of people don’t like the fact that I’m bringing inner city youths to the village. They think I’m importing crime into the area.

“But The Hope Project isn’t just for inner city kids from Liverpool or London. I started this project in Cornwall and, believe it or not, there are a lot of urban kids here who have never been to the beach or engaged in outdoor pursuits, and I wanted to address that.

I appreciate what you're saying Bedouin. While we only have his word for it, i think shouts of 'you black basrtards' make it pretty clear to me...
But anyway, this is distracting from the original intention of my post, which was to make people aware of it & see if they'd like to help.

Hope y'all had a good sunny day!

Bedouin wrote (see)

. The 'racist' narrative that this bloke is spinning is just a bit too cosy for me. But you feel free to give what ever you think is appropriate.

Thanks.

"The definition of a racist incident was changed in 1999 when the police adopted the proposal from the report of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry:
‘A racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person.’
(Macpherson 1999)"

So no matter how you play with words it seems to me that, if we've come anywhere since the Stephen Lawrence murder, then Devon and Cornwall Police should be treating these as racist incidents when they investigate.

And Parky, the implication of that definition is, if you were to call someone a "welsh c***" and either they or anyone else who hears it considers it to be racist, then it's not a 'simple insult'.

Parky leave Bedouin alone .

Matt C wrote (see)

‘A racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person.’
(Macpherson 1999)"

Shakes head..... good to see that common sense is alive and well in the UK.

As for Parky's post above he makes a good point why SHOULD certain groups of people be elevated in law? 

Why is insulting a fat person because of their weight O.K yet mentioning a persons colour/race whatever a crime?? why shouldn't both be treated equally? are fat people less worthy of legal protection?