Viewpoint: I know what it is like to experience racism

I’m sure that like me, you will have been shocked and appalled by the racist and Islamophobic violence that brutalised so many parts of England and Northern Ireland earlier this month.

The outpouring of violence and aggression – which followed the appalling killings of three little girls in Southport – included attacks on mosques, asylum seekers, people of colour, police and other emergency services.

People from racialised minorities across the UK were left feeling vulnerable and at risk of assault, with many worried about leaving their homes. This inevitably included many members of community pharmacy teams.

Half of all pharmacists are of South Asian heritage, Black or from other ethnic minorities. The majority of independent community pharmacy owners are South Asian.

Not surprisingly, according to research we did in the aftermath of the rioting, 56 per cent of pharmacy teams felt unsafe, 34 per cent considered closing at times they would normally be open, and 13 per cent sadly experienced racist or Islamophobic abuse. 

Personal experience

Being Black, I know what it is like to experience violent racism. As a child in the late 1970s and early 1980s, I was chased in the streets by racist gangs. I was violently assaulted at a football match. I was called the N-word by adults while out with friends. I also had to physically defend myself and my friends from racists in the playground and in the streets around my school.

For people of my generation, the outpouring of racist hatred brought back terrifying memories. For many younger people of colour, this may have been the first time they experienced racist or Islamophobic hatred.

We issued advice to our members to refuse to serve anyone being abusive, racist or Islamophobic and made new resources available on how to safeguard their pharmacies in the midst of civil disorder.

Stand together

It just so happens that the racist and Islamophobic violence took place in midst of South Asian Heritage History Month. 

It is so sad that a month of celebration has been tarnished in this way. However, I’m pleased to say that we held South Asian Heritage Month events for both our staff and our members. This enabled people to reflect on the awful events of the past few weeks – but also spend time celebrating the successes and achievements of people of South Asian heritage.

And I hope that, as a sector, we will all similarly stand together on September 19 to back our second day of action in support of the #SaveOurPharmacies campaign to secure a fair deal for community pharmacy.