A local Texas political candidate has been arrested on charges of sending fake racist messages to himself on social media. According to Fox News, Taral Patel, the Democratic candidate for Fort Bend Precinct 3 Commissioner, was arrested by Texas Rangers and is being charged with Online Impersonation and Misrepresentation of Identity.

Mr Patel, a 30-year-old Indian-American, allegedly spent months impersonating supporters of his incumbent rival, Republican Commissioner Andy Meyers. He sent several racist and derogatory comments to himself, to make himself look like a victim of racism.

In September 2023, Mr Patel made a post on Facebook claiming the remarks were examples of the ”deep and misguided fear” among the Republican Party. He also attached screenshots of all the racist remarks to prove it. 

”As your Democratic candidate for County Commissioner, I am always open to criticism of my policy positions and stances on issues. However, when my Republican opponent’s supporters’ decide to hurl racist, anti-immigrant, Hinduphobic, or otherwise disgusting insults at my family, faith community, colleagues, and me – that crosses a line,” he wrote on Facebook.

”These hateful images are from a place of deep and misguided fear – incited by people like former President Donald Trump, and today’s extremist Republican party fear that immigrants are ‘taking their jobs’ and setting out to hurt our communities,” he added. 

An investigation was launched in October 2023 after his rival Andy Meyers asked authorities to look into who was sending Mr Patel the racist messages. Last Wednesday, he was arrested by Texas Rangers on a third-degree felony charge for online impersonation as well as a Class A misdemeanour charge for misrepresentation of identity. He is held on a $20,000 bond for the felony charge and a $2,500 bond for the misdemeanour.

Fort Bend County’s GOP Chair Bobby Eberle said in a statement that the arrest was ”deeply concerning.”

”Whether Republican or Democrat, such tactics should be unequivocally condemned by all who value integrity and accountability in politics,” Mr Eberle said.

Notably, Mr Patel previously served as chief of staff for Fort Bend County Judge KP George from 2018 to 2021, according to his LinkedIn. He also worked for the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division in the Public Integrity Section as deputy finance director for a governor and as a legislative staffer for the Texas House of Representatives.

Two members of British Airways cabin crew have been fired after they posted a racist video on Tik Tok mocking Asian passengers. The offensive clip was filmed by Holly Walton and Lauren Bray while they stayed at a luxury resort hotel in Antigua paid for by the airline, Metro reported.

In the video, the duo mocked a Chinese family who spoke little English and attempted to order drinks on a flight. Ms Walton was filmed making racist eye gestures and saying “Give me wine” in a Chinese accent. A caption on the video read: “2 weeks in a row with this d***head.” The clip was filmed by Ms Bray, who has since disabled her Instagram account.

After the video was posted online, colleagues of the duo expressed their shock and disgust over the racist clip. One colleague said the women were “deliberately laughing” at the family which “sends out the worst message possible.” Another Asian staff member said, ”I’m reeling from seeing this video. It makes me question the airline and my colleagues. Action has to be taken. We won’t stand for it.”

Another told the Sun: “This recording is obscene. For anyone to have such racist thoughts, to then film them and share them with the world, is shocking and dumb in equal measure. This is hugely damaging for the airline and they deserved the axe.”

The crew members were ordered to fly back from a round trip in Cancun, Mexico for a meeting on Monday with BA bosses at the airline’s headquarters. Ms Bray was witnessed leaving the meeting at the airline’s HQ in “floods of tears’ on Monday.

British Airways confirmed the two women were no longer employed by them. In a statement, a BA spokesperson commented: “All forms of racism are completely unacceptable, and we take allegations of this nature very seriously.”

A Black millionaire and celebrity jewelry consultant has claimed that he was denied entry into a popular London bar, because of his colour Independent reported. Notably, 30-year-old Lamar Berko who has worked with some of the world’s biggest stars including David Beckham, Burna Boy, Steff London, Wizkid, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Joey Essex, accused the establishment of racially profiling him. 

The incident happened last week when the entrepreneur, who runs LB Jewellery, showed up at 100 Wardour Street in Soho, West End, with eight Black friends, but wasn’t allowed to enter. He said that the restaurant gave them conflicting reasons, with one door attendant saying things like there were ”too many men” among them. The group was later told the venue was packed, even though he said the bar was nowhere near capacity.

However, as they stood outside the restaurant, they noted several white people being admitted.

When he told the employee he felt racially profiled, he was told, ”I don’t judge by the race, just by the person.” Mr. Berko even offered to purchase tables worth 10,000 pounds, however, his request was still denied. 

”I didn’t even ask the price of the tables – but this was turned down. What reason would they really have to say no? I wasn’t causing trouble or shouting; I didn’t flare up or swear,” Mr Berko explained. 

Speaking of his brush with racism, he said, ”In my field, I’m used to dealing with racism. In this country, it’s always indirect and never direct. For example, I’ve been stopped by the police so many times for no reason other than the car I drive.”

”But I could not believe my eyes when the staff member took my friends and out of the queue – making everyone look at us as if we were troublemakers – then let in all white people and not us. I haven’t slept; I felt so violated,” Mr Berko added. 

After Mr. Berko’s allegations went viral, several people thronged 100 Wardour Street’s Instagram page and criticised them. The restaurant later posted photographs of Black women in their stories, which many including Lamar Berko felt was making a ”mockery” of the issue. 

A user on one of their posts wrote, ”Racism in 2023! This is extremely disappointing!!! And it seems whoever is running this account fails to see the severity of the issue. Posting black people on your story is a complete mockery.”

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, left, talks with Michael Wilson, right, on the three-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis. File
| Photo Credit: AP

United Nations rights investigators said on September 28 they had found systemic racism against black people throughout the U.S. policing and justice systems, and stressed the need for urgent reform.

In a report following a visit to the United States, they pointed to “the entrenched systemic racism against people of African descent in the United States”.

“(This) legacy of slavery … permeates the entire spectrum of the law enforcement and judicial system.”

Over 12 days in April and May, the team visited five detention centres and held meetings with victims, civic groups, the judiciary, police unions and officials in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York and Washington.

“We heard dozens of heart-breaking testimonies on how victims do not get justice or redress,” investigator Tracie Keesee said.

“This is a systemic issue that calls for a systemic response. All actors involved, including police departments and police unions, must join forces to combat the prevailing impunity.”

The team of independent experts was set up in 2021 — a year after the murder of George Floyd, an African American, by a white U.S. police officer — to investigate racially fuelled police violence worldwide.

Studies showed African Americans in the United States were three times more likely to be killed by police than white people, and 4.5 times more likely to be incarcerated, the experts said. Of the more than 1,000 cases of killings by police each year, only one percent resulted in officers being charged.

They rejected the “bad apple” theory to explain killings and abuse by police.

Instead, “there is strong evidence suggesting that the abusive behaviour of some individual police officers is part of a broader and menacing pattern”, investigator Juan Mendez said.

Attitudes in the U.S. police and criminal justice system reflected attitudes found in U.S. society,” he said, adding there was a “critical need for comprehensive reform”.

The report issued a total of 30 recommendations to the US administration and the 18,000 police agencies across the country.

Among other things, it said armed police officers should no longer be the default first responders in situations like mental health crises, homelessness, traffic control and school discipline.

It also highlighted the systemic racism facing Black police officers and condemned “the appalling over-representation of people of African descent in the criminal justice system”.

It voiced profound concern about cases of Black children being sentenced to life imprisonment and the widespread use of solitary confinement.