In Frankfurt, as in other cities, racist police controls are part of everyday life. People are targeted by the police on the basis of certain characteristics such as skin colour, religion, language or a „different“ origin. They often experience unjustified passport and identity checks at railway stations and airports, on their way to school, work or home.
For those affected, it often does not stop with controls. Verbal abuse, assaults and mistreatment by the police are part of normality for many. In some cases, these situations have legal consequences for those affected. They often see no chance to defend themselves legally or publicly against such practices.
Copwatch Frankfurt is a political group that has come together to counter the normality of racial profiling with practical support for those affected, solidarity-based activation of passers-by and political public relations work.
We see ourselves as part of small and large resistances against racial profiling.
About our work:
Copwatch Frankfurt was founded in 2013. Many of us have been involved in anti-racist-feminist contexts for years. Copwatch Frankfurt creates concrete support and permanent, self-empowering infrastructures for those affected. In Frankfurt and nationwide, we confront the normality of racial profiling with an active and practical policy. Our work has three political focal points: the telephone hotline, the information centre and the documentation of racial police checks in Frankfurt.
About the telephone hotline:
Call us if you experience racist police controls, assaults or other forms of racial profiling. We will document the incident anonymously and answer initial questions, help you with initial information and contacts.
Call us if you observe racist attacks as a passer-by. This will help you to document them and become an active witness and critical observer.
Our number: 069 34 877 315
Please call us on the number shown and we will call you back as soon as possible within the next three days. On the phone, we will document the incident, answer initial questions, listen and, if it goes beyond the actual inspection, refer you to our weekly information centre. There we will discuss legal matters or other possible courses of action with you.
About the information centre:
Our information centre offers you free legal and supportive assistance. It is staffed by people who are legally informed and critical of racism. There is space to describe your experiences.
Together we will consider possible courses of action and procedures that will strengthen and support you. We will discuss how you can defend yourself against a complaint, for example, and what you can do after physical assaults and abuse.
Documentation:
An important part of our work is the documentation and visualisation of racial profiling in Frankfurt. Calls and visits to the information centre are documented anonymously. Through the standardised recording of cases of racial profiling and the anonymised experiences of those affected, we scandalise the reality of racial profiling. Even if you do not wish to take political or legal action, it is important that your case is documented anonymously.
The police, interior ministries and the government deny the practice of racial profiling. We know better! We collect the cases and stories and make them a political issue!
Our goals are:
- Support and empower those affected by racial profiling.
- Expose the commonplace nature of racial profiling and denormalise racial profiling.
- Sensitise the public to the extent and consequences of the violent practice of racial profiling.
- Name and fight racism.
Beyond the Frankfurt area, we are active in the nationwide network „Stop Racial Profiling!“. In the Frankfurt area, we work together with other political groups.
Stop Racial Profiling!
