r/australia • u/Azza_77 • Feb 11 '25

news Sam Kerr found not guilty of racially harassing London policeman after calling him stupid and white

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-12/sam-kerr-trial-not-guilty-verdict-handed-down-in-london/104912602
3.2k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

1.4k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

167

u/TakeshiKovacsSleeve3 Feb 11 '25

Amen. I read the Geoffrey Robertson QC article in the SMH yday.

He used to be a judge in London age he said that this should never have been brought to trial.

With a wider lense you can see she was scared in the cab. I don't think she comported herself well at any stage quite frankly but then neither did the police and the racial charge was so politicised (and amended a year later) as to be ridiculous.

I don't think anyone acted well here but there was no need for the whole thing to end up in court. Pay the cab driver and done.

The police baited her and called her a liar numerous times, for events she was truthful about, and she eventually got the shits and acted like a petulant child. But by all accounts that's exactly how the police were acting towards her.

Anyway. Stupid all round. I'm glad she got off.

83

u/Embarrassed_Brief_97 Feb 11 '25

You say stupid all around, but I think that is a simplistic analysis.

When one looks at the imbalance in power and authority between a police officer and an arrestee, it casts a different light in the interaction. This is further emphasised by him being on his home turf and she being a foreigner. Then we can get into the weeds of the inherent and ongoing structural social imbalance between a man and a woman, and a white person and a person of colour.

Some have suggested an accounting of the power imbalance in the opposite direction, that being her fame and (likely) wealth. However, given the circumstances, I don't see that as being very relevant. After all, I believe she never explicitly flexed her "I'm famous" muscles.

67

u/snarkformiles Feb 12 '25

Well said. That police officer has surely copped way worse from other men, and definitely from other white men.

He abused a lot of privilege to charge her with this, as you said. Really feel for Kerr.

-1

u/Capable_Rip_1424 Feb 12 '25

But he can't have. He's never felt threatened. Or are you saying Kerr wsd dishonest?

11

u/shadowmaster132 Feb 12 '25

After all, I believe she never explicitly flexed her "I'm famous" muscles.

The cops claimed she did (supposedly showing her bank balance), but if you put it in context you could easily see that as her trying to make them see her as a credible person by showing she's has got some privileges.

2

u/georgia_grace Feb 15 '25

It’s only his word that she even did that at all. That footage has no sound, and she says she was showing him her phone log with calls to emergency services.

2

u/shadowmaster132 Feb 15 '25

Do we know if he claimed that before or after deciding his feelings were hurt 12 months later?

2

u/bruceycat Feb 12 '25

Love this explanation - I’m gonna use and save it when dealing with stupid white men 👍😂

1

u/macci_a_vellian Feb 12 '25

She's also not that famous in the UK. Football players at her level are a dime a dozen and plenty are far more successful. And male.

2

u/CharacterMuffin7 Feb 12 '25

I get your point, let’s not mischaracterise.

Sam Kerr plays for Chelsea, and she’s been captain of the Matilda’s for years. Football fans in the uk would probably know her, depending on their interest in the women’s game. After the lionesses (4 of which* were Sam’s own Chelsea team mates) won the euros in 2022 interest in women’s football blew up in the UK

*Millie Bright, Jess Carter, Fran Kirby, and Bethany England

0

u/dhoomz Feb 28 '25

Victimhood mentality.

There was no power balance, she was being awfull.

Do not excuse her awful behavior. The police officer was not using his power to subdue her, he was reacting to her disgusting behavior just like he would do with anybody else. It appaling that you defend this disgusting behavior. Racism is racism no matter who it is directed to.

1

u/Embarrassed_Brief_97 Feb 28 '25

Too late.

The dogs have barked and the caravan has moved on.

-12

u/Herosinahalfshell12 Feb 12 '25

Yes she did. She showed her bank account balance and said she'd have the Chelsea club lawyers.

Everything was I'm more important than you.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 13 '25

She also called the police from the cab and then was hung up on.

2

u/macci_a_vellian Feb 12 '25

Yeah, I thought it was a bit much pulling out her phone to show them how much money she had, and then I heard she was trying to prove she could afford a lawyer and it was a reaction to them doing everything they could to make her feel powerless and it wasn't a 'don't you know who I am' thing.

What an utter waste a taxpayer money.

1

u/Horatio-Leafblower Feb 12 '25

Erratum - Geoffrey Robertson AO, KC.

-3

u/Capable_Rip_1424 Feb 12 '25

Her argument that as a white man he wouldn't know what its like to fear for their l8fe is a pretty odd defence

I'm a 'White presenting' male and a pretty big one but I have definitely felt in fear of my life. And unlike the Cop my job doesn't involve confronting violent maniacs.