Richard Barklie, a former member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and former officer with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, was one of three men sought in connection with an incident that occurred shortly after a football match between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.
“We’re racist, we’re racist and that’s the way we like it,” Chelsea fans chanted while preventing a black man from boarding the train.
In a statement released through his solicitor, Kevin Winters, Barklie admitted to taking part in the incident, though was quick to distance himself from the undeniably racist implications of said incident.
“He did not participate in racist chanting and singing and condemns any behavior supporting that,” Winters said in a statement. “Our client is anxious to put on record his total abhorrence for racism and any activity associated with it.”
Given that abhorrence, Barklie must have been particularly shocked by the actions on the metro.
But perhaps even more shocked were fellow members of the World Human Rights Forum, an organization which Barklie leads. Among the WHRF’s mission objectives are promises to “protect and to promote human rights, values, and global well-being.” The WHRF website says nothing about publicly humiliating someone based on the color of their skin.
Barklie’s statement seems to suggest that his position lends him some degree of immunity.
“As someone who has spent years working with disadvantaged communities in Africa and India [Barklie] can point to a CV in human rights work, which undermines any suggestion he is racist,” the statement reads.
This suggestion is, of course, groundless. Prejudice is a complex web of a privilege, entitlement, and outright hostility. To suggest that Barklie is simply incapable of racist actions because of his employment, overlooks the subtle ways that discrimination can take hold.
Not to suggest there was anything subtle about the Paris incident. That was about as racist as you can get.
For the time being, Barklie still has people at his back. The statement says that a “senior official in the World Human Rights Forum confirmed their support to him.”
Scotland Yard continues to investigate the incident with French authorities. While two other suspects have been identified, no one has been arrested thus far. If brought to trial in France, the suspects could face three years in prison and a 43,000 euro fine.
Five individuals have, however, been suspended from the Chelsea football stadium. As a season ticket holder, it would be a shame if Mr. Barklie were refused entrance. Next thing you know, he may not even be allowed on the train.
