Race hate in U.S., UK "similar": The Guardian

LONDON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The race problems in the U.S. (United States) and the UK (United Kingdom) are "similar" and policing still devalues Black lives in both countries, British newspaper The Guardian has reported.

The problems with policing, whether in the UK or in the U.S., often begin with dehumanising and devaluing Black and Brown lives, Al Sharpton, an American civil rights activist said in his opinion article published Tuesday.

Sharpton cited the British police killing of unarmed 24-year-old Chris Kaba last September and a 15-year-old Black girl being strip-searched in 2020 by female officers, among other cases.

"Impacts from systemic racism and a police culture that does not view us as deserving of basic human rights has detrimental reverberations," he said.

While there has been progress, both the United States and the UK are still dealing with "an excessive amount of police brutality," he said.

"The need for effective, thorough police reform is long overdue and we are here to demand it in unison," he added.