The city is a breeding ground for «systemic racism», according to a Labor-backed study.

Activists promise to turn York into the first «anti-racist» city in the North. Photo: Thomas Fall/iStockphoto

York has been named a site of «accidental, systemic and structural racism» in a report funded by the Labor City Council.

Members of the lobbying group Inclusive Equal Rights UK (IERUK) have pledged to transform York into a the first «anti-racist» city in the North.

In a report released this week, its authors claimed that one in seven residents, 14 percent, was black, Asian or from an ethnic minority.

However, according to the Office for National Statistics, this figure is half that amount, with non-white minorities accounting for 7.2 percent.

Haddy Naye, chairman of IERUK, denied providing misleading figures, saying researchers have «dipped deeply» into the 2021 census data.

Haddy Nji, Chairman of Inclusive Equal Rights UK, which produced the report. Photo: Lorne Campbell/Guselian. Police stop and search more often than white counterparts. For Asians, the figure was «18 times».

However, the report itself states that the vast majority of recorded searches were «White British» with 1,843 incidents.

On its website, IERUK said that the five-year project was funded by York City Council.

Ms. Nye said: “This work is important because the data is widely documenting that racism in York is random. , systemic and structural. It comes in many forms that disproportionately affect the lives and livelihoods of people of color.”

Kathy Lomas, Executive Board Member for Finance, Productivity, Major Projects and Equality said: “We really appreciate the work that IERUK has done and the independence they bring to that work.

“We recognize the challenges for organizations throughout the city associated with providing a truly anti-racist environment, and we are pleased to reiterate our ambition to be the first anti-racist city in the North.»

The report «may misrepresent» York

However, opposition council members said that the report could create a «false image» for tourists.

Chris Steward, leader of the Conservative group on the council, told the Daily Mail: «I lived in York. all my life, and I would definitely say that there is no structural and systemic racism in York. I can't understand how they can understand that the population is 14 percent ethnic minority, it's not that much.

«Like everywhere, York has its problems, but I find it very friendly and tolerant . a place for people of all skin colors.

“This will make people wonder why York would interfere with this topic? Is there a real problem in York? I wouldn't say York has a big problem with racism.»