Met under pressure over 'racist' form

Scotland Yard is under pressure to scrap a "potentially racist" risk assessment form which asks venues to reveal what kind of music they are playing.

Critics argue that the scheme unfairly targets nights popular with black and Asian crowds and threatens to strangle London's vibrant music scene.

Police use Form 696 to ask organisers what genre their event falls under and to obtain details of artists and performers attending, which they say helps reduce clubland violence.

But the form, which gives "bashment, R&B, garage" as its examples of music types, has been accused of having a "blanket" impact on the urban music scene.

Now industry figures have joined together to raise their concerns with the racism watchdog the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

Grime star Bashy is among the signatories, as is Feargal Sharkey, former Undertones singer and chief executive of industry organisation UK Music; Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem MP for Hornsey and Wood Green; and Brian Paddick, the Met's former deputy assistant commissioner.

They are "deeply concerned" that Form 696 has the potential to be misused by the police to discriminate against ethnic minorities.

A question on the form about what ethnic group was likely to attend an event has been dropped, but it still asks organisers to detail their "target audience" and music genre.

Anecdotal evidence, the campaigners' letter argues, suggests the Met is restricting events aimed at ethnic minorities and making it harder for Londoners to enjoy a diverse range of music.

Sunny Hundal, editor of the political blog Liberal Conspiracy and organiser of the appeal to the EHRC, said: "There is an increasing atmosphere of the police harassing or, at least, making life difficult for organisers of music of black or Asian origin.

"People are sometimes not allowed to hold their events or are required to have really stringent police or security there, even though that's not applied to other people."

Although the form, filled in two weeks before the relevant event, is voluntary, some councils make it compulsory for certain venues as part of their licensing policy.

And Mr Hundal said people who did not want to give an "intrusive" amount of information about those involved in their events could find themselves struggling.

"In some cases, police say: If you don't have a Form 696 we can just come over and close your venue immediately,'" he said.

"It's a situation where councils and the police are just using really authoritarian powers to shut down events they don't like – and I think we all lose out."

Film-maker Teddy Nygh, whose documentary Clash A'Da Tight 1's aimed to address misconceptions about hip hop, said the form puts a "negative slant" on music that is "doing positive things".

"I don't see why there always has to be some kind of negative pressure on music scenes," he said. "It seems like a blanket thing and I think that's discrimination."

More than 31,000 people have joined a Facebook group arguing Form 696 is "bureaucracy killing off live music".

Scotland Yard said it was reviewing its risk assessment process, but said the form helped reduce crime and disorder at licensed premises.

A spokeswoman said: "It is not intended to single out or stereotype audiences or types of music, but to identify where an event might be at risk from crime and take steps to prevent it.

"To date shootings linked to licensed premises have been significantly reduced and we believe the risk assessment process has contributed to this.

"Following concerns expressed by various groups about the form, however, it is right that we consider whether it meets the requirements of all those involved in the risk assessment process.

"While we cannot comment on the outcome of the review as it has not yet been finalised, we will carefully consider all the feedback we have received."