We are visiting an area that, if anyone had the chance, they would’ve told me NOT to go. Let alone at night. But we are here to see something different and our guide told us the area is more authentic at night time. However, he told us not to worry because he brought some ‘protection’: three guys that are from the area and know their way around. 

We have just been walking for 30 minutes when a slightly angry and drunk man comes up to us. He argues with our guides and then tries to talk English to us. We don’t think too much of it and we continue our walk. But when we turn the corner at the end of the street, suddenly two police officers on a motorcycle drive up the sidewalk right in front of is. They push everyone (except us) violently to the wall and search their pockets. Our guide tries to calm us and says everything is fine. The police then turn to us and suggest we are being robbed. We say everything is fine, but they don’t seem to believe us. Everyone is asked for ID, and in the meantime about six other officers arrive. It’s starting to look like a crime scene. Our guide tries to explain that he is in fact our tour guide and that everything is okay. We just nod and smile to convince them we are fine. Some of the officers believe us and leave, saying it’s our own responsibility if we get robbed. That seemed fair to me. However, the motorcycle agents stay. One of them makes a sign for smoking weed. Now they seem to suggest we are out buying drugs… They end up taking us to the police station trying really hard to find something wrong. But after a lot of talking, phone calls and some awkward jokes with the policemen, they finally let us go. Around the corner we meet the rest of our crew, and we continue the tour. 

Our guide explains that the police was just trying to intimidate us. “They want money” he says. “That is how the police is here. They are very corrupt. But they had nothing on us”. He asks us if we are all right, but he himself doesn’t seem to be all that impressed by the police’s behaviour. And our guards aren’t surprised either. Each one of them has countless bad experiences with the police. Just because they are from this particular neighbourhood and their clothes are old. One of them explains that even though micro trafficking is an issue here, “people are more worried about the police than about the drugs”. He says people “always avoid contacting the police”, because even when they are a victim the police will treat them as the perpetrator. 

As for us, two tall white guys. The police initially tried to save us from being robbed by our friends. And when we told them that wasn’t the case, we were being accused of buying drugs from them. In their mind there was just no possibility they could be our friends. Just because of our different appearance. It made me quite uncomfortable. The police felt entitled to protect me because I’m white, and for that reason harassed people that were only trying to be nice to me. It shows that the world is simply not the same for everybody. I am a person the police try to protect (in most cases). And they are people the police try to protect me from. Disregarding of what is actually happening. They might mean well trying to protect me, but in that they are harming others. 

The problem for me lies in the image that the police have of these guys. Merely because of their heritage, their appearance and their clothes, the police assume they are doing something wrong. That image is so strong that they simply cannot believe they would do something good for us white guys. Simply due to the fact that we look different, the police find the need to intervene when they see us walking together. 

In my opinion the treatment of the police is just a symptom of an image that exists in the entire society. An image that is reproduced by stories in the media, by politicians using it to legitimise policy plans, and by the consequent fear of the public that causes people to look distrustful towards people different from themselves. Because of that image people like me avoid people like them. And when we do walk together the police finds it suspicious because nobody ever does it. All because of an image. An image that breeds hate and discrimination, an image that produces divisions and conflict, an image that causes police violence. A simple image with far-reaching consequences. 

Unfortunately, this incident wouldn’t be the last time something like this happened to me and my friends. But what I experienced a couple of times is their everyday life. And we only have to turn on the news to know it happens all around the world, sometimes with far more devastating consequences.  

And therefore this image should be broken on all levels. By the police, by their employers, by the media and by each one of us. Become aware of the effect this image has on your own life, on your own behaviour. Do you get afraid when you run into certain people at night time? Do you answer differently to different people when they ask you a question on the street? I think most of us do. And that is only human. But become aware. Become aware that even though the consequence of your own individual behaviour might be small and insignificant, together we create a society of racism, classism, sexism and any other form of discrimination. So start small. Start with a smile. Try to listen. Try to understand. Because even though we may look different. We are all human beings. We all just try to make something of our lives. To provide for ourselves and our family. And unfortunately in our world not everybody has the same opportunity to be able to do that. You may not be able to help every single person you run in to. But be aware of the harm you can cause by ignoring your fellow human beings. And just like our individual harm might be insignificant by itself, our collective behaviour of insignificant acts can become very significant. Don’t be afraid of those you don’t know. And be aware of how a listening ear or a simple smile can be the start of breaking that image. Let’s make it normal that people of any kind can walk in any place together without police intervention.