Challenging over-policing and the criminalisation of people of colour

The police stopped and searched Aboud Nour*, a young African Australian man, and found items they thought to be stolen. He received more than a dozen charges. Aboud felt that he had been subject to racial profiling, and the evidence also suggested
that police had conducted a ‘pretext’ stop, which means they were fishing for evidence despite not having lawful grounds for a stop and search.

A Police Accountability Project (PAP) lawyer acted for Aboud to challenge the over-policing and criminalisation of people of colour. We successfully had all the charges withdrawn, arguing that the search was unlawful.

Aboud was glad that we were able to defend his right to be in public without unjustified police contact.

*name has been changed