On 8th June 2018 Fatou, a Senegalese refugee woman, was controlled by a security guard as the only black person in a Netto supermarket in Bamberg, an action she immediately denounced as racist. This triggered a sequence of events, lasting until the next day during which she was abused and intimidated both by security guards and later by the Bamberg police. Yet the legal consequences are so far targeting her. On 8th March, 2019 at 12 o’clock she has to defend herself at the Bamberg local court against charges on breaking the house peace (Hausfriedensbruch) and attempt of grievous bodily injury (versuchte gefährliche Körperverletzung) during the events in the Netto. Despite Fatou’s report to the prosecutor the guards have only been half-heartedly investigated so far. The investigation against the police officers has already been suspended.

Come to court on Women’s Day, 8th of March 2019 at 12 PM to support of Fatou’s fight and to monitor the legal persecution of a Black refugee woman. Stop racist security guard and police violence and intimidation of refugee women!
Address: Synagogenplatz 1, 96047 Bamberg

Donations for lawyer costs with the message (Verwendungszweck) “Bamberg Security”:
Bayerischer Flüchtlingsrat
Bank für Sozialwirtschaft
IBAN: DE89 7002 0500 0008 8326 02
BIC: BFSWDE33MUE (München)

Fatou’s statement on the events of 8th June, 2018:
“As the only black woman in the supermarket I was controlled by a guard. I defended myself against it and he called the police who searched me and brought me to the camp without finding anything. There I noticed that I had left an item which I had bought at the Netto (butter), and returned to get it. When I arrived there and wanted to talk to the employees about my butter, two securities came up to me and yelled at me ‚Get out!‘ One of them walked behind me and the other one forcibly pulled my hands back so that it hurt. They then forced me into an area behind the store. One of them pressed me against an iron staircase and injured my neck. When I raised my head the security pushed me against the railing again. The other one hurt my arm. Then they threw me on the floor with my hands back and handcuffs on. Then the police came and took me away.

After the police found me in the back room of Netto, they took me to a police car with a lattice. They tied my hands and my feet together and pushed me to the floor of the car and the car started. The policeman behind me pressed his knee against my face. I screamed and spoke in French. He said I should speak German or English and then slapped me in the face. When we arrived at the police station, they took me to the basement. They told me to take off my bra. I was wearing a T-shirt and a small jacket und took off the jacket. I was led in a room with a small bed and a toilet. Two women came to feel my body. In front of the door stood two male policemen, one of whom had injured me before. He told me to take off my tights. The women said it was all right. The policeman replied that I should take off my tights anyway. I refused and told them that it was Ramadan, and if I took off my tights, I could not pray anymore, and I have the right to pray. The women said that if I don’t undress myself, the men will undress me.

Shortly afterwards a male policeman threw me on the bed. The policeman kicked me with his foot on my shoulder blade. Then they undressed me. From there on I lost conscience, either because they injected something in me, or just because of not having eaten or drunk anything the whole day, as it was Ramadan. When I woke up, I had only panties on, and the room was full of male police officers and doctors. A doctor said that I was not doing well and should be taken to the hospital. They gave me some medicine against my will. Then I was taken to the hospital. They took my blood without my consent. Then the police picked me up again and brought me handcuffed to the station. They wanted me to sign something. I refused. Because I refused to sign, they did not return my clothes. Then the police dropped me in front of the camp without my clothes. I was covered only with a towel which the doctor had given me.”