20.07.2022, Großbritannien, London: Der britische Premierminister Johnson verlässt die 10 Downing Street, um an seiner letzten wöchentlichen Fragestunde «Prime Minister's Questions» (Fragen an den Premierminister) teilzunehmen. Foto: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++

Over the past two years, more than 600 children and young people have been strip-searched by London police. More than 95 percent of the minors affected were male, and 58 percent of them were black, according to a report by England’s Child Welfare Commissioner Rachel de Souza released on Monday. De Souza was “deeply shocked” by the numbers.

According to the report, a total of 650 minors between the ages of 10 and 17 were strip-searched between 2018 and 2020. In 23 percent of the cases, an impartial adult was not present, as required by law with few exceptions. For more than half of those affected, there were no further criminal prosecutions.

De Souza said he was “extremely concerned” about the disproportionately high proportion of black people affected. Apparently there are also “systemic problems with child protection” in the London police.

The child protection officer criticized that the number of minors searched in this “obtrusive and traumatizing” way had risen sharply every year.

De Souza requested the data from London Police after the headline-grabbing case of a 15-year-old black woman falsely suspected of drug possession being forced to undress in front of police officers despite knowing she was on her period.

The case two years ago had deeply traumatized the young people and triggered numerous protests. In March, the police had to issue a formal apology after an investigation by the child protection agency had criticized the “gross misconduct” of those responsible.

London Police, in response to the new report, said changes had already been introduced to ensure minors were strip searched “with appropriate and respectful treatment”. She added that some of the children themselves may be “vulnerable victims of exploitation” by criminals and drug gangs.