A 21-year-old Black woman from London has been charged for using a racial slur in a tweet directed at another Black woman.
The incident occurred during a discussion on X (formerly known as Twitter) about a football match involving Black footballer Alexander Isak.
On August 27, 2023, Jamila Abdi expressed frustration over the match, tweeting, “I’m so p***** off let me get my hands on that f*** n***a.” Although the post did not tag anyone, the Metropolitan Police found it to be indecent or grossly offensive, according to documents seen by The Independent. The tweet was deemed to have been intended to cause distress or anxiety to the recipient or any other person.
In December 2023, Abdi was called in for questioning by the Metropolitan Police, leading to her being charged under the Communications Act of 2003 earlier this month.
A spokesperson from the Crown Prosecution Service emphasised the impact of hate crimes, stating, “Hate crime has a profound impact on victims and communities. Being from an ethnic minority background does not provide a defence to racially abusing someone. Our commitment to tackling these abhorrent crimes through fair and impartial prosecution is unwavering.”
The Code for Crown Prosecutors highlights the necessity of prosecution in cases motivated by prejudice against characteristics such as ethnic or national origin.
Jamila Abdi is scheduled to appear in court on August 8, where she will face charges related to the incident.