Anti-Black racism is widespread in Germany, survey finds

Racism and discrimination against Black people are widespread in Germany, especially in the education, housing market, and healthcare sectors, according to a new report released on Tuesday.

The “#Afrozensus 2020” survey was conducted by Berlin-based group Each One Teach One together with Citizens for Europe, through online interviews with nearly 6,000 Black, African, and Afro-diasporic individuals in Germany.

Nearly two-thirds of the people (67.6%) that participated in the survey said they received lower grades than other classmates due to racial attributes at school or university.

Racial discrimination in the housing market remains a widespread problem according to the survey, with 83.4% of the respondents with African/Afrodiasporic parents saying they experienced discriminatory treatment.

Some 66.7% of the respondents agreed with the statement "My doctor does not take my complaints seriously.”

“The results of the #Afrozensus indicate that anti-Black racism (ASR) is widespread in Germany and entrenched in institutions. Criminalization, exoticization, and sexualization are just three of the many patterns through which anti-Black racism is characterized and experienced by many respondents,” the researchers said in their report.

Many respondents said they frequently experience discrimination when having contact with the police or other public authorities.

Despite laws banning racial profiling in Germany, over 56% said they were stopped by the police for no reason, and many of them were asked if they were selling drugs.

In the last two years, nearly 24% of those surveyed experienced discrimination by the police officers, largely due to their color and ethnic background.

The report called on authorities to develop action plans to combat anti-Black racism, support community centers of Black, African, and Afrodiasporic people, and open counseling centers for the victims of racism, discrimination, and hate crimes.