Statement by Miloud L. Cherif
The VOICE Refugee Forum, Zella-Mehlis
At 18:25 on Friday 13th January 2012, the criminal investigation police of Heilbronn controlled me in the Train (RE Würsburg-Stuttgart Hbf), in Stuttgart where a workshop against deportation organised by The VOICE was taking place.
The two civil policemen controlled only ME among all the passengers in the train compartments. I asked them ‘‘why do you control me and only me?‘‘ The policemen did not answer the question, and right after checking my ID, they ordered me to leave the train to their office in the next station. When the train stopped we went to their office just next to the Station. While walking to their office, one of the policemen was walking beside me and the other was behind me. They marched me down to their office treating and gleefully parading me like a dangerous criminal who they were eager to ensure does not run away.
My question is this? Do I look like a criminal? Does anybody living in Germany who is not “white” automatically become a criminal because he or she is not “white”? Obviously, this is what the system and those who operate it wants everybody to believe-that foreigners and particularly refugees are dangerous criminals. But it is RACISM.
It took them one hour after they arrested me to release me. All the while I continued to repeat my question of why control me and me alone? I had no answers. At last I asked their ‘Boss’ the same question and he answered me with a devious smile and said‚ ”It wasn’t me who controlled you‘’. Another officer asked me ‚”Don’t you know that you broke Residentzpflicht law?‘‘ ‘‘Yes, I know‘‘, I answered. “Then why did you did it?‘‘ he asked. I replied that ‘‘the law is racist and does not respect me as a person, why should I respect a racist law?‘‘ He said‚‘‘but you’ll have to pay a fine‘‘, I said‚ ‘‘Over my dead body. I will never pay a cent for my freedom”, would you do it?‘‘ He was dumbfounded. He went and brought me some documents to sign. I asked for an English version, so he went and brought it. The first was a document titled: ‘‘ Information for persons suspected of an offence that are apprehended to establish their Identity‘‘. The document clearly states that the police see us as persons suspected of an offence.
But lets stop here for a moment and ask the two policemen who controlled me‚”What offence did I commit?‘‘ Is it the colour of my skin and hair? Is it because I look different from them? I can only wonder what their answers to these questions are. But whatever they are, I challenge the police to present one logical reason that was not based racism as to why they controlled me.
I say it loud to them…. This is a racist control.... racist, racist, racist control, Stop the racist police control. And I repeat it here: Stop the racist police control.
I won’t pay a cent for my freedom of movement, so better for the Auslanderbehörder to save their stamps and not send me letters because I’m NOT going to pay any fine.
And here is my message: Please everybody tell the German police that I’m going to move freely everywhere I live in Germany and will never stop. Please tell them better they hang my photos in their offices and all train stations because soon, I will be passing by again, continuing to enjoy my natural right to freedom of movement.
Stop Racist Controls.......Abolish Residenzpflicht!!!!!