The unexpected upside of a hate crime

Dee Dee’s jazz bar in Herne Hill, London, was sprayed with racist graffiti. So far, so depressing. But it was what happened next that was really interesting …Every so often, I get a call from TV or radio asking for my take on race relations in Britain. I say things are a bit sticky at the moment. Recession made folks grouchy and austerity hardly fosters benevolence. Institutions have a deal of work to do to ensure that everyone gets a fair shake. The figures – jobs, criminal justice etc �