Death of Christy Schwundeck (2011)

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Christy Schwundeck (1972-2011)

On 19 May 2011, 39-year-old Christy Schwundeck was shot and killed by a female police officer in a work center in the Gallus City District of Frankfurt am Main. Christy Schwundeck has come from Nigeria. She was Peter Schwundeck's wife and the mother of a 12-year-old daughter from a previous engagement. [1]

Details of the Event

Since moving to Frankfurt, Christy endured a tough time and had to apply for Hartz IV welfare assistance – a welfare care scheme in Germany that was deemed divisive at the time of the 2003 overhaul. The law altered the way the government treated welfare, and Christy was one of the many people who struggled with the Hartz IV compensation scheme despite losing their jobs.

On 19 May 2011, the 39-year-old Christy visited a career center to inquire about her unemployment insurance, expecting to obtain a €10 cash advance. The clerk declined to give her any money and ordered her to leave the premises. Christy declined to do so and stayed in the jobs office. She was adamant to continue until at least enough money was given to buy something to eat. The clerk allegedly alerted the center's security guard as Christy stayed seated. The Center Deputy Supervisor gave her a food voucher, but Christy stayed seated and opted not to take the voucher.

To handle the situation, a distress call was made to the police when Christy declined to leave the building. Two police officers arrived soon afterwards. Christy reported having injured one cop in the arm with a knife, while the other yelled to her, "Drop the knife or I'll shoot!".

It is alleged that Christy turned to the police officer who later shot her and died of injuries in the hospital.[2]

Racial Bias in Policing

In May 2012, the Attorney General ruled that there were no reasons for reopening the investigation into the death of Christy Schwundeck, which prompted the lawyers to begin criminal proceedings on behalf of Schwundeck's brother. There are a variety of questions that activists have raised that have not been resolved.

Why did the police officer shoot Christy Schwundeck dead at a point-blank range instead of attempting to disarm her or otherwise de-escalate the situation? And why did the General Prosecutor's Office hold a news conference within hours of Schwundeck's murder, in which he categorically claimed that the police officer had behaved in self-defence? Apparently, there are witness accounts that suggest that the police officer who fired the deadly shot was a long way away and that there was no imminent danger. [3]

Institutional racism was described as "the collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin." The negligence of the police and judiciary fits this description.

It is perfectly clear that the police and judiciary are institutionally biased as the German police and justice system abandoned Christy Schwundeck, her family members, the African community and other victims of violent police killings. This racial mentality is not only seen in the case of Christy but that many Africans continue to experience racism on the streets of Germany every day at the hands of the police and the judiciary. [4]

Reference

  1. Zimmermann, Elizabeth. German police killing of unemployed woman at job centre. April 2, 2012. wsws.org. Retrieved on Feb 3, 2021.
  2. Black Girls Around The World Writer. Black Girls Around The World REMEMBERED: Christy Schwundeck. July 19, 2020. blackgirlsaroundtheworld.com. Retrieved on Feb 3, 2021.
  3. Fekete, Liz and Schwedler, Lotta. Germany – another Black death in custody. July 19, 2012. irr.org.uk. Retrieved on Feb 3, 2021.
  4. Concerned Nigerians e.V.. The Concerned Nigerians e.V. Kassel Response To The Prosecutions Decision. February 22, 2012. concerned-nigerians.org. Retrieved on Feb 3, 2021.