IT IS easy to understand the anger and frustration of the black community in London which led to the alarming scenes outside the public inquiry into the racist murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

But whatever the Nation of Islam representatives were doing yesterday, it was not redressing the balance for the Lawrence family.

Their presence smacked more of publicity for their movement than concern for the family and what happened to their son.

The Lawrence family have been dignified throughout their terrible ordeal.

And that quiet dignity, admired by so many fair-minded people in this country, has created more problems for the racist establishment and gangs of thugs who operate in the area where the Lawrences live, than the sinister presence of men in dark suits, red bow ties and sunglasses.

Members of the Nation of Islam would do well to look at the demeanour of the Lawrence family, which has exposed more details of a suspect police operation than all the posturing of the men in suits.

The background to the Lawrence murder is something with which the whole nation should feel distinctly uncomfortable.

Stephen was a totally innocent young man who was brutally murdered by racist thugs.

They were named by a national newspaper as the guilty men and told to challenge those allegations in court if they wished. No challenge was forthcoming.

Whenever they have appeared in public their arrogance has been appalling.

They seem to revel in a situation that has shocked the vast majority of people in this country.

And there has been concern nationwide that the Metropolitan Police could allow this to go on.

Their treatment of the Lawrence family in the early stages of the murder investigation was disgraceful.

And the police's recent abject apology came years too late.

By then the damage had been done and the guilty parties had got away with it.

Racism is an evil within our society which must be crushed.

But those fighting it must feel their efforts have been seriously undermined by the abject police handling of the Lawrence murder investigation.

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