Black lawyer gets mistaken for the DEFENDANT three times in single day in court as she declares ‘there MUST be something about my face that says ”not a barrister”’
- Alexandra Wilson, 25, said ‘there must be something… that says ”not a barrister”’
- The criminal and family law barrister said on Twitter the incident had ‘upset’ her
- Twitter users piled in with support for the lawyer, including The Secret Barrister
A black lawyer has said she was mistaken for the defendant three times in a single day in court.
Alexandra Wilson, 25, from Essex, later declared on Twitter ‘there must be something about my face that says ”not a barrister”.’
The criminal and family law barrister said the shocking incident ‘upset’ her and social media users blasted it as ‘unacceptable’.
She tweeted: ‘Today I was assumed to be a defendant 3 times and a journalist once (lol).
‘There MUST be something about my face that says ‘not a barrister’ because I am literally wearing a black suit like everyone else.’
Ms Wilson, from London barristers 5 St Andrew’s Hill and founder of Black Women in Law, added: ‘I don’t get it. Today it actually upset me a bit but… we move x.’
Alexandra Wilson (pictured), 25, from Essex, later declared on Twitter ‘there must be something about my face that says ”not a barrister”’
Twitter users piled in with support for the lawyer, including the author The Secret Barrister, who wrote: ‘I’m so sorry, Alex. Have you reported it?
‘Sounds like what we’re supposed to now call ”a training need” for the staff in question. Completely unacceptable.’
Another social media user posted: ‘Not only unacceptable in every way… but also 100 per cent wrong as you are literally exactly what a barrister looks like.’
One woman user commented: ‘It’s always depressing to read this and similar accounts.
‘Were the people who mistook you for anything other than a barrister other professional court users, court staff, or members of the public, or would you rather not say?’
Professor Jo Delahunty added: ‘I was gonna post a ”head in hands/despair” shot but won’t as that changes nothing.
‘You shouldn’t have to put up with situations that your white colleagues are ashamed of.
‘We can only change that if we celebrate,as well as support, our black and BAME colleagues. You rock Ms Wilson.’
It comes a day after Ms Wilson spotted Amazon was selling caps with the slogan ‘Black Lives Don’t Matter’ – marketed as ‘elegant’ and a ‘nice present’.
She tweeted: ‘This is not ok. @Amazon why is this racist hat being sold on your site? Are there no checks in place? This is honestly embarrassing.’
The online retail giant later removed the £12.96 caps, which were sold by a third party seller.
A description, written by the seller, said the items were ‘high quality’ with a ‘unique and fashionable’ design that made them a ‘nice present for family and friends’.
Ms Wilson tweeted after the caps were removed: ‘The largest online company sold caps telling us that ‘Black Lives Don’t Matter’.
‘We spoke up and it’s finally gone. The power of social media. Imagine if the big companies and celebrities who posted a black square on social media used their platform to let activists speak?
‘Thank you to everyone who contacted Amazon directly. These small actions make a big difference. No one should ever have to see anything like this.’
MailOnline has approached 5 St Andrew’s Hill for comment on the court incident on Wednesday.
