There are so many reasons to hate the police, but violence is no way to fight racism or discrimination

Trust in the police seems to be at an all-time low in Britain and abroad, but bringing about change should never end in violence

Police were attacked by a gang in Shadwell, East London this weekend

For many years I have fought discrimination and wrongdoing within the police force. I have done this on the inside as an officer, and on the outside as a civilian, campaigner and writer. But when I saw a video yesterday showing officers in London coming under attack while trying to detain two people, it reminded me that policing, for all its mistakes, is still a difficult and dangerous job.

Policing is challenging and in some communities – especially those of colour – trust and confidence in the force is at an all-time low.

Before writing this article, I asked an acquaintance if he had heard about the police incident in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets and, if so, what he thought about it. He had, yet his response shocked me – more so, because he is someone I would consider a respectable, middle class, law-abiding person.

He told me that it’s about time the police got some of their own medicine because they dish enough of it out.

What struck me was that he isn't the only person who thinks like this. Many are frustrated and angry with the police, and the attack in east London echoes the situation in the United States, where violent attacks on police officers are becoming more common. I have witnessed the same relationship between the police and communities deteriorate here in the UK.

With the explosion of social media, many people see those who are meant to uphold the law as its chief law-breakers. We are seeing more and more negative interactions between officers and the public, especially non-white communities. I have lost count of the number of videos I have seen in America in which a black person has been shot dead by officers. Britain is not immune when it comes to police violence, and brutality. Since 1990, 1500 people have died in police custody and not one officer has been held accountable for those lost lives.

But does all this mean open warfare on the police is justified? Absolutely not. Attacking officers – even if it’s because you don't agree with what they have done to you or are doing – is never acceptable. Do we really want to live in a world in which we no longer care for our police?

My own experiences of London’s police, both as a former officer and a black person who lives in the capital, means I, too, no longer trust the force. I would think twice about calling them in my time of need. But I wouldn't wish harm upon any individual.

For many, however, lashing out is the only way they know to express their frustration when they feel they are being oppressed. That can often occur at the moment of arrest.

There are some who say you should always do what the police tell you to do – but not all police action is lawful. Equally, you have to question the motive of those making such statements. The relationship between police officer and citizen is more complex and fraught than ever, and it must be acknowledged that the criminal justice system doesn’t work for all people.

For many young black men in Britain, their first interaction with police is with stop and search, which overwhelmingly leads to no arrest. After the third or fourth time you’re stopped, you're left dehumanised. But these are the same people the force later tries to recruit; it’s a vicious circle of anger and discrimination.

There are some people who simply hate the police. Hate is a strong word, but we have to look at the reasons why it is used. There are reasons for harbouring contempt towards those who are employed to protect us. For example, I’ve seen people who have been stopped by officers but have known and exercised their rights as a citizen, later find themselves failing what is known as the “attitude test”, leading to an arrest. However, there is no offence of “contempt of cop” when ensuring your human rights are not breached. Respect should be afforded to officers for the job they do, but that respect is a two-way street.

No reasonable person could justify the callous attacks we have seen of late on the police in the UK and America. The resistance towards the police is growing in Britain, but much of it is peaceful, such as the Black Lives Matter protest at Heathrow Airport last week. The killing and harming of police and peaceful protesting against police brutality are two different things.

People are fed up with the police, especially the black community, and given the dynamic between the two parties, I have no doubt the police are fed up with them. The police are paid public money to do a necessary job. They must be called to account, but they are not fair game for mindless violence.