Sam Kerr’s ‘White’ Comments: Racial Insults Under the Legal Spotlight

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Jones, N.. 2025. "Sam Kerr’s ‘White’ Comments: Racial Insults Under the Legal Spotlight." Lawfully.
Article Title

Sam Kerr’s ‘White’ Comments: Racial Insults Under the Legal Spotlight

Article CategoryBlog
AuthorsJones, N.
EditorsMcKibbin, S.
Publication TitleLawfully
Year2025
Web Address (URL)https://lawfully.unisq.edu.au/sam-kerrs-white-comments-racial-insults-under-the-legal-spotlight/
Abstract

When Australian soccer star Sam Kerr called a London police officer ‘f***ing stupid and white’ in January 2023, her words led to an international legal debate about racial language. The February 2025 verdict finding her not guilty of racially aggravated harassment raises key questions: When does mentioning someone’s race constitute racial hatred? Does calling someone ‘white’ carry the same weight as other racial terms?

In this post, Dr Nicky Jones examines the Kerr case through the lens of Australian law. Her examination reveals how courts interpret racial language when directed at historically dominant versus marginalised groups.

ANZSRC Field of Research 2020480799. Public law not elsewhere classified
Byline AffiliationsSchool of Law and Justice
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