Racism & Ableism in Media Coverage of Victims of Police Violence: The Case of Ante P.

• In Event: Policing and Racism in Germany: Empirical Insights and Critical Reflections

Abstract

This presentation explores the media discourse surrounding Ante P., a victim of fatal police violence in Mannheim, Germany. Through the lens of the discourse historical approach (DHA) by Reisigl and Wodak (2016) from critical discourse studies, a thorough analysis of 116 articles from the leading local newspaper, “Mannheimer Morgen”, was conducted. These articles cover two years, beginning with the initial report of Ante P.'s death on May 2nd, 2022, and include subsequent updates on investigations, protests, and coverage of the trial.
The analysis of this illustrative case uncovers the discursive strategies used to legitimize Ante P.'s death by police violence, such as silencing of topics and speakers, anonymization, abstraction, mental and physical pathologization, ethnification, criminalization, and individualization. The newspaper fails to serve as a pillar of police accountability, instead reflecting societal power imbalances, including racism and ableism. By aligning with the police narrative rather than critically examining it, the newspaper plays a critical role in perpetuating these systemic issues.

Author

• Sevda Can Arslan, University Paderborn