deaths, news, UK

Dalian Atkinson family’s fight for justice – killer cop found guilty

The brutal killing of ex-footballer Dalian Atkinson by police officer PC Benjamin Monk has led to the first conviction in 40 years of a police officer for such a crime.

Unfortunately his partner that night has walked free from the court after the jury failed to reach a verdict.

Nevertheless, despite the appalling five years it took for the case to come to court, and the fact that he was not found guilty of murder, there has been justice of a sort done in his conviction for the crime of manslaughter.

But none of that is any thanks to the police. Although a different force, in a separate case (sadly not in court), the inquiry into the murder of Daniel Morgan found that the Met police is institutionally corrupt – there is no reasson to expect the rest of the British police force to be any different.

However, the real heroes, as always are the families that won’t give up their fights for justice.

Tasered for at least 33 seconds, kicked in the head at least twice while incapacitated on the ground, this was violence dished out with callous impunity.

The imprint of Monk’s boot in Dalian’s head is sickening. The countless witnesses to the distressed state of mind that Dalian Atkinson was in, made it obvious that he needed medical help not police brutality.

Police institutionally corrupt, racist and sexist

The lack of humanity of this policeman and woman is shocking to ordinary people, but is presumably just par for the course for their colleagues. Indeed, we cannot help but concluding that the police is not just institutionally corrupt, racist and sexist but institutionally inhuman – its attracts bullies and sadist; people who love to enforce their power over others, especially those deemed inferior, such as black people.

If anyone wants to know why the Tory party and the British government has been attacking BLM and England footballers Taking the Knee, this is why. They British establishment wants to try and hide from the world its institutionally racist state. If we keep on protesting, keep on fighting for justice for all they will not succeed.

Dalian Atkinson – Rest in Power. Now let’s redouble the fight for justice for the other approximately 1,750 people who have died at the hands of the police since 1990.

Monks will be sentenced on Monday.

news, UK

Taking the knee against racism shames the Tories – support England!

Taking the knee for racial justice is a gesture of solidarity and support i the fight for racial equality. It is taking a knee against racism. You would have thought that might be reasonably uncontroversial – unless you are a racist.

But the government has nailed its flag to the racist banner by supporting the minority of booing racists at England friendly warm-up matches for the Euro 2020 football tournament.

Although the government seems to have since backed down by claiming it now support the players statement against racism, the damage has sadly already been done.

This is of course part of a piece for a government that commissioned a report into racism with the intention that it should deny that racism exists.

Boris Johnson, whose racist track record is well known and for which he hasn’t apologised, is the spearhead of the assault on anti-racism.

Applaud footballer taking the knee against racism; boo our racist government

The message to black footballers is stopping moaning about racism and put up with it! The message to their white team mates is to stop being ‘woke’ by standing up for their team mates. The message to the rest of society is that it is the anti-racists that are the problem not the racists.

There is no other way to interpret this other than as the government teaming up with the far right.

Despite the war by the billionaire media and the government against BLM, a recent poll commissioned by the News Statesman showed a majority of the population think that more must be done to eradicate racism.

The truth is that it is an insulting lie that most white working-class people are supposedly racist.

Over many years of battle and struggle – of black and white – racist has been made non-respectable, although never eradicated, especially at an institutional level.

But the idea that we live in a “post-racial” world, where racism is naturally dying away or doesn’t exist in a deep or measningful way is for the birds.

The evidence is all around us, especially when the policies of this government are concerned – such as Priti Patel‘s racist refugee policies, the ongoing Home Office institutional racism against the Windrush generation, who still mostly have not been compensated and cases of gross injustice continue.

And whatever your background as a black person, you can’t escape racism, even if you are a Premier League footballer.

The shocking refusal of social media companies to clampdown on racists adds to the pain of the footballers who daily have too put up with racism in their social feeds or in stadia across Europe.

Take a knee – that’s what leadership really looks like

Footballers have shown their determination to carry on taking the knee for racial justice. That’s brilliant news. Gareth Southgate and his open letter to England fans has shown more leadership in his little finger than in the entire body of Boris Johnson as he flounders on the beaches of Cornwall.

taking the knee
Garteh Southgate’s open letter to England fans

The Tories and their racist supporters claim that they are against Taking the Knee because BLM is “Marxist”. The truth however is that BLM is a movement not a single organisation. In the UK there are literally hundreds of BLM organisations of different sizes, many of which, such as ourselves (BLMM) are not affiliated to BLM UK.

But nevertheless BLM UK is the ‘official’ organisation affiliated to the US body and maybe some of its members are Marxists or sympathetic to Marxist ideas. So what? Certainly the US group’s policies link the fight for racial justice to wider issues of social justice such as the fight against sexism or for Palestinian rights. We think that is to be applauded not vilified in a latter-day McCarthyite witchhunt.

However, whatever the policies of BLM UK, or of the individual views of the US founders or the organisations stated aims, BLM is much bigger than any single group – it is a movement with many different and competing political ideas. Those who Take A Knee or join protests for racial equality are making a statement against racism.

All such actions matter because they help to isolate and push back the racists. Unfortunately Boris Johnson and his racist government has sought to deliberately bolster not just booing racists but the Nazis that are amassing weapons in this country as they plot and plan to spread their hate-filled message with racist terrorism.

The best answer the England football team can give to the the racists within and outside government and across Europe is to bring football home.

London, news, UK

BLM activist Sasha Johnson shot in head after death threats

Sasha Johnson shot in head – BLM activist Sasha Johnson has been shot in the head. The attacked happened at around 3am in the morning in Peckham, south London on Sunday.

Sasha has received numerous death threats because of her work for racial equality. She is in critical condition with life threatening injuries.

Sasha has been at the forefront of the BLM fight, taking a leading role in Oxford BLM and the Rhodes must fall campaign, to remove the statue of the colonialist at Oxford university.

Sasha is a founder member of the The Taking the Initiative Party (TTIP) and before that was associated with a putative UK Black Panther group.

Sasha is a tireless campaigner for the cause and everyone at BLMM wishes her a speedy and full recovery.

Sasha Johnson shot in head – assassination attempt?

Police have not officially released her name but have informed her family, according to a BBC report. Sasha has two children and graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a first class honours degree.

Police say there is no evidence that the shooting was targeted, despite the numerous death threats. The police added that none of the threats were credible, but have given no further details as to why they had come to that conclusion.

The police arrested Sasha in January for breaking Covid regulations when she took part in a protest in central London.

It is unclear why the police are yet to officially release Sasha’s name, but TTIP have made a statement on their facebook page.

news, UK

Kill the bill protests this May Day – urgent support needed to defend rights

The government’s response to last year’s mass Black Lives Matter protests has been to produce a report denying the existence of institutional racism and to bring forward legislation to make many protests illegal.

The Police and Crime Bill would give to the police the power decide which protests are lawful and which are not, just like in Russia and China.

This is a blatant attack on our democratic right of freedom of assembly and the right to protest. We have to kill the bill.

The bill also targets the Roma and traveller communities – arguably some of the most marginalised communities in the UK.

But in truth there are only so many police and if the people say no and refuse to comply then their laws become a paper tiger.

The answer lies with resistance from black and white people together across all the social movements, such as Extinction Rebellion, the Women’s Movement (Justice for Sarah Everard, Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry!) and the trade union movement – and of course the Black Lives Matter movement.

Kill the Bill protests are taking place all over the UK today this May Day – join the fightback!

May Day is workers day – Black and white unite and fight!

Kill the bill protest – 1 May

London Trafalgar Square 12 noon

Aberystwyth Clock Tower 1pm

Bath Bath Abbey 2pm

Birmingham Victoria Square 11am

Brighton The Level 1pm

Bristol Castle Park 12 noon AND College Green 6pm

Cambridge Parkers Piece opposite police station 1pm

Chatham 11.30am top of Church St

Chichester Priory Park 12 noon

Coventry Broadgate 1pm

Eastbourne Hyde Gardens 1pm

Edinburgh The Pavilion Cafe 3.30pm

Exeter Bedford Square 1pm

Harlow Town Park showground 2pm

Hastings Cornwallis Gardens 12 noon

Haverfordwest Picton Fields 1pm

Lancaster Dalton Square 11.30am

Leamington Pump Room Gardens 1pm

Leeds Woodhouse Moor 3pm

Liverpool Derby Square 12 noon

Lowestoft opposite WH Smith 12 noon

Luton Market Hall 1pm

Manchester St Peter’s Square 4pm

Margate Nayland Rock Shelter 1pm

Middlesbrough Centre Square 1pm

Newcastle Grey’s Monument 1pm

Northampton Cobblers Last Statue, town centre, 1pm

Norwich City Hall 1pm

Nottingham Pavilion on Forest Recreation Ground 12 noon

Oxford Manzil Way Green 3pm

Plymouth Charles Cross police station 2pm

Portsmouth Guildhall Square 12 noon

Sheffield Devonshire Green 1pm

Shrewsbury The Quarry 1pm

Southampton Bargate 12 noon

Southend top of Pier Hill 1.30pm

Stoke outside Hanley bus station 1pm

Taunton Great Western hotel car park 12 noon

Tower Hamlets Bethnal Green Gardens 10.30am rally before attending central London demo

Truro Lemon Quay 2pm

Winchester Police station, top of High Street, 12 noon

York Minster 1pm

More updates here

Kill the bill!

news, US

US police killing of Black people should see America in international court

An international report by human rights experts from around the world has called for the US to be taken to the International Criminal Court over the police killings of African Americans.

The 100-page report details the ongoing catalogue of murders and brutality that is systemic to the US and continues as part of its legacy of slavery and the racist white supremacists attitudes and practices it gave birth to.

The report highlights:

  1. violating its international human rights obligations, both in terms of laws governing policing and in the practices of law enforcement officers
  2. tolerating an “alarming national pattern of disproportionate use of deadly force not only by firearms but also by Tasers” against Black people
  3. operating a “culture of impunity” in which police officers are rarely held accountable
  4. police routinely subjecting African-Americans to torture

Six dead within 24 hours of Chauvin murder verdict

Within 24 hours of the guilty verdicts against Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd six more people were killed by police, not all of whom were Black. Thos deaths follow the US police killing of Daunte Wright just 10 miles away from the trial as the court was sitting.

From the US News and World Report:

A 16-year-old girl in Columbus, Ohio.

An oft-arrested man in Escondido, California.

A 42-year-old man in eastern North Carolina.

The deaths, in some cases, sparked new cries for justice. Some said they reflect an urgent need for radical changes to American policing — a need that the Chauvin verdict cannot paper over. For others, the shootings are a tragic reminder of the difficult and dangerous decisions law enforcement face daily.

An unidentified man in San Antonio.

Another man, killed in the same city within hours of the first.

A 31-year-old man in central Massachusetts.

more

US police killing of Ma’Khia Bryant

On Tuesday last week a Black teenage girl Ma’Khia Bryant was shot dead by police in an instant in Columbus, Ohio.

Cops were called to a fight outside her foster home. In the body-cam release by the police the teenager is seen lunging at someone with what appears to be a knife. She lunges at a second and the officer – Nicholas Reardon – shouts “Hey! Hey! Get down! Get down!” and then shoots her dead as the chaotic scene unfolds.

After the four shots are discharged, a shocked onlookers shouts: “You didn’t have to shoot her! She’s just a kid, man!”

The officer replies with his explanation: “She had a knife. She just went at her.”

Another neighbour verbally accosts the officers: “Do you see why Black lives matter? Do you get it now?”

Nope, they don’t get it. Sure, she has what looks like a knife but why didn’t;t the policeman shoot in the legs, why shoot to kill?

The same question could be asked of many many other murders carried out by the police. That’s to say, as far as Black people are concerned they deem it as always the preferred option to shoot to kill.

The fact that Ma’Khia was a child has been deliberately lost by the media and the defenders f the police who prefer to describe her as “a big woman’, “out of control” etc.

Her treatment in life and death is the same as that experienced by other black girls, who are often held to adult standards in the weird racist ‘adultification’ that goes on in America.

For more on the racist adultification of Black girls read what Dr. Jamilia Blake, a co-author of the Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality report and a psychology professor at Texas A&M University has to say.

There have also been a number of recent incidents of children as young a five being handcuffed and brutalised by police in the US.

…and another US police killing: Andrew Brown Jr ‘execution’

Then there was the killing at the hands of the police of Andrew Brown Jr. in North Carolina.

This from CNN:

Andrew Brown Jr., 42, was fatally shot by Pasquotank County sheriff’s deputies in Elizabeth City on Wednesday when they attempted to serve him with an arrest warrant, the sheriff’s office said.

Few details — and no video — have been released publicly about the shooting.

In dispatch audio from that day, first responders can be heard saying a man had gunshot wounds to the back. A copy of his death certificate says he died as a result of a gunshot wound of the head.

On Monday afternoon, after an earlier delay, Pasquotank County Attorney Michael Cox showed Brown’s family and attorneys a short clip from one deputy’s body camera that family attorney Chantel Cherry-Lassiter said showed an “execution.”

And it isn’t just Black people being killed. Brown people are disproportionate targets also. Adam Toledo – just 16 years old – was shot dead by Chicago police as he raised his hands. more

news, US

Maxine Waters is right: Chauvin is guilty and we need to step up our action

America and the world waits pensively for the verdict from the jury in the trial of racist ex cop Derek Chauvin who killed George Floyd.

Although the evidence against him was overwhelming given what we all saw with our own eyes, such is the depth of racism in the US that police are still given great leeway in their dealings with black people.

The sad reality is that all black people in the US are seen as a problem to be controlled. This is a mindset that goes back to slavery and continues to underscore the racist attitudes of police but also of many ordinary white people.

Attempts to blame Floyd’s history of drug taking and the impact that may or may not have had on his physiology for his death were desperate, or to suggest that Chauvin acted “reasonably”, were laughable.

But it only takes one jury member to decide there is sufficient doubt in the prosecution case for Chauvin to be acquitted.

Defend Maxine Waters for telling the truth

However, there is another risk that has emerged following comments made by congresswoman Maxine Waters and the interpretation put on them by the judge in the trial.

In an unusual statement from the judge, he explicitly claimed that the statements by Waters attending the scene of the killing of Daunte Wright just 10 miles way from the court, may somehow provide grounds for an appeal seeking mistrial.

Judge Peter Cahill described Waters words as “disrespectful to the rule of law and to the judicial branch”. So what did she say exactly?

Waters merely said she hoped Chauvin would be found “guilty, guilty, guilty”, just like the rest of us.

But if he walked free from the court Waters said, “we’ve got to stay on the street, and we’ve got to get more active. We’ve got to get more confrontational. We’ve got to make sure that they know that we mean business.”

In other words the BLM movement will have to step up the fight. Again, there is nothing controversial in any of this but the racist republicans are now using it as an excuse to indulge in one of their favourite sports: attacking black women.

On this occasion Waters is to be applauded. However it should also be noted how few congressmen and women actually take part in protests on the streets.

Break from the Democrats

Leadership is about taking risks but also speaking truth to power. Waters deserve our support and the support of the rest of the ~Democrtas in Congress. But more than that we need black leaders to take to the streets regardless of the verdict from the jury.

Furthermore, the movement needs to stop putting its faith in Democrat politicians and the left more widely needs to break from that party, which after all has its roots as the vehicle of the slave power for the pivotal moments of US history.

America needs a truly progressive political formation that puts the struggle first not getting elected to office.

news, US

Daunte Wright killed by Minneapolis cops for driving while being black

Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old black man is dead after being shot by racist police in a Minneapolis suburb.

The murderous shooting took place during a traffic stop on Sunday and shortly after the man had phoned his mother, Katie Wright, to say he was being pulled over by cops.

The community has risen up in protest against the latest police killing of an innocent black person.

Protests broke out last night and continued into Monday morning, with the Brooklyn Center suburb at the centre of the rebellion.

Underlining the horror of the latest shooting is the fact that it took place a mere 10 miles from where the cop – Derek Chauvin – who murdered George Floyd is on trial, just before the 11th day of that trial.

Justice for Daunte Wright protests met by more violence

As is typical of racist America, the authorities instead of arresting the killer cops, have launched a repressive push back against protesters, firing rubber bullets and other weapons at members of the community.

Brooklyn Center’s mayor has put in place a curfew until 6am

Even with the eyes of the world on the Minneaplos police force, their impunity still knows no bounds.

As is usual for such police crimes, the cops got in their narrative (lies) first.

Chief Tim Gannon of the Brooklyn Center Police Department said that as the traffic stop unfolded the police discovered that there was a warrant out for the arrest of the motorist, as if this was excuse enough for the shooting dead of Wright.

Katie Wright said her son told her he had been pulled over “for having a dangerous air freshner on his car window”.

The ACLU [American Civil Liberties Union] said his mother heard the cops tell him to get out of the car but they refused to say why. Then she heard scuffling followed by gunshots.

The bodycam of the latest police murder has yet to be released, despite calls from family members and the community.

The killing of Duante Wright follows outrage over the treatment by racist police of US Army Lieutenant Caron Nazario, who was assaulted and threatened with being shot by cops in Virginia. Nazario is of mixed Africa-American and Hispanic heritage.

https://youtu.be/HYVNj8vXF4g

news, UK

Richard Okorogheye found dead after Met police refuse to search for him

The body of missing student Richard Okorogheye is though to have been found in a pond in Epping Forest by Essex police.

Although the body has not been formally identified, the Met police have told Richard’s mother, Evidence Joel, that the description matches.

Sadly the discovery comes more than a week after after the family reported him missing and the police refused to help. The student went missing on 22 March

Indeed when Richard’s mother reached out to the police ‘public servants’ for assistance, she was told: “How do you expect us to find him if you can’t?”.

It was only after the family made a plea to the public and concerned citizens demanded that the police take action, that a police search began.

As we all know, locating missing persons is a police responsibility, as is investigating domestic violence and bringing perpetrators to justice, but in reality neither tasks appear to be taken seriously by police.

Richard Okorogheye failed by police because he was black

The negligence is likely compounded by the fact that Richard was black.

Why do we say that? users of this website will be familiar with the case of Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry – two sisters who went missing in August last year. When they were reporteed missing by the family to the police, they refused to go and look for them. Suffice to say the sisters were black.

Perhaps in the case of Richard the police may not have been able to locate him in time to prevent his death, but maybe they could have. We will now never know because of the racist negligence of the Metropolitan police.

Richard suffered from Sickle cell anaemia and left home without his medicine.

news, UK

Still fighting for justice for Belly Mujinga one year on

It is one year since Belly Mujinga died from Covid after a racist attack in which she was deliberately spat at and coughed on by a man who said he had Covid.

Belly’s family have been fighting for justice ever since, both to prosecute thee racist and to bring the railway worker ticket inspector’s employer – Govia Thameslink – to account for not providing Belly and other frontline workers with personal protective equipment as the pandemic took hold.

British Transport Police have. so far refused to bring a prosecution, claiming there is not sufficient evidence.

The Coroner is yet to decide whether there should be n inquest into her death.

Also, although the train company knows the identity of the racist assailant, they still refuse to reveal the name.

Standing alongside the family, Manuel Cortes, general secretary of Belly’s union, the Transport Salaried Staffs Association, is demanding action: “We are asking people to take a minute out of their day to remember Belly Mujinga and to think of all the frontline workers who have died from coronavirus during the pandemic.

“There must be justice for Belly and our union will go on demanding that.

“This is vitally important, not just for Belly’s family but for all transport workers who have done so much to keep our country moving during this deadly pandemic.”

Today socially distanced protests have been held at Victoria, Brighton and Bedford train stations.

If Tony Sewell – who chaired the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparities – is struggling to work out what institutional racism is, he could start with this case.

London, news, UK

Pimlico Academy school students revolt against institutional racism

Pimlico Academy school students have risen up in revolt and racism and sexism at their school.

Instead of educating children the new headmaster has been more concerned with ‘discipline’, which in this case has been a conduit for re-establishing institutionally racist practices.

Black students have told they cannot have afro hair cuts. Muslim students have been told they cannot wear any hujabs other than black.

One of the first things the new head did was to get rid of Black History Month.

He didn’t leave it at that – he also insisted the school started flying the union jack flag – a symbol of imperialism and the racism of Empire.

As if all that wasn’t enough, the head also ordered the LGBT+ noticeboard to be taken down.

Pimlico Academy school “like going to prison”

Some students ikened going to school as “going to prison”.

Sixth form students have been told they have to wear ‘business suits, but many parents are not able to afford to buy them.

Students footwear has been damaged, with labels cut from Kickers shoes, for example, before thinking of at least asking permission from parents first.

Yesterday the school students said enough is enough and with chants of “black lives matter” and “we want change”, organised a protest in the school basketball court after being prevented from congregating on the astro turf sports area.

pimlico academy protest against racism
Pimlico Academy school students protest against racism

The protests involved hundreds and saw students also wearing red arm bands in solidarity with Sarah Everard and against the failure of the school to do anything about sexism at school.

Such was the impact of the protest that it got onto local and national TV news.

The sitdown protest took place the entire morning, forcing the school to eventually close early.

“I’m in Year 11 and it used to be a very positive place,” he said. “Now I feel intimidated in school. It feels authoritarian and restrictive, which makes it harder to learn. The culture is different—it’s very ‘British’ oriented, even with the food,” said one student.

“We all come from very different cultures. That should be respected.” 

For more reporting direct from the students, parents and teachers themselves, see this report.

Although not initiated or led by teachers, they supported the protest.

The teachers at the school have called for the head to resign.

Rumours are now circulating that the head is indeed going to resign.

More soon when we get it.