Category Archives: deaths

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.

deaths, news, US

NFAC says 5,000-strong militia formation headed to Louisville in show of force for Breonna Taylor

Latest – live feed from Courier Journal 25th July 2020:

https://www.facebook.com/courierjournal/videos/2630713190528289/

NFAC – the Not Fucking Around Coalition – which came to prominence after an armed march and rally at Stone Mountain Park, Georgia, on 4 July, says it will be marching in Louisville, Kentucky this Saturday (25th July) as part of the fight for justice for Breonna Taylor.

Breonna Taylor was murdered in her own home by Louisville police serving a so-called “no-knock” warrant in a raid supposedly looking for drugs.

No drugs were found but none of the officers have been charged with any wrongdoing.

Daily protests have taken place in the city since Breonna’s killing on 13 March.

Leader of the black militia, Grandmaster Jay, real name John Fitzgerald Johnson, says the militia will be forming up this Saturday 25th July in Louisville when the exercise their constitutional right to bear arms.

Attendees have been instructed to dress in “black boots, black button down shirts, black mask, shotgun, semi-automatic or rifle, pistols… thigh holsters or under your arm”.

The self-styled leader of the group said: “If you are not in that uniform, you won’t be in the formation.”

“No fake guns this time. I’m not playing with you all, I’m trying to keep you safe.”

NFAC throws down gauntlet to KKK terrorists

At the Stone Mountain gathering early this month, the NFAC threw down the gauntlet to white supremacist groups who had threatened to attack Black Lives Matter protesters.

The KKK terror group was “reformed” at the park in the early 20th century.

There was no confrontation at that time, but on Saturday there are noises indicating that far-right groups may mobilise to confront the NFAC.

Louisville’s mayor, Greg Fischer, says the city is ready “to make sure everybody is safe”.

NFAC meets with attorney general

In a surprising development, the NFAC leader is reported to have had a phone conversation with the attorney general in which he criticised the lack of action to date regarding the police who killed Breonna.

In a statement, shown in the second video below, Jay shares some more information:

“12 pm we are meeting at central high school – the school that the great Mohammed Ali came from.

“Show up at 12pm. Get everyone set in the stadium. Then we go see some people…

“Bring body armour”

“Bring body armour, if you have it, make sure you have plates. In this situation get your hands on some, get some level-three body armour…

Don’t bring a weapon you have never fired before…

“I have had some conversations with the attorney general of Louisville. The state does not want any trouble. I have been made privy to some information. They are not going to try and antagonise the NFAC.

“The people in Georgia told them they [the NFAC] don’t fuck around.. There’s going to be five times more of us than last time.”

As can be seen in the videos below, the NFAC has certainly captured the public imagination, with reports of people organising car pools for the formation.

Statement from Jay at 2:20 in the video below:

https://youtu.be/kGz1FdPn5T4

While nothing has happened to the cops who killed Breonna, the city police force has managed to rake in $3 million in overtime payments from local taxpayers for the policing of protests.

NFAC militia Louisville march for Breonna set to brush aside far-right
deaths, news

Justice for Darren Cumberbatch – Jail killer police!

by David Kersey, pictures by Geoff Dexter

Over 350 people attended a march in Nuneaton, Warwickshire yesterday, Saturday, to protest for justice for Darren Cumberbatch from Coventry.

Darren died following an incident with Warwickshire police on 10 July.

Witnesses and family have alleged that he was assaulted and tasered by the police that evening. Darren was placed in intensive care at George Eliot Hospital, Nuneaton, after being “dearrested” by the police.

He remained in a coma and died on 19 July.

Campaigners marched from Nuneaton railway station to the McIntyre House hostel where Darren had been staying. Candles were lit and flowers left in tribute at the hostel entrance.

The march then moved on to the police headquarters in the town.

Campaigners demanded the immediate suspension of the police officers involved and suspension of the use of tasers.

The march followed an angry and determined public meeting attended by over 200 people in Coventry last Wednesday.

Speakers on Saturday included Darren’s family, community activist Rev Desmond Jaddoo and witnesses from the hostel where Darren was interrogated by police on the night he ended up in a coma.

The march was led by Darren’s family and supported by his many friends as well as community activists and trade unionists from Coventry and beyond.

Family members gave solidarity greetings to the families of Rashan Charles and Edson Da Costa.

Desmond Jaddoo stated to big cheers, “We have brought one of the main roads in Nuneaton to a standstill. No one gets through, in the name of Darren Cumberbatch. We want Justice for Darren.”

Carla, Darren’s sister, said, “Numbers is power. I am going to make my voice heard in the name of my brother.”

Visit www.facebook.com/Justice4Daz/ to support the campaign.

 

Thanks to Socialist Worker

https://socialistworker.co.uk/art/45061/We+will+fight+for+justice+for+Darren+Cumberbatch

deaths, news, UK

Police case collapses as IPCC reveals no drugs swallowed in Rash Charles killing

 

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has admitted that there was ‘no controlled substance’ in Rashan Charles’s throat.

In a statement last night the IPCC states: ‘The object did not contain a controlled substance.’

This confirms the suspicions of family and campaigners that the police made up the initial story.

Nevertheless, the IPCC still repeats the police claim that there was something in Rashan’s throat but the package has now turned into an ‘object’.

The IPCC state that they have ‘received results of forensic analysis’ of an ‘object’ but, in another alarming and distressing lack of transparency, fail to disclose what it is.

Weyman Bennett, co-convenor of Stand Up To Racism, said: ‘This is totally outrageous and deepens the anger in the community. All the police officers involved must be suspended immediately. The IPCC statement throws up more questions than it answers and the family and community will want urgent clarification.

‘Why has the IPCC failed to reveal the nature of the claimed object in Rashan’s airways? Why are the police officers involved in his death still on duty?

‘We demand that the IPCC holds an immediate press conference and provide full disclosure of what they know. The reality is that far from “helping” Rashan as the police account claimed, the officers’ forceful arrest resulted in his death.

‘Are the IPCC failing to disclose the nature of the object in order to help the police sustain their line that by putting Rashan in a headlock and another kneeling on his back they were somehow trying to clear his airways?

‘As was said by family and campaigners from the beginning, and as everyone can see for themselves in the video, the police were doing no such thing. Their actions killed Rashan.

‘There must be accountability now. Three black men have been killed by police in the space of a month. Are the police trying to start a community uprising?’

The IPCC statement drives a coach and horses through the attempted justifications for his death.

Of course whether Rashan had been swallowing drugs or not his death would never have been justified but now attempts to explain police actions look even flimsier.

In recent weeks three young black men, Edson Da Costa, Darren Cumberbatch and Rashan Charles have died while in contact with the police.

In Birmingham one black man is in a comma after being shot by police while plain clothes officers were filmed kicking a young Asian man.

All this happens almost to the day of the sixth anniversary of the death of Mark Duggan.

Recently published figures show that while BME people are 13 percent of Londons population they were 36 percent of those he faced the use of force by police.

Bennett added: ‘What we are seeing is institutionalised racism working its violent way though police operations with the end result more dead young black men’.

deaths

Daily Mail protects police killers by whipping up hate against justice for Edson protesters

We received this email from the Daily ‘hate’ Mail yesterday:

Is the Black Lives Matter UK movement able to comment on the protest last night in Forest Gate?
On Twitter you called for people to get down there and many protesters there seemed to have BLM banners etc. Did you organise it? If not, who did?
What do you want to say about the violence and arson, and the six injured police and demonstrators that were arrested?
What do you want to say to the suggestion that that there is no evidence that Mr Da Costa was killed by the police – rather by drugs he ingested?
The IPCC has said reports he suffered a broken neck etc are ‘misinformation’.
What do you say to the suggestion that Black Lives Matter UK has caused unrest based on untruths at a time when the UK’s emergency services are under immense strain?

Please do respond by 7pm today or perhaps provide a telephone number so I can speak to a representative directly.

Thanks

Ben Wilkinson
Reporter
Daily Mail
Mobile: 07800 926 232
Tel: 0203 615 1084

 

The first thing to say is we are not BLM UK. We are independent of that organisation as we believe mass action on the streets and in our workplaces is the way forward, not elite direct action by small numbers of committed people doing actions on behalf of others. We believe capitalism is the enemy, not white people. Having said that, we defend the individuals in BLM UK who are being attacked in the mainstream media for the ‘crime’ of having the audacity to call for Justice for Edson.

Members of our group (BLMM) did indeed take part in the peaceful protest for Edson, although the Black Lives Matter placards the Daily Mail refers to were from the Stand Up To Racism organisation, which is clear to anyone who takes the time to read the heading on them.

The slogan ‘black lives matter’ is common parlance in the anti-racist movement, but this seems to have passed the Daily Mail by. They want to twist everything to fit into their warped Tory-racist view of the world. The supposed journalists at the Daily Mail obviously can’t read.

Our response to the Daily Mail’s attempt to undermine Edson’s fight for justice and to protect the racist killers in the police appears below.

Yesterday’s explosion of anger in Forest Gate and Stratford was a direct consequence of the death of Edson da Costa, after a police stop. The protest was spontaneously organised by friends of Edson and the Portuguese community in Newham. We hold it as our responsibility, and that of everyone opposed to racism, to support their demands for justice.

The focus of any responsible journalist should be on another death added to a very long list of black and ethnic minority deaths in police hands. The disturbances that followed the spontaneous but peaceful protests demanding justice for Edson are being cynically used to distract from the real issue – the deaths of black and other ethnic minorities at the hands of the police and the increasing number of white working-class youth also being targeted for harassment and worse.

Family members say the hospital doctor informed them that Edson had a collapsed lung, diaphragm and ruptured bladder. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) claim is disingenuously silent on these injuries. The claim that “no serious force was used” is totally implausible and has already further discredited the IPCC.

Since 1990, 166 black/ethnic minority persons have died after contact with the police; nine resulted in unlawful killing inquest verdicts. Yet no police officer has been successfully prosecuted since 1969. The IPCC and CPS have no credibility on delivering justice for victims who die in police hands. The inevitable conclusion drawn by the black community is that police institutional racism is rampant and officers know they can act with impunity.

In 1996, Ibrahima Sey, who died a short distance away from Forest Gate in Ilford, was found “unlawfully killed” by an inquest jury. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) refused to prosecute any officers over the killing. Sey, like Edson, was sprayed with CS gas at close range and his breathing was restricted by use of force, as reported in Edson’s case.

It is a scandal that Newham Borough Commander, Ian Larnder, has not suspended the officers concerned. A teacher or social worker facing allegations of violence would be immediately suspended pending investigations. This only reinforces the conclusion that there is no serious intention to deliver justice for Edson.

We will continue to support mass community campaigns involving anti-racist organisations, trade unions and community groups supporting the family’s legal case to achieve justice for Edson; we will not be cowed or intimidated by racist reporting. On the contrary, this will only strengthen our determination to help seek justice for Edson and accountability of the police for his death.