Category Archives: UK

Still no arrests or disciplining of police for violence against nurse

From the Daily Telegraph:

Police have been criticised after a number of officers were filmed apparently holding a black woman to the ground shortly after she demanded a refund from a nearby jewellery shop.

Onlookers who filmed the incident said the woman appeared to have shown no signs of aggression and was not resisting when she was held on Saturday morning.

Observers said she appeared to have been pinned to the ground by officers, but Herts police sources said the woman had herself begun to kneel down, at which point officers “lowered her” to the pavement in order to finishing applying the handcuffs “as this was safer than trying to stand her back up”.

In distressing footage posted on social media the woman – who is understood to work as a nurse for the NHS – was seen crying and asking why she was being arrested.

The woman can be heard saying: “All I did was ask for a refund. Why are they doing this to me? They listened to the white man, they didn’t listen to me. All I wanted was a refund. I didn’t break anything. I just wanted my customer rights. I didn’t damage anything. It was plastic that got smashed.”

Observers said the footage appeared to raise disturbing questions about the tactics used by some police officers when dealing with incidents involving black people. more

Police arrest 14-year-old, youth workers – Colindale fights back! Join Tottenham BLM protest on Saturday

Police have arrested at least five people including two youth workers after an outrageous raid in Colindale in the north London borough of Barnet.

Young people from the 4FrontProject were helping do their bit to promote the Tottenham BLM protest at the police station.

The police dragged youth workers along the ground in a violent and totally racist and oppressive outburst of policing, even by the Metropolian police’s standard.

The confrontation with the police all began with the arrest of a 14 year old and the arrival of at least six police vans of territorial support group heavies.

The police deliberately escalated the situation and young people gathered at the police station to force the release of those arrested.

Andre, one of the arrested and organiser of the 4FrontProject event didn’t get home until late evening. All those arrested have now been released. One person has a broken wrist.

Andre has led campaigning work to expose the ‘Gang Matrix’ and the way the police use it to justify their victimisation of black youth.

This outrage will be met with a protest at Tottenham police station against racist policing that had been previously planned, and 4FrontProject were helping to build.

Temi spoke to the Guardian:

Temi Mwale, director of the 4Front Project, which works with young people on the Grahame Park estate, used a PA sound system to berate officers inside the station. “We tried to de-escalate the situation, I actually think it was going well,” she said. “But at some point, someone … decided it would be appropriate to send four, five huge vans full of hundreds of you, to start dragging community workers across the floor.” more

Temi Mwale
Members of the 4Front Project

BLM Protest at Tottenham police station
– Saturday 8 August, 1pm

Protest called by Monitoring Project and others.

Scrap Section 60 – Briefing

Protest at Tottenham police station Saturday 8 August 1pm – No Justice, No Peace

No justice, No peace

Saturday 8th August 2020

Protest at Tottenham Police Station – 1pm

Our immediate demands:

Stop the overpolicing of black communities

Stop the use of excessive force

Stop the use of tasers

Stop S60 searches

Stop the disproportionate use of handcuffs during searches

Supporters include: by Tottenham Rights, Stopwatch and BLMUK

#blacklivesmatter

Derby Black Lives Matter launches manifesto for change

Report by Derby BLM – Friday 31 July 2020:

Thank you everyone for an amazing launch today! Thanks to everyone who contributed ideas and worked on the manifesto and for the wonderful speakers, powerful poets, performers and support today.

You can read the manifesto at the link here.

Now we need all the agencies to turn words into action – you can help make it happen – keep telling your Councillor, public sector services, schools, enterprise agencies, local media & arts & heritage venues that this manifesto needs to be implemented, keep the momentum!

Taking The Knee in Derby on Friday at the launch of the Derby BLM Manifesto

With thanks to the BLM Derby Steering Group and to the organisations who have endorsed the manifesto in solidarity thank you: Spectrum Derbyshire Open Doors Derby Stand Up To RacismANFC Church DerbyHadhari project centre Noir Sports Derby West Indian Community AssociationDerbyshire Refugee SolidarityVox FeminarumRainbow RoutesDeeds Not Words Towards LiberationM-prez Enterprise International Women’s Day Derby Derby & Derbyshire Inspirational Women Awards Thanks to Communication Unlimited for BSL Interpreting today.

A copy of the Derby BLM Manifesto can be found at the link below:

https://issuu.com/blmderbyuk/docs/blm_derby_manifesto_final

Contact Derby BLm via their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BlackLivesMatterDerby

Car attack in Bristol by violent racist minority trying to foment backlash

A health worker is lucky to be alive after racists deliberately drove their car into him.

The man has been left traumatised and is too scared to give his real name – but performs music under the name Kdogg.

Those who witnessed the attack said a dark blue Honda was involved and was driven directly at the NHS worker, who works at Southmead Hospital, Bristol.

The assailants jumped out of the car and hurled racist abuse at the victim.

He is now unable to climb stairs, and said he is traumatised by the attack.

Witnesses told police that a dark blue Honda Accord was deliberately driven at K before two men shouted racial abuse at him and then ran from the car.

The attack is being seen by many as part of a violent racist backlash against the black lives matter movement by frustrated racists and fascists.

Bristol was the site of the now famous incident in which an overwhelmingly white crowd estimated at 15,000 protesters, tore down the statute of slaver Edward Colston.

Kdogg is being supported by the charity Stand Against Racism & Inequality (Sari).

He told the media: “People came to help me off the wall I was on and I just remember bleeding.

“As I was helped off, I got laid on the floor and bandaged up.

“I want to thank the people who helped me because of how quickly they responded and how they rang the emergency services because, obviously, if it wasn’t for them I’m not sure if I would be here.”

There has been a spate of serious violent racist attacks over the past few days, for example in Bishop Stortford where there is a protest by anti-racists today (Saturday 1 August).

No to racist attacks in Stortford – protest Saturday 1st August 12:30

A gang of racist teenage thugs attacked an Asian family in a park in a premeditated and sustained violent attack with baseball bats in Bishop’s Stortford .

Two young lads were left bloodied and traumatised by the incident

Described by local press as of south Asian origin – the kids were aged 14 and 10. The assault took place in Diamond Park.

Around 15 teenagers aged 14 to 17 are thought to have been responsible for the vicious attack.

The gang started off with racist abuse and then quickly moved on to violence. The gang only stopped the attack when two women intervened before even more serious injuries resulted.

The racist attack happened on July 23 (Thursday) at around 4.30pm.

A protest has been called today in Bishop Stortford to show that the majority of people in the town abhor and will oppose the tiny minority of violent racists.

The protest has been organised by Stortford Against Rhodes, Harlow Stand Up To Racism and Bishop Stortford Progressive

12:30 Saturday 1 August Diamond Park, Bishop Stortford CM23 3NN

Anti-racist vigil after attack on church minibus in manchester

https://www.facebook.com/events/287278622550033/

After racist vandals target black congregation church #WeStandTogether united against racism and intimidation

“A church in Longsight has been targeted by racists. It is a black congregation who do lovely stuff in the Longsight area. Their minibus was smashed to bits and graffitied with ‘all lives matter’.

“We are holding a gathering to stand up to the racists at 2.30pm this Sunday outside the United Church of God on Rushford Street. M12 4UG”

Come and show solidarity . Socially distanced with masks please- all welcome.

Support nurse Monisola Abiodun’s fight against discrimination and oppression

Manisola Abiodun sent BLMM this appeal to raise funds to fight a civil case against her employer. She is not able to name the employer, but suffice to say it is a major general hospital in north London. Please give generously.


I am a qualified nurse with 22 years of experience. My passion has always been in cancer nursing (Haematology) I have been subjected to many forms of discrimination. In fact, I don’t remember not ever been treated as ‘less than’ my white colleagues .  Like many black nurses I got used to it (a way of protecting my feelings and to ensure that I am  focused on what was important: Patients’ care).

In the last year, my current NHS hospital employer have subjected me to unimaginableunfair treatment and this has continued. I have chosen to take the matter up legally. In all honesty, my case is not unique, but I have chosen to stand against a huge institution like my place of employment because I am just sick of it. 

I will gratefully appreciate your financial support to fight this case. I have both  a civil case and employment law case. Your financial assistance to fight these cases is most appreciated and I thank you in advance.

Monisola Abiodun fighting virus of Covid and racism

As a  BAME nurses in the NHS, significant numbers of us have been fighting the pandemic of discrimination, racism and all forms of unfair treatment and injustices for as long as we can remember. It is a virus that many of us have developed our own vaccination to combat. 

Many of us have settled for unimaginable unfairness yet the entrenchment of discrimination within the NHS does not know when to stop. The Covid-19 pandemic has shed some light on some of  the discrimination and racism in the NHS yet it appears that hospital Trusts are not taking note of this. 

I am a senior nurse. Like many, I devote my time, love, energy and passion into nursing. I have been subjected to unfair treatment at my place of work. I have been at this for a year now. It is costing me a significant amount in legal fees.

I am seeking financial assistance for legal fees in order to be able to fight the injustices that I have been subjected to. No amount is too small. I thank you for your assistance in advance for supporting me to fight the discrimination and oppression that  I have been subjected to.

Video exclusive: violent stop and search arrest of Michael Wilson, 64, in Mitcham on 22 July

Michael Wilson was walking home from work in Mitcham yesterday (Wednesday 22 July) when he and a colleague, Lloyd, were stopped by police.

An altercation ensued when they tried to handcuff Michael, who was then forced to the ground by police officers and his head repeatedly forced into the ground.

Michael was splitting blood from the injuries caused by the police. At one stage eight officers were involved in the incident.

Mr Wilson is 64-years-old.

The pair had been clearing a garden and were on their home. Michael had a bag with his tools in with may have been why the police picked on him.

A witness to the police assualt send this video to BLMM.

Michael was taken to Wimbledon police station.

Thanks to onlooker Janet Oliver for arranging for this video to be sent to BLMM and for her action in witnessing and holding to account the officers involved.

The officer at the centre of the violent arrest claims that Michael bit him, which the man denies.

Witnesses to the incident say that there was no sign of Michael biting and that he had no time to do so, between the initial conversation with the officer and being taken to the ground.

Janet Oliver commented: “The officer lied, the man never bit him.”

Lloyd concurs. “I didn’t see no biting,” he insists. “I told him not to resist and to give his name but the police just jumped on him and tried to handcuff him.”

violent arrest of Michael Wilson

This latest incident of police brutality follows the emergence of a video a few days ago of a teenager in Hertfordshire being stopped and assaulted by police.