Thousands march over riots and deaths in custody
Thousands of racists have joined three different marches in London, focusing on the UK’s summer riots and the deaths of people in police custody..
An annual event by United Families and Friends Campaign took place in Trafalgar Square remembering those who have died in police custody, and was attended by hundreds including the family of Chris Kaba.
Thousands also took part in a demonstration between Victoria Station and Whitehall organised on behalf of Tommy Robinson, which aimed to support those jailed over the UK riots. A counter-protest also took place.
During the Trafalgar Square event family members of those who died in custody took a handwritten note addressed to the prime minister to Downing Street.
Speaking outside Number 10 while all dressed in black, they said: “Families are indefinitely traumatised and impacted on their wellbeing by the hands of the state… this is a vexed question and we want it settled amicably.
“Everybody has the right to life and so do the families.”
They added it was “painful every time we hear of another death” and “the families must never be forgotten”.
During the march some people held signs reading “No justice, no peace” and “No more deaths in custody”.
Members of the Justice for Chris Kaba campaign group also attended the event and a member of the group addressed crowds during the event where they spoke of a “collective grief”, “devastation” and “disappointment”.
The event came after Metropolitan Police firearms officer Martin Blake, 40, was found not guilty of murder after he shot Chris Kaba dead during a police stop in Streatham, south London, in 2022.
Following the conclusion of the murder trial, a judge lifted reporting restrictions and it was revealed Mr Kaba was part of a London gang called the 67 and was connected to two previous shootings.
Outside 10 Downing Street, Mr Kaba’s cousin Sheeda Kaba said the home secretary’s new measures on anonymity for firearms officers were like a “punishment” for her cousin’s case.
“All that said to us was that we’re tightening the protection of officers because there could never be another officer that gets this far, going to trial,” she said.
“But talking on behalf of my family, we will not be silenced. We’re gonna carry on saying Chris’s name.”
