United Friends and Family March 2007
Guido | 02.11.2007 16:03 | Anti-racism | Repression | Social Struggles | London
Upon arriving at Downing Street the silent procession became a noisy explosion of anger led by Janet Alder whose brother Christopher suffocated on the floor of Hull Police station, while officers made fun of him. The Police attempted to enforce the SOCPA ban on megaphones. So Pauline Campbell took hold of the mic to remind them that she had been arrested 14 times and that previous attempts to prosecute her had failed dismally. The megaphone remained in use for the rest of the event.
After finishing at Downing street the march then proceeded to Parliament square for more speeches. The march was briefly held up by a particularly inept Police motorcyclist who parked his bike in front of the banner leading the procession. He was quickly surrounded by furious protesters and had to be removed from the melee by his colleagues. Deliberate disrespect, or just inept?
The annual procession...
Led by Patricia, cousin of Jean Charles
That would be nice. Might even tell the Police that they are not above the law.
Janet Alder tells it like it is.
Not much faith in the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
The usual friction between the police and organisers.
Angry speeches at Downing St.
Remembering Paul Calvert.
Bereaved reletives don't like being told where to stand.
Remembering Jason McPherson
Pauline Campbell defies SOCPA.
A cartoon that you won't see in the Daily Mail.
Children leading the procession.
Moronic cop holds up the march...
...much to the annoyance of the families.
More Police have to retrieve him from the angry protesters.
The demo finally reaches Parliament square.
One such family was that of Jason McPherson a young black man travelling with two friends in a car on January 18th. Jason was on his way to his father to borrow some money for an IT course that he was starting the following Monday. They were pulled over Police for seemingly no reason. Jason friends described how officers charged over to their vehicle with batons and handcuffed the occupants through the windows. They were then bundled out and searched. Despite finding nothing illegal the men were taken separately to Nottinghill Police station. CCTV footage shows Jason sitting handcuffed on a bench in the station, he was grabbed by an officer and accused of hiding something in his mouth. He was then struck by a second Policeman and restrained by several more. Jason who was asthmatic and overweight had some kind of fit. Despite the swift arrival of an ambulance he died shortly after. His sister Samantha Patterson is livid that the officers are still on duty and not yet under investigation. “They have not even been made to give statements about what happened.” “The day after, we left flowers outside the station and they disappeared, a Policeman retrieved them from a bin after I complained.”
The family has commissioned an independent post mortem as they have little faith in the Police pathologist who has yet to report. They are also accusing the Police of harassment both before and after Jason’s death.
Also attending the demonstration was Pauline Campbell who has just won a victory for women prisoners everywhere. See:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/09/382185.html On the 24th of January she was arrested for the 14th time at a prison protest following a custody death. The 14th occasion since the death of her daughter Sarah in HMP Styal. Despite the best efforts of the Police, who brought a camera team to her protest, she was acquitted. The district Judge saying: “you are in the vanguard of public opinion, seeking to bring about change.” Pauline also had the support of the deceased prisoners family. “"Caroline Powell's grieving parents were shocked that I was facing a criminal trial for protesting against the death of their daughter but, when I spoke to them by telephone after the hearing, they were pleased the case had been dismissed.
Those attending the march represented just a tiny fraction of the families who have lost loved ones due to the violence or neglect of the state. With nearly 600 a year annual custody deaths at the last count, the highest ever. The situation for detainees and their families is clearly getting worse. Which means that this event will continue to get bigger each year, despite being ignored by the left and other ‘progressive’ groups.
Guido
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guidoreports@riseup.net
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