A network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues.

Call for nationwide prayer support for deaths in custody march

A public call to all Christians to support in prayer families of those who have lost a loved one in custody has been made by BMC3, the (Black Majority Churches Consultative Consortium) this week.

No more deaths in custody

The call comes as the UFFC (United Families Friends and Campaign) prepares for their ninth annual march from Downing Street, this Saturday, where they will again this year petition the Government for more accountability and a commitment to ensure action is taken up across all custodial setting where deaths occur.

A recent report published by the Forum for Preventing Death’s in Custody has revealed that the death rate has skyrocketed to nearly 600 in the last 12 months. The Forum has stated that they believe that some of these deaths could and should have been prevented.

See the full article on BLINK:

http://www.blink.org.uk/pdescription.asp?key=15758&grp=5&cat=293

Larry Fedja
e-mail: info@4wardever.org
Homepage: http://www.4wardever.org

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

See Movie clip

27.10.2007 13:02

Check out this movie clip which captures the passion and pain of families affected by deaths in custody:

Death in custody march 2006

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZAncul1NvI

Alison Leslie

To all the people who plan to pray

27.10.2007 17:35

I think I understand why you plan to do this. Police brutality and deaths in custody are horrible and disgusting, and I notice that this is organised by black majority churches, which obviously highlights the racist nature of the police. You want to do something, but feel isolated and powerless. I feel the same.

But prayer won't solve anything. How many times have people prayed in police cells, only for the police to come in anyway, and subject them to vicious attacks? Probably millions. God will not stop the state attacking communities, only community action in the physical world has the potential to do this. I'm not going to tell you how to do this, I don't have all the answers. But I do believe that unity is strength, and through unity oppressed people will eventually find the answers.

Neon Black
Homepage: http://dreaming-neon-black.blogspot.com

To each his or her own!

27.10.2007 20:49

Prayer is just another form of symbolism and it means something to those that will take and to many of the affected families. There is more than one way to show solidarity! Don't knock it!

Alison Leslie

Your way or the highway?

28.10.2007 13:30

I'm sick of these holier-than-thou campaigners who think that it's just "their way or the highway"
If you think that ordinary people using ordinary methods to show empathy or solidarity is wrong, outmoded or irrelevant; then you are really just as bad as the oppressor who tries to stifle free thought and expression. Maybe you are really on the wrong side of the fence?

Wake up and smell what you're pushing!!
Alison, you go girl!

Thread

UK Indymedia