The families of British men who died in police custody speak out

 

image credit: Duda Images from www.dudamobile.com

 

source: The Huff Post  | published: 29 April 2021

 

Introduction: 4WardEverUK’s Tippa Naphtali said; “This is a powerful and comprehensive piece on custody deaths/killings and the National Memorial Family Fund. We are very grateful to Emma Youle (Special correspondent, HuffPost UK) and the families that participated.”


1,784 people have died in England and Wales after contact with the police since 1990 – yet no officer has been held to account.


The CCTV footage shows a man face down on the floor of a police station, handcuffed and unresponsive, as he gasps for breath.


Officers are heard laughing and joking while making monkey and chimpanzee noises, apparently unmoved by the desperate plight of the man in front of them.


To this day, Christopher Alder’s sister cannot understand how Humberside Police stood by, ignoring her brother’s need for help and mocking him as he died.


“They never even gave him a chance,” she says.


“They saw me and my family as just Black people that didn’t deserve any respect whatsoever. Christopher didn’t deserve any respect – he was Black, it didn’t matter. And, you know, the whole system has done it.”


Christopher, a father and former British Army paratrooper who had served in the Falklands, had been assaulted at a nightclub earlier that evening.


Janet has spent decades trying to piece together the events that followed, leaving her brother unconscious on the floor of the custody suite with his trousers around his knees.


Read full article >


Related News:‘


That’s what they do to us’: Benjamin Zephaniah on his experiences of police racism

30 May 2021

Revised Two-Way Give-Back shop
by Family Fund Team 16 March 2025
The shop can now be used by any visitors to the NMPMFF website to purchase from the range of products or services. Affected families may be eligible for discounts at our discretion.
BLMUK 2025 Festival of Collective Liberation
by Family Fund Team 16 March 2025
Save the Date: Saturday 19th July 2025: Black Lives Matter UK is preparing for their second Festival of Collective Liberation taking place on Saturday 19th July 2025 in London.
NMPMFF appeal for donors
by Family Fund Team 10 March 2025
Over the last 2+ years the National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund (NMPMFF) has lost 80+ (60%) of regular monthly donors, and our grant and reserves are almost depleted.
The Peoples Tribunal banner
by Family Fund Team 9 March 2025
The People’s Tribunal on Police Killings has emerged as a radical grassroots initiative led by families of those killed by the police in the UK, with more than 3000 deaths over 50 years.
Families march in London
by Family Fund Team 18 February 2025
"Criminal prosecutions brought against police officers are extremely rare and these decisions are only made after careful consideration of all the relevant evidence and circumstances."
Black Voices on Policing Reports cover
by Family Fund Team 13 February 2025
Black Thrive Global (BTG) has announced the official publication of 'Black Voices on Policing', a series of reports produced by Black Thrive Global in collaboration with Psi.
Show More
Share by: