HUNDREDS OF people gathered outside New Scotland Yard yesterday as part of a sequence of protests across the nation over outrage at the police shooting of Chris Kaba, an unarmed 24-year-old black man. 

The protest in London was one of many demonstrations as part of the National Day of Action, organised by the Justice for Chris Kaba Campaign, in cities such as Cardiff, Manchester, Coventry, Oxford and Brighton. 

The campaign is demanding the suspended officer to be interviewed under caution without delay, and for the family to be kept informed. The family want to know if the officer knew if it was Chris Kaba in the car or if they were following a suspect vehicle.

They are also demanding that there should be a charge decision within weeks and not months. On Friday the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), who are conducting a homicide investigation into the police marksman, announced the probe would take between six and nine months.

Jefferson Bosela, a cousin of Kaba and a family representative, spoke at the protest, stating: “As much as Chris is not here, we have a voice for him. We can’t let them get away with this. He was a human being. He had fears and goals. We will keep fighting until the very end.”  

Marcia Rigg, who has been tirelessly campaigning for her brother Sean Rigg who died in police custody in Brixton, London, in August 2008, voiced her concerns and frustration. 

“It shouldn’t take a death of us to wake up and come out in the street again. We know there’s no justice but just us. We are not going anywhere.”

Temi Mwale, Executive Director at the 4Front Project, added: “We chanted ‘touch one, touch all’ – what has happened to Chris Kaba hurts all very deeply.

“Showing solidarity with the family is integral so that they feel connected and supported during these times. We needed to have other families of people that had died in police custody or following police so that we can connect the dots of this brutal system.”

Respect Rebellion, an organiser from the Forever Family fund, which fights racism and injustice, stated: “We cannot pass down this legacy of police brutality to our children.

“I hope we’re able to organise and mobilise in a way that doesn’t make us step out simply when the trauma has already happened. 

“I hope we can continue to support organisations such as the United Families & Friends Campaign, which supports the families that have had their loved one’s lives taken away at the hands of the police.” 

Ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, and Kaba’s local MP, Bell Riberio-Addy, also spoke at the demonstration.

On Wednesday, the IOPC watchdog confirmed that Chris Kaba’s family would be able to watch the body cam footage from the police the night Chris was brutally shot and killed, and an inquest into Kaba’s death will open on the 4th of October. 

The United Families & Friends campaign, a coalition of families and friends of those who have died in the custody of police and prison officers, is having their annual rally and protest from Trafalgar Square to 10 Downing Street on Saturday 29th of October.

Met Police Assistant Commissioner Amanda Pearson said: “We continue to fully support the IOPC investigation as they work to establish the facts and try to answer the many questions Kaba’s family and others have around his tragic death.”