Photo: Steve Eason

Justice for Chris Kaba, shot dead by Met Police

Over 5,000 protesters marched from Parliament to New Scotland Yard this Saturday afternoon, to mourn and protest the killing of 24-year-old Chris Kaba by armed police in Streatham, south London, on Monday night. Steve Eason reports.

A homicide investigation is under way after the shooting of the unarmed young man. It has been reported today that the firearms officer who shot him dead is still at work.

Photo: Steve Eason

This was a visibly traumatic demonstration for the family, and a time for the community to come together in solidarity. The protest was dominated by black youth, with a small presence from the established left, including Stand Up to Racism.

Diane Abbott speaks at the protest. Photo: Steve Eason

Labor left MP Diane Abbott spoke at the protest, while many speakers were from south London, with Chris’s brother leading the final rally, and many women activists making key contrubutions. Angry protesters accused the Metropolitan Police of racism and led chants of ‘abolish the Met’ and ‘Black Lives Matter’.

Photo: Steve Eason

This is the latest in a long series of incidents where black people have died at the hands of the Met police. It was only in June that cops repeatedly tasered Oladeji Omishore on Chelsea Bridge until he threw himself into the Thames. The police shooting of Mark Duggan in Tottenham in 2011 sparked riots across London and in other English cities. Only a few months ago hundreds in north London protested at the treatment of Child Q, a black school student strip searched by police.

Photo: Steve Eason