Hundreds attend protest alongside Justice for Chris Kaba campaign

Hundreds of people have gathered for a march in central London to protest over deaths in custody alongside the Justice for Chris Kaba campaign.

Activists gathered on the corner of Trafalgar Square and marched with the United Families and Friends Campaign to Downing Street.

The campaign group supports the families of “loved ones lost at the hands of the state”.

Five family members – including one relative of Kaba – arrived at Downing Street dressed in black with a hand-written note addressed to Sir Keir Starmer.

They knocked on the door and handed it to a security guard.

During the march, some people held signs reading “No justice”, “no one forgotten, nothing forgiven” and “no to hatred, no to fascism” – and others also held images of people they say died in custody.

A group of people displayed a banner which said: “We are all victims of state negligence. Our voices may be silent but our loved ones carry on our quest for justice”.

The family and friends of Kaba, who was fatally shot by police marksman Martyn Blake – who was cleared of murder on Monday – attended the march.

More activists were seen holding signs reading “no more deaths in custody” and “No justice. No peace”. Some people wore face coverings and Palestine badges.

The front of the group was seen holding a banner which reads: “United Families and Friends Campaign. No more deaths in custody”.

A speaker from the Justice for Chris Kaba campaign addressed the crowd as it marched to Downing Street.

She spoke of “collective grief”, “devastation” and “disappointment”, adding: “We have each other. We are strong. We are powerful.”

The speaker finished by leading a chant of “we believe that we will win” and “the people united will never be defeated”.

An activist stressed to the crowd and press in central London that they were not there “just for the Kaba family”, but for all “grieving” families who are “bereaved at the hands of the state”.

It came as thousands of Tommy Robinson supporters also gathered in central London on Saturday for a planned protest which the political activist will miss after he was remanded into custody by police.

A counter-protest was also taking place, organised by Stand Up to Racism, which has called on its supporters to “take to the streets” in a “massive anti-fascist demonstration”.

On Monday, dozens of protesters gathered outside the Old Bailey with Kaba’s family after the police marksman who fatally shot him was cleared of murder.

Metropolitan Police firearms officer Blake was acquitted by a jury at the Old Bailey after around three-and-a-half hours of deliberation on Monday.

Blake, 40, stood trial after shooting the 24-year-old through the front windscreen of an Audi Q8 as Kaba tried to ram his way past police cars in Streatham, south-east London, on 5 September, 2022.

When reporting restrictions were lifted after the case concluded, it emerged Kaba was a “core member” of one of London’s most dangerous criminal gangs and was allegedly directly linked to two shootings in the six days before he was shot dead by police.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is reviewing whether Blake should still face disciplinary proceedings.

Press Association – William Warnes and Jordan Reynolds