Protest against murder by police

By Nick Fredman

LONDON -- Chanting “No justice, no peace” and “British police, racist police”, 2000 people marched through the north London suburb of Hornsey on August 7 to protest the killing of Joy Gardner by police as they tried to deport her to Jamaica on July 28.

The cops claimed that Gardner suffered a heart attack when she became violent as they attempted to arrest. It has since emerged that at least five police officers broke into her flat at 6.30 a.m. smashing furniture and restraining Gardner with manacles, a body belt, choke holds and a cellotape gag. Gardner died in hospital on August 1.

After an angry rally outside Hornsey police station on August 3 the police suspended three officers and called an internal inquiry. Campaigners say Gardner was targeted for deportation because she was black; most of her family live in Britain, she attended college here and her 5-year-old son was born here. Protesters called for an independent inquiry, the disbanding of the police deportation squad and the scrapping of racist immigration controls.

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