18.05.1995

Police licensed to kill

THE BRUTAL and murderous nature of the police force has been starkly highlighted in recent weeks, notwithstanding their senior officers’ anti-racist platitudes.

Brian Douglas became the latest victim on May 8, when he died in the intensive care unit at St Thomas Hospital, five days after being arrested for “driving suspiciously”. He was savagely beaten by police from Kennington Police Station, who claim they were acting in ‘self-defence’, although Brian sustained a fracture to the skull. He was examined by police surgeons at Kennington four times, yet they gave him the all clear every time. It was only when his face became partially paralysed that he was taken to hospital, some 15 hours after his arrest.

Last Sunday around 2,000 protestors joined the grieving Douglas family to picket Kennington police station. The demonstration was angry and chants of “No justice, no peace” and “Police murder” made sure that the occupants got the message. The demonstration was overwhelmingly black - the most visible section being Panther - and around 25 Nation of Islam members were also present.

The demonstration continued as the picket moved for an unscheduled march towards Brixton. Cars and bystanders joined in, and the police were momentarily caught unaware. By the time that the front of the march - which is illegal under the Criminal Justice Act - reached Kennington Park, the police had reinforced themselves with ‘tooled up’ tactical support units.

In a similar vein, it was revealed at the Old Bailey on Tuesday how members of Scotland Yard’s specialist Aliens Deportation Group killed ‘illegal’ immigrant Joy Gardner nearly two years ago, when they came to serve a deportation order.

Thirteen feet of surgical tape was wound seven times around Joy’s head, and she died of extensive brain damage four days later.

In court, PC Linda Evans stated, “The equipment used, I understood, was authorised ... the procedures used had been established by regular practice.”

Communists are not surprised by these actions. The police force are state thugs, employed by the ruling class to do its dirty work.

John Praven