‘Stand together’: Rashan Charles family call for calm at vigil at Stoke Newington police station
‘Understandable anger’: protestors at today’s vigil. Photograph: Hackney Citizen
At this afternoon’s vigil for Rashan Charles and Edson Da Costa at Stoke Newington police station, the family of Charles appealed for calm following a night of violence on the streets of Dalston.
The vigil took place Friday night’s violent disorder in which riot police were pelted with fireworks and glass bottles.
#RashanCharles family spokesman calls for calm at vigil outside Stoke Newington Police Station @LBC pic.twitter.com/uwsiIK5dJg
— Derek Ferguson (@DerekFerguson4) July 29, 2017
A spokesperson for the Charles family said they understood the community’s anger, however they called for “dignified” protest.
Families of Edson and Rashan – two black men who died in the last month in London – speak outside Stoke Newington. #C4News #RashanCharles pic.twitter.com/axnnSW1PDI
— Jenny Longden (@JenLongdenC4) July 29, 2017
Earlier the family also released a statement, stating: “We appreciate all support but hostile actions or other events that may risk detracting from our current co-operative engagement and the Independent Police Complaints Commission and the Metropolitan Police is unwelcome”.
statement from the family #justiceforrash young people in Dalston please respect the wishes of the family no violence in his name! pic.twitter.com/XXICpjBnby
— Patrick Vernon (@ppvernon) July 28, 2017
Hackney South MP Meg Hillier also appealed for calm, saying on Twitter: “Understandable anger but please heed the family wishes. Protest peacefully. No more tragedy on top of this sad death of a young man.”
Understandable anger but please heed the family wishes. Protest peacefully. No more tragedy on top of this sad death if a young man https://t.co/88x6yBQed4
— MegHillierMP (@Meg_HillierMP) July 28, 2017
Meanwhile, the shadow home secretary and Hackney North MP Diane Abbott attended and spoke at the vigil, saying: “I thought it important to come here today to publicly showed my support as member of the community, as a mother and as your Member of Parliament”.
Video: @HackneyAbbott speaks at #JusticeForRash #justice4edson vigil pic.twitter.com/1EFJW9OsAN
— Stand Up To Racism (@AntiRacismDay) July 29, 2017
Charles died after being arrest by a police officer in a shop in Dalston last Saturday, 22 July. Video footage appears to show him swallowing a package before being violently restrained.
Five weeks earlier, 25 year-old Edson Da Costa from East Ham died after being detained by police using force and CS spray. He had swallowed “a number of packages” before his death, according to investigators.
Unanswered questions about the circumstances of both deaths have led to street protests.