Riot in Dalston as protest over death of Rashan Charles turns violent

By Hackney Citizen | Saturday 29 July 2017 at 00:44
Rashan Jermaine Charles

Rashan Jermaine Charles. Photograph: Twitter

Riots broke out in Hackney last night following a protest over the death of Rashan Charles.

Fireworks were apparently thrown at police and wheelie bins pushed onto Kingsland Road as demonstrators attempted to block traffic.

Charles died in hospital on 22 July following a police chase, and footage later emerged on social media of the 20-year-old being dragged to the ground by an officer in a Dalston shop.

A vigil on Monday attracted hundreds of people, and a planned protest was set for 3.40pm yesterday.

But that protest, which carried on late into the night, became violent when some demonstrators turned on police, pelting them with objects, and others hit out at cars trying to drive around the blockade.

Hackney police said in a tweet that officers had been subjected to “abuse and violence”, adding: “Whatever the frustrations, this is patently not what the family of Rashan Charles wanted.”

Earlier, local MP Meg Hillier used social media to appeal for calm as she urged people to “heed the family’s wishes” and “protest peacefully”.

Former councillor Patrick Vernon tweeted a statement from Rashan Charles’ family which called on people to deter from “hostile actions”.

Charles’ relatives said any such actions risk detracting from its “co-operative engagement” with the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), the watchdog investigating his death.

On Tuesday, IPCC chief Cindy Butts and Mayor Philip Glanville met local youth groups to discuss rising community tensions.

More to follow.

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0