Launch of Tottenham Defence Campaign

Posted: September 30, 2011

The Tottenham-based families of Mark Duggan, Roger Sylvester, Cynthia Jarrett and Joy Gardner – whose loved ones all died following detention by police officers – will speak at a press conference for the launch of the Tottenham Defence Campaign on Wednesday 5th October. This is two months since the shooting of Mark Duggan and the 26th anniversary of the death of Cynthia Jarrett.

The four families, speaking alongside local community activist Stafford Scott, will discuss the struggle for truth and justice they have faced.

The campaign has been formed by local people to defend access to justice for young people amid community concerns that Tottenham will face disproportionate and unequal treatment in the wake of August’s disturbances.

Campaigners will outline aims that include:

• A greater understanding of the history of Tottenham, particularly relating to policing and how it has impacted on the local community, which is essential for those who seek to understand and remedy the causes of social disorder

• A rejection of measures that reinforce stereotypes, marginalise or criminalise the people of Tottenham, which will not serve the course of justice and will be detrimental to the community in the longer term.

Tottenham Defence Campaign press conference

11am, Wednesday 5th October

North London Community House
22 Moorefield Road
London
N17 6PY

Stafford Scott, said in advance of the press conference:

“As family and friends come together to remember Cynthia Jarrett some 26 years after she was taken from us, we find it incomprehensible that this borough, Haringey, has seen three more members of our community killed whilst in the ‘custody’ of Metropolitan Police Officers.  No community should have this as their reality. As a result this is a community that has come to the conclusion that there is no justice – there’s just us.

The police must be held to account over the death of four members of our community, for their failings to contact the family of Mark Duggan about his death and their woeful response to family members on the peaceful demonstration in August. Within the community, people believe the police bear ultimate culpability for the rioting that took place in Tottenham through their failure to respond to the family or to act as events unfolded.  Yet it’s the community of Tottenham who will be further stigmatised and punished.  We will be calling on the IPCC to carry out its duty and ensure their investigation reveals the full truth about the killing of Mark Duggan.

We will be calling on the Government to remember the lessons learnt from the eighties, as the response that we are witnessing is almost guaranteed to further marginalise the already marginalised; this will not lessen any likelihood of future rioting it will, inevitably, increase it”

For more information visit the Tottenham Defence Campaign website

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Tags: community