Stormzy joins thousands in support of family of man shot dead by police

Following the shooting in south London on Monday (September 5) of Chris Kaba, his family have called for the officer involved to be “immediately suspended”.

Thousands of protesters gathered outside Scotland Yard on Saturday to demand justice for the 24-year-old, who was due to become a father within months.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched a homicide investigation, but relatives said they were “shocked” it took until Friday to announce the probe.

In a statement issued on their behalf, Daniel Machover, of law firm Hickman & Rose, said: “The family now await the outcome of that investigation, but seek a charging decision in this case in weeks or a few months, not years.”

Crowds marching to the Met’s headquarters were led by members of Mr Kaba’s family including his cousin, Jefferson Bosela, who said: “We deserve the opportunity to look his killer in the eyes and ask why? Why did you take him… after he spent so little time on earth… when he was sat there in the car, defenceless, unarmed, scared, terrified?”

Stormzy, Diane Abbott and Streatham Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy were among others to turn up to the protest to show support.

The musician told demonstrators: “Chris has a mother, he has a family, he has brothers, he has friends, people who knew him in real life, who for them it’s unbearable.”

He continued: “Everyone here today, I would encourage everyone to have stamina, and I know it’s a very difficult thing to say… But when these people do these things, they get away with it, because what happens is we do this once, we get tired, we tweet, we get tired, we do it for a week, we do it for two weeks, we do it for a month, and they know we get tired."

He added: “What they’ve done is they’ve killed someone. We can’t sugarcoat it."

A march was held after Chris Kaba was shot dead by police (Image: PA Media)

Protesters paid tribute to the 24-year-old and held up signs reading “Black Lives Matter”, “Justice for Chris Kaba” and “Abolish the Met”.

Speakers using a megaphone led chants of “no justice, no peace” and “police are the murderers”.

Mr Kaba died after his car was hemmed in by two police vehicles, following a chase that ended in Kirkstall Gardens, Streatham Hill.

One round was fired from a police weapon.

Mr Kaba was given first aid by officers at the scene and taken to hospital where he died later in the night.

The IOPC has previously confirmed that no gun was found in the Audi that Mr Kaba was driving.

Protesters marching to New Scotland Yard over the death of the Chris Kaba (Image: PA Media)

His family, in a statement issued on Wednesday, questioned whether his life would have been “cut short” if he were not Black and demanded “answers and accountability”.

Jessica Clayton, 30, a nursery worker attending the protest outside Scotland Yard, said: “If we’re not here for each other nobody else is going to be here if we don’t come out and actually voice what’s going on. It’s heavy. I’ve been very ill – physically ill – since I heard. It’s a heavy feeling. It’s unfair."

Nathaniel Martin, 30, said he was “frustrated and upset” that “at any time men like me and Chris can have this happen to them”.

Mr Martin, a researcher from London, said he was attending the protest for Mr Kaba outside Scotland Yard to show “solidarity with the family” and “hold the police to account”.

Morgan Williams, 21, said: “As young Black people we should be able to coexist alongside other communities without being threatened.

“Of course I feel unsafe. I feel like there hasn’t been an answer, nor has anyone taken responsibility.”

Assistant Commissioner Amanda Pearson said on Friday the Met officer involved is not currently on operational duties and their work status will be carefully considered going forward.

She said the force was cooperating fully with the IOPC investigation, adding: “I absolutely understand that this shooting is a matter of grave concern, particularly for our black communities.

“I also know what a difficult and often dangerous job firearms officers in particular do every day to try to protect the public.

“They understand and expect that on the very rare occasions they discharge their weapons they will face intense scrutiny.

“I don’t underestimate the impact on them of this development.”