A week which saw horrific court revelations of the routine brutality of police in deporting illegal immigrants" from Britain, a black man, Brian Douglas, died as a result of police violence.
Brian died after his skull had been fractured by one of the new batons issued to police by right wing Home Secretary Michael Howard. He became another in a long line of victims of racist brutality from the Metropolitan police (see page 4).
Joy Gardner died two years ago when three cops from Scotland Yard's special Aliens Deportation Group burst into her house, bound, strapped and gagged her. Only after they had wound two reels of sticking plaster around her head did one of them notice she had stopped breathing.
Only now have the officers responsible been brought before the court.
Almost as horrendous as their testimony explaining what they did to her was the revelation that it was a routine operation. Most such cases are never publicised.
But deportations will become more frequent if the Tories have their way.
Tory MPs and ministers, desperate to play the racist card before the next election are planning an escalating crackdown on illegal immigrants.
Will Tony Blair's team have the guts to come out and oppose this brutal expression of state racism? officer. Responding to his suspicious death in police custody, friends and family of Brian Douglas picketed London's Kennington police station last week, reports CATHERINE WHEELER.
With banners and cries for justice, around 600 voiced their outrage under the vigilant eye of a police video camera. Cars hooted support. Brian's grief stricken mother laid a wreath at the station entrance. "All we want is justice" she explained to a nearby police Over 900 protestors then marched to Kennington Park. Police angered protestors by forming a line just beyond the entrance to the park. A call for calm. issued on behalf of the family, managed to dissipate the tension as the bulk of protestors entered the park.
Donald Douglas, Brian's brother, said "We came here to protest against the brutality of the police and to seek justice. OFFICERS MUST BE CHARGED
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 84 May 27 1995, Page 2