- Home
- News & Blogs
- About Us
- What We Do
- Our Communities
- Info Centre
- Press
- Contact
- Archive 2019
- 2015 Elections: 11 new BME MP’s make history
- 70th Anniversary of the Partition of India
- Black Church Manifesto Questionnaire
- Brett Bailey: Exhibit B
- Briefing Paper: Ethnic Minorities in Politics and Public Life
- Civil Rights Leader Ratna Lachman dies
- ELLE Magazine: Young, Gifted, and Black
- External Jobs
- FeaturedVideo
- FeaturedVideo
- FeaturedVideo
- Gary Younge Book Sale
- George Osborne's budget increases racial disadvantage
- Goldsmiths Students' Union External Trustee
- International Commissioners condemn the appalling murder of Tyre Nichols
- Iqbal Wahhab OBE empowers Togo prisoners
- Job Vacancy: Head of Campaigns and Communications
- Media and Public Relations Officer for Jean Lambert MEP (full-time)
- Number 10 statement - race disparity unit
- Pathway to Success 2022
- Please donate £10 or more
- Rashan Charles had no Illegal Drugs
- Serena Williams: Black women should demand equal pay
- Thank you for your donation
- The Colour of Power 2021
- The Power of Poetry
- The UK election voter registration countdown begins now
- Volunteering roles at Community Alliance Lewisham (CAL)
Mark Duggan: Still many unanswered questions
Yesterday, Kevin Hutchinson-Foster was found guilty of supplying a handgun to Mrak Duggan. Shortly after receiving the gun, Duggan was shot and killed by armed officers. The shooting and police handling of the case sparked the summers' riots in 2011.
Yet the conviction of Hutchinson-Foster still leaves many unanswered questions as to whether or not Duggan was unlawfully killed.
During the Old Baily trail, the court heard how Duggan had collected the gun - a BBM Bruni Model 92 from Hutchinson in a shoe box. 15 minutes later, the police armed unit decided to intercept Duggan.
The police officer who shot Duggan claims he was '100%' sure that Duggan had the gun in his hand and raised it, which led the officer to fear that he would be shot.
Many of the unanswered questions arise from the facts that the gun was wrapped up in a sock in the box. Furthermore, according to police accounts, the gun was found some 16 feet away from Duggan still wrapped up in the sock.
Speaking during the trial of Hutchinson-Foster was Prof Jonathan Clasper, an expert in bioengineering and former army officer. He said an involuntary movement by Duggan, occurring after he was shot, cannot explain why the gun was found 10-14ft (3-4 metres) away from where he fell.
Few would argue that the job of armed officers dealing with dangerous individuals is about as stressful a job you could imagine. However, if the police are to regain the trust of the Black community and wider society they must be prepared to be totally honest. The media reports shortly after Duggan’s death which highlighted officers had been fired upon was at best misinformation and worst blatant lying. Furthermore, it was the inability of the police to effectively liase with Mark Duggan’s family, which left them and their supporters angry and frustrated.
During the Hutchinson-Foster case, the Met Police have clearly set out their stall in regard to the death of Mark Duggan. Sadly, their account raises more questions than it answers.
Simon Woolley