Memorial Vigil, 12-1.30pm, 30th January
Brighton Police Station, St John
Street, Brighton BN2 2LA
The family of Jay Abatan, a black man who was murdered
in a racist attack on 24th January 1999 in Brighton will hold a vigil outside
Sussex police
station. Jay’s murderers have still not faced trial. The family have
received support from Doreen Lawrence, mother of Stephen Lawrence, The National
Assembly Against Racism and the trade union PCS amongst others. Internal
tribunals earlier this year resulted disciplinary action against officers
who were involved in the investigation. In November, the family met with
the Home Office Minister Hazel Blears to seek accountability for the serious
flaws that the tribunals identified in the investigation.
The tribunals sought to address a number of concerns that the family had about the investigation, including the fact that a Sussex police officer gave good character evidence for the defendants in court. The family were not made aware of the relationships between the defendants and Sussex police before the court case. The tribunals exposed further flaws in the case, including the failure to set up an incident room for the case, a standard procedure in murder inquiries. Officers in the tribunal have stated they were told to work on other priorities, to work on Jay’s murder investigation “in their downtime” and no overtime was allowed.
During the investigation, the family's complaints initiated two inquiries which lead to the replacement of the original investigating team. Media reports on these inquiries also highlighted serious flaws in the case.
The family are demanding the release of the Avon and Somerset inquiry report into the first investigation. The IPCC identified systematic failings in the investigation, and states that this report highlights general failings by the investigating team and senior management. The full report has so far been denied to the family.
Doreen Lawrence said: “When Stephen was murdered in a racist attack we were treated as second class citizens due to the colour of our skin. The police admitted to institutional racism and claimed to make steps to change. The fact that the failures around Jay Abatan's murder investigation happened after the publication of the Lawrence Inquiry is an indictment of the institutional racism that we faced, which is alive and well in Britain today. Until this is addressed, the black communities will not see justice or equality. I fully support Jay's family in their campaign for justice. I do not want to see another family go through what we have been through. The police must address the failures in this case if they are to prove they have learnt the lessons of the Lawrence Inquiry and look forward to the day when the black community's lives are given the same value as others."
Michael Abatan, brother of Jay Abatan, said: “Sussex police’s own tribunals concluded that there were serious organisational failings in the investigation of my brother’s racist murder. These failings have national implications. The Home Secretary told us early on that Sussex police had been thorough in the investigation but we believe Sussex police mislead the Home Secretary by suggesting a number of reviews had taken place to address their concerns when none had been carried out at that stage. Seven years on, we are demanding the release of the police reports which, when leaked to the press, highlighted serious failings. These reports are now a matter of national public interest.”
Denis Fernando, Co-ordinator of the National Assembly Against Racism said “When Nelson Mandela met the Lawrences he stated that Black lives were considered cheap in this country. The failures in the murder investigation of Jay Abatan are riddled with the hallmarks of institutional racism, which denied justice to the Lawrences and Jay’s family. We need decisive action from Sussex police, to put an end to the 7 years of injustice that Jay’s family have had to endure. With the current and relevant attention given to institutional racism in the media on the reporting of racist murders, we should ensure that institutional racism is addressed wherever it occurs, including within the Sussex police force as the case of Jay Abatan highlights. We support the family’s call for the release of the police report. Only full accountability will earn the black communities’ trust of the police.”
Mark Serwotka, Public & Commercial Services, General Secretary said: “The recommendations from the Macpherson Inquiry into the death of Stephen Lawrence were supposed to set new standards for operation of the state and its relationship with vulnerable minority groups. Jay’s case represents another vivid illustration of the Police still failing in its duty to treat black people respectfully and fairly. PCS fully supports the Abatan Campaign.”
For more information contact Denis Fernando National Assembly Against Racism on denis@naar.org.uk