Rashan Charles: Family appeal for calm amid fears of further disorder at new protest in Hackney

Supporters gathering for new vigil outside Stoke Newington Police Station

The family of a young black man who died after a police chase in London have appealed for calm amid fears of fresh disorder in the capital.

Violence broke out in Dalston following a peaceful protest over Rashan Charles’ death on Friday, with masked young men setting up barricades, starting fires and launching fireworks and bottles at police.

The disorder came after a peaceful protest outside Stoke Newington Police station, where relatives of Mr Charles and Edson Da Costa, another black man who died following contact with police weeks before, returned on Saturday.

Stafford Scott, who stood next to Mr Charles at the vigil and spoke on behalf of the family, directly addressed the young people who protested the night before.

“Don't feel that the family don't feel that anger and that frustration too. But what the family knows is that taking it to the streets doesn't give you justice,” he said.

Mr Scott said the family have found the best legal support they can and are now asking the community to “support them in their struggle” but with “peace on the streets”.

“No justice, no peace doesn't mean violence - it means we will not watch this in silence,” he added on their behalf.

Mr Charles’ family have said that they were “determined to get answers” over the 20-year-old’s death, after a police officer was caught on CCTV restraining him on a shop floor.

“We will achieve this by acting within the law, and ensure there is individual and organisational accountability,” a statement said.

“We appreciate all support but any hostile actions or other events, at this stage, that may risk detracting from our current cooperative engagement with the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and Metropolitan Police is unwelcome.”

Riot police at a protest in Kingsland Road in east London, where people gathered in response to the death of Rashan Charles. (PA)

Following Friday night’s disorder, Hackney police tweeted that officers being subjected to abuse and violence is “patently not what the family of Mr Charles wanted”.

Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP, said: “The anger and upset at the death of Rashan Charles is understandable.

"But Rashan's family have explicitly spoken out against hostile actions. We must respect their wishes and any protests must be peaceful.''

Shocked residents filmed the disorder from their homes in Kingsland Road, as a group stopped traffic and cyclists, at one point jumping on to a lorry that drove through their barricades.

Activists, some wearing masks, clung to the vehicle’s wing mirrors and tried to vandalise the cab as it ploughed through the bins lined up in its path.

The lorry eventually came to a stop, with its window and windscreen smashed, but left the scene after speaking to police.

Senior community members have called for calm after protests yesterday over the death of Rashan Charles (PA)

The barricades had been set up shortly before 4pm, using wheelie bins, mattresses and debris that was set on fire as night fell.

Angry clashes broke out at around 10pm, as scores of missiles were launched at police as they attempted to disperse the group.

Restaurants and bars pulled down their shutters, locking customers inside, as the mob was pushed down Kingsland High Street and beyond Dalston Kingsland Station.

The Metropolitan Police said one officer suffered an injury to his eye and a member of the public was knocked from his bicycle and assaulted, as riot police and mounted officers were deployed.

The disorder continued until 11.40pm and one suspect, a 17-year-old boy, has been arrested on suspicion of causing grevious bodily harm.

Detective Superintendent Claire Crawley, from Hackney Borough, said: “The disorder of last night was separate from the peaceful protest at Stoke Newington Police Station that was held earlier that day.

"Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured, but there was inconvenience to local residents and road users and damage caused to vehicles, a cash machine and a number of windows.

"We will always support the right to lawful protest but behaviour such as that seen last night cannot be tolerated.”

The IPCC said it understand the concerns raised following Mr Charles’ death and was engaging with community members and representatives, including young people to explain its work.

“We will independently examine the circumstances of this incident, we will follow the evidence, we will consider whether there is an indication there may have been misconduct or criminality, and we will seek to answer the questions that Rashan’s family and the community of Hackney understandably have,” a spokesperson said.

“The investigation is at an early stage…we will continue to provide updates to Rashan’s family, the community, and the wider public, as we learn more and verify and confirm information”

Mr Charles died in hospital shortly after the altercation with a police officer on 22 July, while Mr Da Costa died on 21 June, six days after he was detained by police who stopped the car he was travelling in with friends in Beckton.

Campaigners claim he that he was “brutally beaten” but the IPCC, which is also investigating his death, said an early pathology report showed no sign of serious injury and that he had “a number of packages in his throat”.