I attended the vigil in remembrance of Ian Tomlinson tonight around the Royal Exchange organised by his family. Firstly, the organisers were refused permission by the cops to allow the PA system be used as it was something about electricity/cables. It had been originally agreed by a one of the cafes to allow the organisers to use the electricity supply for the PA. But the cops scuppered that one for reasons unknown (the cops were lurking in the background as well)!!
So we had to make do with a megaphone.
Samantha Rigg-David and Marcia Rigg-Samuel
Speakers included Julia Tomlinson and son Paul who made spoke poignantly and powerfully about Ian. Jules Carey, their solicictor, spoke about the events of the 1st April, the ongoing investigation and how the family have been failed. Jules spoke about how the media latched onto Ian’s ill health as a distraction from what happened to him (kind of reminded of how similar it is to the death of Cynthia Jarrett where much was made of her health problems as a distraction from her actual death at the hands of the police).
Vivian Figueiredo
Solidarity was shown by other relatives of people who have died in police custody Samantha Rigg-David and Marcia Rigg-Samuel spoke about their brother Sean who died in Brixton police station August 2008 and still experiencing an uphill struggle to find out why and how he died.
John McDonnell MP
Vivian Figueiredo, cousin of Jean Charles de Menezes, spoke about the importance of solidarity. John McDonnell MP made references to Southall in ’79 with the death of Blair Peach by the SPG and how lessons were not learnt.
Julia Tomlinson
I found the vigil powerful and very emotional especially with people holding candles. People killed by the state yet their families fight an uphill struggle to find out the truth, battling an unaccountable system. I have nothing but admiration and respect for the courage shown by countless families and friends who battle and struggle.
It has a personal dimension for me as I have been close to people who have died in the custody of state and only recently I met Marcia and Samantha Rigg who went to the same school as me as a kid. I remembered their brother Sean as well. I hadn’t seen them for over 30 years so it came a shock to meet them again in these appalling and shocking circumstances.
Justice and solidarity.
Kevin’s report here.
