Local activists protested outside a meeting called to address concerns of Lewisham residents in the wake of the death of 24-year-old Chris Kaba, who was fatally shot by police in Streatham last month.

Kaba, who was unarmed, was shot dead by a police officer on September 5 in an incident which sparked nationwide protests.

Activist group Stand Up to Racism Southeast London met outside Deptford Lounge on October 12 at 6:30pm to protest the meeting.

Activists said they believed the meeting was a PR stunt for the police and should have been agreed with Kaba’s family before going ahead.  

“The police have got big cheek for calling a meeting for people who, quote-unquote, have concerns about the death of Chris Kaba. It’s obvious from the demonstrations and the overall coverage that people have got huge concerns,” said organiser Harold Wilson.

“If they were genuinely concerned about people’s concerns, about the police more generally, you know, there’s a simple thing they could do, keep their hands to themselves.”

“So, there is only one way you can view this. That this is just a PR cover for them.”

While activists stood outside to deter people from entering the building, the meeting went ahead as planned.

There was a low turnout of just eight people, as well as the Met’s chief inspector for neighbourhood, Russ Joao, Sergeant Ryan Snadden and Lewisham Resident and Chair of the Independent Advisory Group, Alessandra Valencic. 

The meeting was organised by Valencic, who is also the Crime Reduction Manager at Safer Business Network. The organisation’s website says that it: ‘represent[s] business interests at a local and strategic level’, working closely with the police and local authorities to try and reduce crime in the interest of businesses, namely those that they are partnered with.

At the meeting, attendees discussed topics such as racism, community engagement, police violence and the need for appropriate and thorough training.

The police also promoted ‘innovation hubs’ – spaces in which around 30 members of the community can come together with the police to discuss issues and solutions to do with policing in Lewisham.  

Some Lewisham residents were upset at the lack of communication from local police after Kaba’s death. Chief Inspector Joao said a community impact assessment conducted by the police last month found that the police “didn’t know there were tensions in the community”. 

Towards the end of the meeting, one attendee spoke about recent examples of local police brutality, racism and tension between the police and the community in Lewisham.

On May 31, 2020, footage surfaced of a 28-year-old woman Kamyimsola Olatunjoye being violently pinned down by six police officers in Lewisham, while repeatedly screaming, “I can’t breathe”. The assault occurred on the May 9, 2020 – just weeks before the murder of George Floyd that sparked worldwide Black Lives Matter protests. 

On July 15 of this year, a 21-year-old black man walking with his bike alongside his white friend in Lewisham, was tackled by two police officers after they accused the man of stealing the bike. He was punched six times by officers until he eventually passed out.  

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has investigated neither of these incidents. 

“Lewisham police in particular, in terms of bad treatment against people, but in particular black people, are right at the top of the list,” said Wilson.

“If you tackle the underlying conditions… then [crime] at the sharper ends will melt away. But the police aren’t interested in that.”