Thousands of people have been marching through London in protest at the death of reggae artist Smiley Culture.
The protestors walked from Wandsworth Road to Scotland Yard via Parliament Square demanding “justice” for the 48-year-old, who died last month while police were searching his home.
The 80s star, real name David Emmanuel, died after four Metropolitan Police officers arrived at his house with a search warrant.
An inquest into his death was told he had stabbed himself in the heart when he went to make a cup of tea.
However, this is something his family disputes.
Smiley’s nephew, Merlin Emmanuel, said: “What we found hard to believe was that he was allowed to go into the kitchen to make a cup of tea and be around utensils and whatever else that might be in the kitchen which could be a danger to himself or to others. It just doesn’t really make sense.
“All we want to do is get to the bottom of what really happened, the truth. We’re not speculating, we just find it very hard to believe the police’s account so far of what’s happened.”
Smiley Culture grew up south of Brixton from where the march in honour of him and 400 other people who have died in police custody started.
A few weeks ago a meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority had to be adjourned because of heckling from friends and family of Smiley’s who were sitting in the public gallery. Many walked out in protest.
It is three decades since the Brixton riots, but many believe they have caused lasting damage to the relatonship between police and the community.
Author Alex Wheatle, whose debut novel was entitled Brixton Rock, says Smiley’s death may have serious repercussions in the black community.
“Slowly, things were getting better, even though I think it was happening too slowly… the police is an institution which is slow to change.
“But if the truth doesn’t come out about the Smiley Culture incident it might set back police relations a generation.”
In a statement, the chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, Kit Malthouse, said he would be “speaking with the IPCC to ensure that all efforts are being made to liaise directly with the family and friends of David Emmanuel and to re-assure the community of their commitment to the investigation”.
He will also ask the IPCC that the conclusions of the investigation be published.
Smiley, who had success in the 1980s with the singles Police Officer and Cockney Translation, was on bail for conspiracy to supply cocaine at the time of his death.
His family say they have commissioned an independent post-mortem examination to help determine the circumstances which led to his stabbing.
The Sky