THE FAMILY of Mark Duggan, who was shot dead by police in August 2011, said yesterday that the family will fight the inquest decision ‘through the courts’.
The police killing of Duggan sparked a youth uprising in Tottenham, that quickly spread around London and then nationwide as anger against the police escalated.
On Wednesday the inquest into his death concluded, and the jury, although agreeing that Duggan was unarmed when he was shot by the police, still returned a verdict he was ‘lawfully killed’, causing an explosion of anger outside the court.
Carole Duggan said yesterday: ‘The family are still in shock right now about the results of yesterday.
‘We are in turmoil and we don’t really quite know what is going to happen at this point.
‘We will want answers. So it is likely the struggle will go on, peacefully.
‘But we will not give peace to the authorities until we get justice.
‘We will still be here for as long as it takes.’
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said yesterday: ‘We have had no particular information that anybody is planning trouble.
‘Of course, given the seriousness of this event we feel a heightened sense of readiness.
‘We have got more officers available with public order skills than we would normally have if we need them but I hope that that will not be necessary.’
• Leaked official documents have revealed that the Metropolitan police wants water cannons to be ready on the streets of Britain by the summer.
Water cannons have been used in Northern Ireland but not in England, Scotland or Wales.
Tory London Mayor Johnson sent a letter to Tory Coalition government Home Secretary Theresa May on Monday, in which he writes: ‘Following the disorder in August 2011, both the Metropolitan police service and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary stated that there are some circumstances where water cannon may be of use in the future.
‘Following briefing from the Met commissioner I am broadly convinced of the value of having water cannon available to the MPS (Metropolitan police service) for those circumstances where its absence would lead to greater disorder or the use of extreme force.’
On Tuesday, Stephen Greenhalgh, the deputy mayor for policing, wrote in a letter to Joanne McCartney, chair of the London assembly’s police and crime committee: ‘In order to ensure that water cannon is available by next summer…it is important that the process of engagement starts soon.’
