MORE than 4,000 people joined an angry demonstration through Newham yesterday against the huge police raid in Forest Gate on June 7.
As they made their way from East Ham’s Plashet Park to Forest Gate Police Station they chanted: ‘Shame, Shame Ian Blair! Our community will not live in fear!’
They shouted: ‘Shoot to kill you do allow! Who commits the terror now?’
And: ‘Tony Blair, Ian Blair! Racism’s not welcome here!’
The whole community united in their condemnation of the 250-strong police raid on two families in Lansdown Road and the shooting of Mohammed Abdul Kadar.
More than 18 organisations sponsored the march, including the Newham Muslim Alliance, Newham Monitoring Project and the Muslim Association of Britain.
The statement put out by the organisers said: ‘This protest is a united demonstration of feeling, from the residents of Newham and those beyond who support them.
‘We believe a full and unqualified apology from the Metropolitan Police to be personally issued to those who were the victims of these events.’
This letter was presented to officers at Forest Gate Police Station and was received by Superintendent David Palmer.
The march then returned to Plashet Park for a rally addressed by Abul Koyair, his brother Jalal, who read out a message from the injured Mohammed Abdul Kadar and Mohammed Dogra, their neighbour, whose house was raided too.
Other speakers included Alex Pereira and Patricia da Silva Armani, cousins of the murdered young Brazilian, Jean Charles de Menezes, the father of Barbar Ahmed, a spokeswoman from Newham UNISON and Tower Hamlets Respect MP George Galloway.
Jalal read the message from brother Mohammed which said: ‘Thank each and everyone for the support of everyone attending today.
‘We want justice for myself and my family. This is not just for us, but for our neighbours and our community.
‘Thank you to the family of Jean Charles de Menezes.
‘Thank you to all the community that is supporting us.’
Abul Koyair said: ‘Thank you all for supporting our family through all we are going through.
‘We do not want this to happen to anyone else in our community.’
Alex Pereira said: ‘Make sure this never happens again. A shot next to the heart can kill a person.
‘The police leave everyone in the dark. All the while, they want to save the police who shot my cousin.
‘I support the brothers and to make the police say why they did that.’
Mohammed Dogra, whose family lives at 48 Lansdown Road, spoke about the police invading his home.
He said: ‘When the police stormed into my home, they hit my uncle with the butt of a gun and he has a bruise and stitches.
‘They handcuffed me and they took us out of the house in handcuffs.
‘The police said we were not under arrest, but we were still handcuffed. They took me to Katherine Road in handcuffs.
‘I was completely ashamed. I have never been in trouble with the police.
‘What happened was a complete travesty.
‘For our family there should be justice. The police hit me on the leg and swore at me.
‘Please continue the fight!’
