Since 1999, on the last weekend of October every year, families and friends who have lost loved ones in police custody, in prison and in secure psychiatric care have gathered in London to hold a remembrance procession from Trafalgar Square to Downing Street. Brought together by the United Families and Friends Campaign (UFFC), a coalition set up a decade ago, we have pledged to march until the politicians finally act to prevent further deaths and more families suffering the grief we carry every day.
Since we began our campaign, our consistent challenges to the Police Complaints Authority, its successor the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the Crown Prosecution Service and the government has made an impact and changes have been promised – but it is far from enough. Nothing less than the prosecution of those responsible for the deaths of our loved ones will do. On a number of occasions we have asked the government to hold inquiries into these deaths but they have refused. We can never forget those we have lost – and we WILL NOT allow the government to do so.
On Saturday 27th October 2007, our ninth annual procession will therefore meet at Trafalgar Square to take our message to a new Prime Minister in Downing Street, whom we hope will this time listen to our demands.
This year, we will also remember Gilly Mundy, one of the main organisers of our processions over the years and the dedicated senior caseworker at the charity INQUEST, who supported hundreds of bereaved families before his sudden and untimely death in March this year, aged only 36. Gilly will be in our thoughts, along with the memory of those who have died in custody over the last 12 months because of negligence, incompetence or brutality.
Assemble at Trafalgar Square (nearest tube: Charing Cross or
Embankment) at 1pm Saturday 27th October 2007.
Please wear black.
No placards please.