© Lee Jasper
Mr Hassan was arrested for a breach of the peace at his home address on the evening of Friday 9th of January 2021 and released without charge after spending a night in the custody of South Wales Police.
Numerous people including his family saw him immediately after his release and bore witness that he had was bruised and battered. The Police immediately denied they were responsible for his injuries; however, a post-mortem confirmed that he had numerous bruises both arms, wrists, elbows, left hand and a split lip consistent with being punched or slapped.
Mohamud's death and the South Wales Police's refusal to properly inform his family or provide any details as to the circumstances of his arrest constitutes a new low in police-community relations.
In my earlier article on this issue, I pointed out that there appeared to be a conspiracy to mislead the public by South Wales Police who had publicly declared at the point of referral to the IOPC that there was no evidence that police officers were in any way responsible for his death, and the IOPC itself that put out a press release stating that there was no evidence the Police had used excessive force at any time during the arrest or detention of Mr Hassan.
This was an unforgivable and largely inexplicable rush to judgement that appeared to dismiss Mr Hassan's family and broader community concern about the circumstances surrounding his arrest and subsequent death.
The whole tone and tenor of these initial public communications gave the impression that there was no connection between his arrest and subsequent death. My suspicions about the extent of a coordinated cover-up are further evidence by new facts emerging in this case.
Mr Hassan was arrested for a breach of the peace at his home address on the evening of Friday 9th of January 2021 and released without charge after spending a night in the custody of South Wales Police.
Numerous people including his family saw him immediately after his release and bore witness that he had was bruised and battered. The Police immediately denied they were responsible for his injuries; however, a post-mortem confirmed that he had numerous bruises both arms, wrists, elbows, left hand and a split lip consistent with being punched or slapped.
Mohamud's death and the South Wales Police's refusal to properly inform his family or provide any details as to the circumstances of his arrest constitutes a new low in police-community relations.
In my earlier article on this issue, I pointed out that there appeared to be a conspiracy to mislead the public by South Wales Police who had publicly declared at the point of referral to the IOPC that there was no evidence that police officers were in any way responsible for his death, and the IOPC itself that put out a press release stating that there was no evidence the Police had used excessive force at any time during the arrest or detention of Mr Hassan.
This was an unforgivable and largely inexplicable rush to judgement that appeared to dismiss Mr Hassan's family and broader community concern about the circumstances surrounding his arrest and subsequent death.
L-R Fahiya Abdulla (Mum) Mohamed Deria (Dad) and Zainab Hassan (Aunty)
© Lee Jasper
The whole tone and tenor of these initial public communications gave the impression that there was no connection between his arrest and subsequent death. My suspicions about the extent of a coordinated cover-up are further evidence by new facts emerging in this case.
It has come to my attention that the Coroner's official briefing to the post-mortem pathologists stated that Mohamud had been arrested at a party and had been consuming drink and drugs.
Once again, we see an attempt to smear and repeat falsehoods to sway or unduly influence, not only the public but unbelievably the forensic pathologists responsible for identifying the cause of death. This blatant lie propagated by the Coroner is fundamentally undermined by the forensic facts. This assertion was not borne out by the results of the toxicology report received by the family.
Once again, we see an attempt to smear and repeat falsehoods to sway or unduly influence, not only the public but unbelievably the forensic pathologists responsible for identifying the cause of death. This blatant lie propagated by the Coroner is fundamentally undermined by the forensic facts. This assertion was not borne out by the results of the toxicology report received by the family.
The critical question is where did the Coroner get this information?
The only reasonable conclusion is that that information came from either South Wales Police or the IOPC. In response, Mr Hassan's legal team has written to the Coroner demanding an explanation of how this erroneous information ended up in a critical briefing note to the pathologists. This reveals precisely what we have long alleged, that the current system of inquiry into suspicious deaths in police custody is institutionally racist, and not fit for purpose.
The stereotypical allegation of drink and drugs usually precedes the detailed witness statements of police officers who routinely rely on the racial tropes of "he was stronger than any individual I've ever seen" or had "superhuman strength". Such tropes are usually deployed as an 'explanation' for the Police using massive and disproportionate force on black people.
We can all write the playbook for this kind of institutional injustice playing out before our eyes. It would appear to me that this could be part of a conspiracy to obscure the truth by seeking to smear the victim with convenient racial tropes that carry powerful currency within the context of institutionally racist organisations,
This apparent corporate conspiracy looks as though it could potentially involve the South Wales Police. IOPC and now the Coroner himself. If there was ever a case that required the Attorney General's urgent independent intervention, then this is it.
Unfortunately, black communities have even less trust and confidence in Tory Attorney General Suella Braverman, than they have in the Police. This government is ideologically united in refusing to recognise institutional racism and black injustice. This is why we need to demand that the investigation into this case sets new precedents weighing the scales of justice back into balance,
We are also aware of more media management by the IOPC that has established a local "Community Reference Group" with the intention of "ensuring that stakeholders are kept informed about the progress of the investigation and ensure that we understand the views of communities in a timely and appropriate manner. In this way, we can respond to current or emerging concerns, and, where required, conduct further stakeholder engagement."
This group has been established without any discussion with the family or their legal representatives. Given its principal focus of this group is to respond to community concerns one would have thought that first and foremost, the primary concerns of the family would be integral and formulating its terms of reference, and indeed its membership.
The family has no confidence in the IOPC and their legal representative has written to them demanding that no details of the investigation are discussed with this group without the family's expressed authority.
Thankfully many local people who were approached by the IOPC immediately saw through their approach and refused to take part.
The families. one that's shared by many in the wider community, are that this group is being used for nothing more than media manipulation purposes, and is a cynical public relations exercise. Why else would the family not be consulted about its creation?
We are also aware of more media management by the IOPC that has established a local "Community Reference Group" with the intention of "ensuring that stakeholders are kept informed about the progress of the investigation and ensure that we understand the views of communities in a timely and appropriate manner. In this way, we can respond to current or emerging concerns, and, where required, conduct further stakeholder engagement."
This group has been established without any discussion with the family or their legal representatives. Given its principal focus of this group is to respond to community concerns one would have thought that first and foremost, the primary concerns of the family would be integral and formulating its terms of reference, and indeed its membership.
The family has no confidence in the IOPC and their legal representative has written to them demanding that no details of the investigation are discussed with this group without the family's expressed authority.
Thankfully many local people who were approached by the IOPC immediately saw through their approach and refused to take part.
The families. one that's shared by many in the wider community, are that this group is being used for nothing more than media manipulation purposes, and is a cynical public relations exercise. Why else would the family not be consulted about its creation?
The family and the legal team are still waiting to receive copies of the police bodycam videos that show what happened to Mohamud during his arrest and detention. I would urge you to support this demand by signing and sharing the petition linked here. The delay in providing these is inexcusable. The IOPC's rationale for withholding these videos is,
"At this very early stage of our investigation, it would not be appropriate to release footage into the public domain. This footage may need to be used in any future possible proceedings - whether they be criminal, misconduct or inquest - which could potentially arise from the investigation."
This legalise is, of course, utter nonsense. There are plenty of examples of criminal incidents being caught on camera that appear instantaneously in the public domain without any consequent implications for the legal process. In the United States, such videos are released without delay without any apparent consequences for the victims of the officers themselves. There is no legal requirement for these videos to be withheld from the victim's families.
The immediate release of police videos should be an automatic right for victims of controversial arrests and their families. It is both a wretched and despicable denial of justice that the Police and IOPC do not provide immediate access to footage that shows final hours of their love one's life.
This tragic case has seen expressions of grave concern by communities, politicians, and the media at a local, regional, and national level and has seen demonstrations demanding justice for Mohamud and his family in Cardiff and London. His case has assumed national significance, and I have no doubt that had we not been in a lockdown we would have organised a national demonstration in Cardiff that would have been attended by tens of thousands of people.
In support of the family, we will continue to demand that this case sets new precedents in transparency and police accountability in investigating suspicious deaths in police custody and for those who were recently released from Police custody.
Mohamud’s father Mohamed Deria on behalf of the wider close-knit family wishes to thank those people who have supported the families demand for the truth as to what happened to their beloved son during his arrest and detention, and their call for transparency and honesty in the investigation into the cause of his premature death.
We invite you to join us in demanding a new normal.
The immediate release of police videos should be an automatic right for victims of controversial arrests and their families. It is both a wretched and despicable denial of justice that the Police and IOPC do not provide immediate access to footage that shows final hours of their love one's life.
This tragic case has seen expressions of grave concern by communities, politicians, and the media at a local, regional, and national level and has seen demonstrations demanding justice for Mohamud and his family in Cardiff and London. His case has assumed national significance, and I have no doubt that had we not been in a lockdown we would have organised a national demonstration in Cardiff that would have been attended by tens of thousands of people.
In support of the family, we will continue to demand that this case sets new precedents in transparency and police accountability in investigating suspicious deaths in police custody and for those who were recently released from Police custody.
Mohamud’s father Mohamed Deria on behalf of the wider close-knit family wishes to thank those people who have supported the families demand for the truth as to what happened to their beloved son during his arrest and detention, and their call for transparency and honesty in the investigation into the cause of his premature death.
We invite you to join us in demanding a new normal.
