I have been writing and doing interviews about this case and others for years; whenever I mention other cases, I usually get told it’s not going to air. For example, Chris Kaba’s family are still fighting for justice against the Met Police. Today, the CPS confirmed that a police officer will be charged with the murder of Chris Kaba.
“I got a lot of media attention when I was arrested – partly because I’m a white woman.”
The media itself is often complicit in the silencing of black and brown people when it comes to racism in the UK. Most stories of minority groups receiving abuse often go unheard. I got a lot of media attention when I was arrested – partly because I’m a white woman.
The Black and brown communities have already faced atrocities at the hands of police and continue to do so, but a lot of people only pay attention once a white woman is arrested. This isn’t how it should have happened; people should have been listening all along.
The legal battle has been exhausting, I often have nightmares about the incident, and through death threats and hate comments, I almost took my own life. I’m now receiving therapy and working through it.
I was never and have never been the ‘face’ of the vigil, and I hate that rhetoric; it was a vigil for Sarah; we said her name a thousand times at the vigil. Having no knowledge or understanding of the media, no media training and doing everything on my own, I made many mistakes. People will often shower you with compliments to get you to do things for them when you have a platform.
“The main issue with the police as an institution is systemic racism.”
I was studying at Royal Holloway University of London when I went to the vigil; I wanted to be in STEM, and maybe make documentaries about physics because I wanted young women to see more female role models in the science field. I failed my degree because of the hate mail and not being able to juggle talking about women’s rights on huge platforms while studying profusely. I’m happy with where I am now, though; I do have a platform that I hope to use to amplify voices and speak up where others can’t.
Taking on the Met was one of the hardest things I’ve done, but we had a lot of media coverage, support from women’s organisations and a great legal team.
It’s really important for all of us to recognise that the main issue with the police as an institution is systemic racism; if we are not tackling that, first and foremost, there is no point in fighting.
I hope that one day, people can live without fear of being racially profiled, harassed, assaulted and abused by a boys club who are so close to the justice system that they get away with it. Until then, we need to keep the public pressure on.
