UK police cleared over death of unarmed man

A inquest jury has found that London police lawfully shot and killed an unarmed man, whose death led to the worst riots in modern British history.

Mark Duggan, 29, was surrounded by police and shot dead in Tottenham, north London on August 4, 2011. The police officer who fired the fatal shot testified that he saw a firearm in Duggan’s right hand. 

A gun was later found metres from where Duggan died, but it was wrapped in a sock and was not made ready for firing.

The inquest jury on Wednesday ruled that while the shooting was legal, Duggan had thrown the weapon away before being surrounded by police.

Mark Duggan

Family members and supporters of Duggan, 29, shouted obscenities after the decision was read at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Duggan’s brother Shaun Hall shouted at jurors as they left court, while other supporters screamed “murderers”.

Duggan’s death lead to some of the worst rioting seen in Britain in living memory. they began with 100 people marching on Tottenham police station to demand answers about the shooting.

Within days, Tottenham’s main street was in flames as hundreds of youths took to the streets, looting shops and damaging property.

Civil disturbances spread to other parts of the capital and the cities of Birmingham, Liverpool and Bristol, and lasted for more than a week.

The Conservative-lead government blamed the riots on thugs and criminals, and an ensuing crackdown on those identified as looters and vandals led to hundreds of people being jailed – many for minor, first-time offences.

“We will still fight for justice,” his brother Shaun Hall said outside the court, to chants of “No Justice” from other supporters.

Duggan’s aunt, Carole Duggan, said: “The majority of the people in this country know that Mark was executed.”

“He was executed and we still believe that. And we’re going to fight until we have no breath in our body. For justice, for Mark, for his children,” she added.