Riot police were called to angry scenes at Stratford bus station after Edson Da Costa, 25, died in hospital following arrest

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Bricks were thrown and fires lit on Sunday as protesters confronted police over the treatment of Edir Frederico Da Costa, the 25-year-old black man who died six days after being arrested by officers, who, according to the police watchdog, used force and CS spray against him.

Late on Sunday, six police officers were injured – with four taken to hospital – as the large crowd split into several smaller ones outside Forest Gate police station near the scene of the arrest. Earlier demonstrators had confronted police at Stratford bus station, before moving back to the police station as darkness fell.

The protests follow the opening of an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation into the circumstances surrounding the arrest of Da Costa, also known as Edson.



Some of the protesters carried Black Lives Matter posters and others with homemade placards which read “Justice for Edson + How Many More???”. In the early evening, the crowd chanted “justice for Edson” as they marched, while a woman with a loudhailer led them in a chant of “we want justice” as they confronted officers in Stratford.

Later on, bricks and other objects were thrown at officers outside the police station and some small fires were lit. Police said a male sergeant suffered facial injuries and a female constable sustained head injuries.

Four people have been arrested for offences including disorder, arson and criminal damage.

The demonstration was supported by the UK’s Black Lives Matter movement, though Da Costa’s family told the Guardian on Saturday that they did not support it and would not be attending.

Da Costa was in a car with two other people when it was stopped by police in the Newham area of east London on Thursday 15 June. The Met police initially said only that he “became unwell” and that he had “swallowed a large quantity of drugs”. The IPCC said later it believed officers had used force and CS spray during the arrest.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Edson Da Costa. Photograph: Facebook

Da Costa’s relatives have said they were told by his doctor that he suffered a series of extensive injuries. But the IPCC said a preliminary postmortem suggested he had not.

The demonstrators present on Sunday also alleged that Da Costa was “brutally beaten” and some of them highlighted other cases in which black people have been killed and hurt by the police in the past.

While the demonstration was at Stratford, the local borough commander Supt Ian Larnder, stood in the middle of a group of protesters trying to answer their questions and calm tensions.

Some people reacted angrily, saying “you are protecting them” and “you have told us what you can’t do, now tell us what you can do” as members of the crowd pressed him about alleged police brutality.

More questions drowned him out as he told the largely black crowd: “I am here because l care deeply about what is going on.” Larnder also said: “Police officers are all accountable to the law, they are being investigated ... I genuinely feel for you. I will ring the IPCC and ask them ‘what are you doing?’”

When one of the campaigners asked if the officers involved in the incident were still working, he said: “I am pretty sure they have not been suspended but removed from operational duties.”

#BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) Big shots police officers trying to fob crowd off telling us the IPCC will take care of it. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/Q672sGFzMc

One protester rode his motorbike up to the police line and deliberately revved his engine in front of the officers. Another motorcyclist turned his bike towards the officers and span his wheels so that smoke blew towards them.

Transport for London said that from just before 6pm there had been “a number of bus diversions at police request” due to the demonstration at Stratford.

The crowd arrived back at Forest Gate police station at about 8.15pm and a cordon of uniformed officers stood outside the building.

At least a dozen officers wearing helmets stood shoulder-to-shoulder and two-deep at the station entrance as tempers flared. The demonstrators held a calm minute’s silence at 8.40pm, with each person holding a clenched fist in the air. It was broken with applause, revving of motorbikes and then booming music.

The Met police said: “On Sunday, 25 June a protest occurred outside Forest Gate police station, with the protesters later moving on to the Stratford area.



“The protest returned to the police station, where a number of objects were thrown towards officers.

“A small number of roadway fires – involving the contents of litter bins – were started; these were dealt with by the London Fire Brigade. We are not aware of any damage to local buildings.

“A senior officer has engaged with organisers. As of 22:50hrs, the number of protesters has significantly reduced and an appropriate policing plan remains in place. There have been no arrests.”