Latest news with #JeanCharlesdeMenezes
Glasgow Times
12 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
‘Travesty' no officers prosecuted for Jean Charles de Menezes' death
Dozens of people joined his relatives for a vigil outside Stockwell Tube station in south London, where the Brazilian was shot and killed by police the day after failed bombing attempts on the London transport network. It came two weeks after the 7/7 terror attacks, which killed 52 people in central London in 2005. A Justice4Jean T-shirt worn by the family of Jean Charles de Menezes at a vigil outside Stockwell station in London (Lucy North/PA) Mr de Menezes' family were joined at a memorial outside the station to pay tribute and lay flowers, to mark the 20th anniversary of his death. A minute's silence was held to mark the moment the 27-year-old was killed, a prayer was also read in both Portuguese and English, and traditional South American music was played in his honour. Family members and supporters of the campaign wore black T-shirts which read: '20 years: Justice denied. Justice4Jean.' Relatives say the anniversary marks a renewed call for truth and accountability for those responsible for his death. Mr de Menezes was shot seven times in the head the day after police mistakenly identified him as one of the suspects for the failed bombings. Would-be suicide bombers had targeted the transport network on July 21, but their devices failed to explode. Police found an address in Scotia Road, Tulse Hill, written on a gym membership in one of the unexploded bags used by the bombers. Mr de Menezes, who lived in one of the flats at Scotia Road, was wrongly identified by police as Hussain Osman, one of the terrorists. Patricia da Silva Armani, the cousin of Jean Charles de Menezes, speaks during a vigil outside Stockwell station (Lucy North/PA) He was shot dead at Stockwell Tube station on July 22 2005. His family said it is 'a travesty' that no police officer has been held accountable for his death. Patricia da Silva Armani, Mr de Menezes' cousin, said: 'He was a completely innocent man. And yet, he was shot in cold blood. 'To make things worse, lies were spread to justify the unjustifiable. 'For our family, the grief of that loss and the injustice surrounding it are still with us, every single day. 'Nothing can erase the pain of knowing that the life of a hard-working, kind, and honest young man was taken from us out of prejudice and incompetence. 'To this day, no police officer has been held accountable for Jean's death. That is a travesty. 'It is unacceptable that agents of the state can act with impunity. Without accountability, there is no justice. (from second left) Erionaldo da Silva, Alex Pereira, Alessandro Pereira and Vivian Figueiredo, relatives of Jean Charles de Menezes, hold a vigil outside Stockwell station (Lucy North/PA) 'Jean's memory demands more than words – it demands truth, accountability, and real change. We will not forget. We will not be silent.' No officers were ever prosecuted for the killing of Mr De Menezes but the Metropolitan Police were fined for breaching health and safety laws. Dame Cressida Dick, who became Metropolitan Police commissioner in 2017, led the operation in which Mr de Menezes died. Yasmin Khan, the campaign's lawyer, said: 'Twenty years ago today, Jean Charles de Menezes stepped on to a train here at Stockwell station and never came home. 'We remember him today, because the system that killed him never faced justice, and not a single police officer was ever held accountable.' Ms Khan added: 'What I've learned from these people we see standing in front of you is to remember Jean Charles is a lesson in refusing to be silent. 'It's an honour, not just to his life, but to the bravery of those who fought for him to remind us that the fight for justice is long. 'Justice may have been denied, but their fight was worth every breath.' Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: 'The events of July 22 2005 remain a matter of deep regret to the Met and have had a major and lasting impact on counter-terrorism policing in this country. 'Twenty years after the death of Jean Charles de Menezes, the thoughts of all of us at the Metropolitan Police are today with his family and friends.'
The Guardian
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Immigration agents in New York and protests in London: photos of the day
Family members of Jean Charles de Menezes react as they gather for a vigil outside the Underground station at Stockwell on the 20th anniversary of his death. The Brazilian was killed by the Metropolitan police after being mistakenly identified as someone responsible for a failed copycat attack of the July 7 London bombings in 2005 Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images Steve Lewis, 64, from Tottenham, takes part in a protest outside the Houses of Parliament from his home via an LED screen as he is unable to leave his caring duties. The protest, part of a campaign by Carers Trust and Uncommon Creative Studio, takes place after figures revealed that one in three unpaid carers are rarely able to leave their responsibilities and have no legal right to time off Photograph: Matt Alexander/PA People carry items that symbolise what is being lost or denied to Palestinians as a result of Israel's military campaign in Gaza Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian A cyclist passes a banner showing an image of destruction in Gaza which activists from the Led By Donkeys protest group installed over the Labour party's headquarters Photograph: Isabel Infantes/Reuters At al-Shifa hospital Palestinians mourn over the body of a child who medics said was killed in an Israeli strike Photograph: Khamis Al-Rifi/Reuters Living in a tent in Gaza City, where basic supplies are lacking, 18-month-old Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq's weight dropped from 9kg to 6kg. Malnutrition is widespread in the territory. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Children hold empty pots as they gather in hopes of receiving food from a charity kitchen Photograph: Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters Palestinians walk among rubble and makeshift shelters as they head to collect aid supplies from trucks which entered central Gaza from Israel Photograph: Khamis Al-Rifi/Reuters Federal immigration agents patrol the corridors of the Jacob K Javits federal building. Several undocumented immigrants were reportedly detained inside the courthouse during immigration proceedings Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images The Salvadoran navy escorts a semi-submersible carrying 1.3 tonnes of cocaine after arresting two Ecuadorians and a Colombian onboard. The vessel was intercepted 600 nautical miles (about 1,100km) south-west of the Jaltepeque estuary, and was carrying a cargo valued at $33m, El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, said Photograph: EL SALVADOR'S PRESIDENCY PRESS OFFICE/AFP/Getty Images Arturo Suarez, who was held for months in an El Salvador prison after the US alleged he was a member of the Tren de Aragua gang, embraces family members after his release Photograph: Leonardo Fernández Viloria/Reuters Emergency services personnel work to put out a fire after a Russian attack Photograph: AP The tropical storm Wipha caused monsoon rains and flooding in the capital, and heavy rains continued even after the storm moved towards Vietnam Photograph: Aaron Favila/AP Police detain an activist protesting against a bill to criminalise the search of 'extremist materials' on the internet, as the legislation was due to be read at The State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament Photograph: AP People look at the remains of a school that was hit by an air force training aircraft, killing at least 20 people Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters A tractor cuts a fire line as a wildfire burns near the settlement of Beledie Han Photograph: Reuters A coach driver takes a rest inside the luggage compartment on a warm day Photograph: Andy Wong/AP Tourists watch the sunset at the Uyuni salt flat, which has an area of more than 10,000 sq km and is the biggest such landscape in the world Photograph: Esteban Biba/EPA
Metro
13 hours ago
- Metro
Why was an innocent electrician shot and killed by police ‘in cold blood'?
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video On July 22, 20 years ago today, electrician Jean Charles de Menezes left his home in Tulse Hill to fix a broken alarm. Stopping to pick up a copy of Metro, the Brazilian national descended the stairs of Stockwell Tube Station and boarded the next train. Unbeknownst to him, three officers – named only as Hotel 1, 2 and 3 – sat themselves around him. Moments later, he was shot seven times in the head by police, leaving his body 'unrecognisable'. His devastated mum Maria has been pushing for prosecutions ever since, saying her son was 'educated and civilised' and 'always respected law and order'. The family gathered today at a vigil outside the station, saying it is a 'travesty' no police officer has ever been held accountable. Patricia da Silva Armani, Mr de Menezes' cousin, said: 'He was a completely innocent man. And yet, he was shot in cold blood. 'Nothing can erase the pain of knowing that the life of a hard-working, kind, and honest young man was taken from us out of prejudice and incompetence. 'Jean's memory demands more than words – it demands truth, accountability, and real change. We will not forget. We will not be silent.' But what happened in those fatal few moments on the Tube, and why have the officers have not faced any disciplinary measures? They wrongly thought the Jean Charles was part of the previous day's failed second wave of bomb attacks three weeks after the 7/7 terror attacks. An address in Scotia Road, Tulse Hill, was written on a gym membership card found inside one of the bags where an undetonated bomb was hidden. Police carried out extensive surveillance in the area, where Jean Charles lived in one of those flats with his two cousins. As he left to respond to the faulty alarm, officers believed Jean Charles looked like the CCTV images of one of the bombing suspects Osman Hussain. Cressida Dick, who later became Metropolitan Police Commissioner, ordered Jean Charles be prevented from entering the London Underground. 22 July 2005 Jean Charles de Menezes shot dead by police at Stockwell Tube station 17 July 2006 CPS says no officers will be prosecuted, but Met Police will be tried for breaching health and safety laws 1 November 2007 Met Police found guilty of breaching health and safety laws and fined 22 October 2008 Inquest under way – coroner rules out unlawful killing verdict a month later 12 December 2008 Inquest jury returns open verdict 16 November 2009 Met Police settles damages claim with family 10 June 2015 De Menezes family take legal challenge to European Court of Human Rights 30 March 2016 Family lose challenge over decision not to charge any police officer over the shooting Officers followed him onto a bus and thought he was acting suspicious once he arrived at Brixton Station and found it was closed due to the previous day's bombings. Jean Charles boarded the bus again to Stockwell Station, went down to the platform and got on the train. Firearms officers boarded the train, with varying accounts of whether or not they spoke to the electrician or not. They had all sat around him, and when Jean Charles stood up, an officer codenamed Hotel 3 grabbed, pinned his arms against his torso and pushed him back into his seat. It is unclear what happens next. Two officers fired a total of 11 shots between them. Seven of them landed in Jean Charles's head and his body was left 'unreconisable'. Police said they had been told to fire directly at suspected suicide bomber's heads – which the Muslim Council of Britain described as a 'shoot-to-kill policy'. Later investigation found the event had the 'hallmarks of a special forces operation, rather than a police one'. No officers were prosecuted, but the Metropolitan Police force was fined for breaching health and safety laws. More Trending Jean Charles's family took the force to the European Court of Human Rights in 2016 over the decision to not charge any officers. But the family lost the challenge, with the force saying the circumstances around his death 'came at a time of unprecedented terrorist threat to London'. They have also been subject to numerous public inquiries, and two separate reports by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. The Met said: 'No officer sets out on duty intent on ending a life. Our sole purpose is the complete opposite – the protection and preservation of life – and we have taken extensive action to address the causes of this tragedy.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'First-of-its-kind' Eurostar-style train to directly connect UK with Berlin and two more cities MORE: Husband who stabbed estranged wife in street as she pushed their baby in pram jailed for 28 years MORE: Fans slam 'atrocious' immersive Elvis Presley show with tickets up to £300
Powys County Times
14 hours ago
- Powys County Times
‘Travesty' no officers prosecuted for Jean Charles de Menezes' death
The family of mistaken terror suspect Jean Charles de Menezes have said it is a 'travesty' no police officer has been held accountable 20 years after he was shot dead. Dozens of people joined his relatives for a vigil outside Stockwell Tube station in south London, where the Brazilian was shot and killed by police the day after failed bombing attempts on the London transport network. It came two weeks after the 7/7 terror attacks, which killed 52 people in central London in 2005. Mr de Menezes' family were joined at a memorial outside the station to pay tribute and lay flowers, to mark the 20th anniversary of his death. A minute's silence was held to mark the moment the 27-year-old was killed, a prayer was also read in both Portuguese and English, and traditional South American music was played in his honour. Family members and supporters of the campaign wore black T-shirts which read: '20 years: Justice denied. Justice4Jean.' Relatives say the anniversary marks a renewed call for truth and accountability for those responsible for his death. Mr de Menezes was shot seven times in the head the day after police mistakenly identified him as one of the suspects for the failed bombings. Would-be suicide bombers had targeted the transport network on July 21, but their devices failed to explode. Police found an address in Scotia Road, Tulse Hill, written on a gym membership in one of the unexploded bags used by the bombers. Mr de Menezes, who lived in one of the flats at Scotia Road, was wrongly identified by police as Hussain Osman, one of the terrorists. He was shot dead at Stockwell Tube station on July 22 2005. His family said it is 'a travesty' that no police officer has been held accountable for his death. Patricia da Silva Armani, Mr de Menezes' cousin, said: 'He was a completely innocent man. And yet, he was shot in cold blood. 'To make things worse, lies were spread to justify the unjustifiable. 'For our family, the grief of that loss and the injustice surrounding it are still with us, every single day. 'Nothing can erase the pain of knowing that the life of a hard-working, kind, and honest young man was taken from us out of prejudice and incompetence. 'To this day, no police officer has been held accountable for Jean's death. That is a travesty. 'It is unacceptable that agents of the state can act with impunity. Without accountability, there is no justice. 'Jean's memory demands more than words – it demands truth, accountability, and real change. We will not forget. We will not be silent.' No officers were ever prosecuted for the killing of Mr De Menezes but the Metropolitan Police were fined for breaching health and safety laws. Dame Cressida Dick, who became Metropolitan Police commissioner in 2017, led the operation in which Mr de Menezes died. Yasmin Khan, the campaign's lawyer, said: 'Twenty years ago today, Jean Charles de Menezes stepped on to a train here at Stockwell station and never came home. 'We remember him today, because the system that killed him never faced justice, and not a single police officer was ever held accountable.' Ms Khan added: 'What I've learned from these people we see standing in front of you is to remember Jean Charles is a lesson in refusing to be silent. 'It's an honour, not just to his life, but to the bravery of those who fought for him to remind us that the fight for justice is long. 'Justice may have been denied, but their fight was worth every breath.'
ITV News
14 hours ago
- ITV News
'Travesty': Innocent man wrongly shot for 7/7 attack remembered by family at Stockwell Station
The family of an innocent man, who was shot dead by police after they wrongly thought he was behind the 7/7 attacks, has said it's a 'travesty' no police officer has been held accountable after 20 years. Dozens of people joined Jean Charles de Menezes relatives for a vigil outside Stockwell Tube Station in south London, where he was shot and killed by police the day after failed bombing attempts on the London transport network. It came two weeks after the 7/7 terror attacks, which killed 52 people in central London in 2005. His family said it is 'a travesty' that no police officer has been held accountable for his death. Patricia da Silva Armani, Mr de Menezes' cousin, said: 'He was a completely innocent man. And yet, he was shot in cold blood. 'To make things worse, lies were spread to justify the unjustifiable. 'For our family, the grief of that loss and the injustice surrounding it are still with us, every single day." Mr de Menezes' family were joined at a memorial outside the station to pay tribute and lay flowers, to mark the 20th anniversary of his death. A minute's silence was held to mark the moment the 27-year-old was killed, a prayer was also read in both Portuguese and English, and traditional South American music was played in his honour. 'Nothing can erase the pain of knowing that the life of a hard-working, kind, and honest young man was taken from us out of prejudice and incompetence," Ms da Silva Armani, said. 'To this day, no police officer has been held accountable for Jean's death. That is a travesty. 'It is unacceptable that agents of the state can act with impunity. Without accountability, there is no justice. 'Jean's memory demands more than words – it demands truth, accountability, and real change. We will not forget. We will not be silent.' Mr de Menezes was shot seven times in the head the day after police mistakenly identified him as one of the suspects for the failed bombings. Would-be suicide bombers had targeted the transport network on July 21, but their devices failed to explode. Police found an address in Scotia Road, Tulse Hill, written on a gym membership in one of the unexploded bags used by the bombers. Mr de Menezes, who lived in one of the flats at Scotia Road, was wrongly identified by police as one of the terrorists called Hussain Osman, . He was shot dead at Stockwell Tube Station on July 22, 2005. No officers were prosecuted for the killing of Mr De Menezes but the Metropolitan Police were fined for breaching health and safety laws. Dame Cressida Dick, who became Metropolitan Police commissioner in 2017, led the operation in which Mr de Menezes died. Yasmin Khan, the campaign's lawyer, said: 'Twenty years ago today, Jean Charles de Menezes stepped on to a train here at Stockwell station and never came home. 'We remember him today, because the system that killed him never faced justice, and not a single police officer was ever held accountable.' Ms Khan added: 'What I've learned from these people we see standing in front of you is to remember Jean Charles is a lesson in refusing to be silent. 'It's an honour, not just to his life, but to the bravery of those who fought for him to remind us that the fight for justice is long. 'Justice may have been denied, but their fight was worth every breath.'
