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Protests in east London over Rashan Charles’ death: Here’s how it went down

The 20-year-old died after being chased by the police last weekend.
The 20-year-old died after being chased by the police last weekend. The 20-year-old died after being chased by the police last weekend.

Violence erupted in east London last night as protesters clashed with police over the death of Rashan Charles.

Here’s everything you need to know.

What were the protests all about?

Rashan Charles death
Rashan Charles death
(Lauren Hurley/PA)

Last Saturday, 20-year-old black man Rashan Charles died after a chase with the police.

Unverified footage on social media appeared to show at least one police officer attempting to restrain Charles on the floor of a shop at 1.45am on the Kingsland Road. He later died in hospital.

The IPCC said in a statement on Friday: “We understand the concerns raised following Rashan’s death.

“We will independently examine the circumstances of this incident, we will follow the evidence, we will consider whether there is an indication there may have been misconduct or criminality, and we will seek to answer the questions that Rashan’s family and the community of Hackney understandably have.”

How did the protests go down?

The group blocked part of Kingsland Road – near the shop where Charles was restrained by police – with wheelie bins, mattresses and debris at around 3.40pm.

Officers retreated as items including bottles were thrown towards them, but the group remained at the barricade, stopping cyclists and motorists from passing.

As night fell, mattresses and bins forming part of the barricade were set on fire and riot police moved in.

Angry clashes broke out at around 10pm, as scores of missiles were launched at police as they attempted to disperse the group.

Restaurants and bars pulled down their shutters, locking customers inside, as the protesters were pushed down Kingsland High Street and beyond Dalston Kingsland Station.

The violence appeared to have ended shortly after 11pm, but shattered glass littered the streets of Dalston and a helicopter continued to circle above.

What happens next?

Rashan Charles death
Rashan Charles death
(Lauren Hurley/PA)

Charles’ father Esa will give a joint statement with Ginario Da Costa, the father of Edson Da Costa, outside Stoke Newington Police station today.

Da Costa died on June 21, six days after he was detained by police during a traffic stop in east London.

Campaigners claim Da Costa’s neck was broken and that he was “brutally beaten” after a car, containing three people, was halted in Woodcocks, Beckton.

His death is also being investigated by the IPCC, which has revealed an early pathology report shows he had “a number of packages in his throat” when he died.