Some examples of family campaigns | The INQUEST Skills and Support Toolkit

I support INQUEST's commitment to promote change and fight for improvements to policy and practice, to safeguard the most vulnerable in our society. – Lord Patel of Bradford

Family campaigns rely on individuals and groups finding ways to change things. They share much in common such as demands for justice, truth, and reform but also vary in what they want to achieve in the long term, tactics, size of the campaign and the amount of support they receive.

The INQUEST web site www.inquest.org.uk has a whole section dedicated to campaigns, from local family run campaigns to national human rights campaigns. The web site also has access to information on cases, press releases and is a valuable research tool. Outlined below are some campaigns that you may be familiar with and want to have a look at, you can find more detail at the INQUEST web site.

www.4wardeveruk.org

www.4wardeveruk.org – provides “a one-stop-resource for profiles, news, and event details, useful information, appeals, and more in relation to deaths and abuse whilst in custody; including the death penalty, other injustices in the UK and internationally”. The aims of the campaign are clearly laid out on the home page of their web site and are quite straightforward; they “support the call for police, penal and mental health reforms, and for an end to the brutality of torture and capital punishment”. This campaign has gone beyond a single issue or family injustice and is committed to change both at home and abroad The group also provides the ‘Family Web Pages’ a free service to help families and friends set up a website with dedicated pages giving any details of significant information i.e. events, court hearings, appeals and messages etc. They will then assist with keeping the site up to date.

United Friends and Family Campaign (UFFC)

United Friends and Family Campaign (UFFC) – is a coalition, established in 1997, of those affected by deaths in police, prison and psychiatric custody, and supports others in similar situations. The campaign uses its website and other social media to provide news and information, links to other family campaigns as well as publishing case profiles, related campaign information, press releases and documents on reform and policy. UFFC also helps organise the annual remembrance procession by families, to Trafalgar Square, to commemorate the lives of those who have died.

The Newham Monitoring Project (NMP)

The Newham Monitoring Project (NMP) – is an independent community-based anti-racist organisation, which was set up in 1980. It is based in the east London borough of Newham in London. NMP works with members of the black community suffering racial discrimination / violence, police misconduct and civil rights issues. It monitors the response of statutory organisations – such as the police, the council and housing services – to the black community, in order to advocate for fair treatment and access to justice where this is not being met.

Sean Rigg Justice and Change Campaign

Sean Rigg Justice and Change Campaign – Sean Rigg’s family seek answers about, and justice for the death in police custody. Sean Rigg died in the yard of Brixton police station after being restrained by officers and then taken to the station in August 2008. The campaign has as its primary focus a demand for justice for Sean, but is broader in its call for a change to the whole system. The web site provides campaign information, press coverage of other cases, links to other campaigns and acts as a tribute to Sean.

The Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign

The Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign – the website and the Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign were set up by Ian’s family. Ian Tomlinson was an innocent passer-by trying to get home who died after a police assault at the G20 protests on April 1st 2009. The campaign demands a full investigation into Ian’s death, to call for criminal charges to be brought against any police officer whose actions or failure of duty result in a death and to campaign for a change to police policy, tactics and abuse of power which may endanger members of the public, rather than protect them.

Campaign for Justice for Smiley Culture

Campaign for Justice for Smiley Culture – was started to support the family & friends of David Emanuel (AKA Smiley Culture) who died in ‘mysterious and questionable circumstances’ in police custody.

The Friends of Mikey Powell Campaign for Justice

The Friends of Mikey Powell Campaign for Justice – was “established by the family of Michael Lloyd Powell (known as Mikey), a cousin of the renowned poet and writer, Benjamin Zephaniah, following his death in Police custody. Mikey was 38 years old and a father of three young children. He had suffered several short episodes of mental illness from which he had recovered. An episode occurred on 7th September 2003. The family continues their fight in Mikey’s name, and support other campaigns for justice in the United Kingdom.” As well as focussing on the specific case of Mikey Powell the group provides information, support, and links to others campaigning for greater transparency, accountability and justice.

Pauline Campbell

Pauline Campbell – Pauline Campbell’s daughter Sarah died in HMP Styal in 2003. The insensitive way she, as a bereaved parent, was treated after the death motivated her campaign to expose the continuing death toll in women’s prisons. However she did not rely on web sites and social media, more direct action and protest. Pauline used every opportunity she could to highlight the issues of women dying in prison. She spoke at meetings, wrote letters to MPs, councillors, the Ministry of Justice, newspapers, Prison Governors, she spoke on radio and TV and gave speeches at public meetings, rallies and marches. She arranged a demonstration outside every prison in which a woman had died, holding twenty eight in all. Pauline died in 2008, but for five years was a tireless protester and campaigner.

The Smith family

The Smith family have campaigned to ensure that “Reviews of items given to a prisoner who has indicated that they will self harm in a particular manner should be undertaken, to ensure that the prisoner does not have access to objects they may use to self–harm”. This quote appeared in the coroners rule 43 letter to the Ministry of Justice, following the inquest into their daughter’s death. Rebecca was found to have suffocated herself using a plastic bag, having experienced a long history of mental illness. The family’s involvement in the inquest was essential. Had they not been represented, key factual witnesses and expert evidence would not have been called. That evidence has raised fundamental issues about the care mentally vulnerable women receive within the prison establishment.

These campaigns provide a snapshot of the way families and organisations campaign. As you can see, some are large and well organised campaigns, others more personal, less well publicised, but very effective. All of them rely to a greater or lesser extent on the type of skills already explored in Section 1 of this Toolkit. Campaigning needs planning, organisation, the ability to deal with people and new situations, and information. If you are unsure about whether campaigning is for you, then it could be useful to talk to other members of your family, friends, advisors or colleagues from work, or from your local community. It is also worth talking to the casework team at INQUEST and most importantly of all, those families and groups that have campaigns up and running. Find out what it involves and decide whether you want to get involved.

Before you take on any campaigning responsibility, it is worth noting that it can take an emotional toll on families. Families have spoken of feeling guilty that they were not more involved, or that other family members suffered because they were “too” involved. What ever contribution you make, big or small, there is no right or wrong way to respond to the death of a family member. It is ultimately your decision but for many families becoming “active citizens” or engaging with the political process has had a positive and lasting impact.

The Inquest Handbook, published by INQUEST and available free to bereaved family members also contains some helpful advice on campaigning (Section 7 Can campaigning help?). Families can get a copy of this from INQUEST.