Not that this notion was ever questioned, but Black people in the United States are not the only people who deal with police violence. It’s something Black people all around the world have to fight against.
On Wednesday, a London police officer was charged with murdering 24-year-old Chris Kaba, an unarmed Black man who was fatally shot nearly a year ago in September 2022, according to The Independent.
On the night of September 5, 2022, Kaba, who was months away from becoming a father, was being followed by multiple police vehicles in Streatham Hill, an area in South London. He was driving an Audi Q8, a car that allegedly did not belong to him and was connected to a firearm incident days before. As he turned into a nearby neighborhood, his vehicle was blocked by a police car. He was then hit by one gunshot fired by a London police officer. Hours later, he was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
In the days following his death, locals fiercely protested the death of the young man who was an aspiring rapper who went by the name Madix or Mad Titch.
In a statement, Kaba’s family said, “Chris was so very loved by our family and all his friends. He had a bright future ahead of him, but his life was cut short. Our family and our wider community must see justice for Chris.”
They continued, “We welcome this charging decision, which could not have come too soon. Now we await the trial of the firearms officer without delay and hope and pray that justice will be served.”
The officer who is being charged is currently suspended from duty, according to BBC.
This case should remind African Americans that the fight against police violence is not just a national issue, it’s a worldwide one.