Demonstrators confront police in east London over Da Costa death Riot police were called to angry scenes at Stratford bus station after Edson Da Costa, 25, died in hospital following arrest
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.
