Anthony Grainger executed by police

On 3 March Anthony Grainger, 36, was executed by police in a car park in suburban Manchester. He was sat, unarmed, in a stationary vehicle, having been followed by police in a pre-planned operation. Writes Helen and Chrissie Hadfield.

Anthony’s death shocked thousands of people, and left many close to him – including his partner and two young children – devastated. He had no previous convictions for violent offences, and presented no threat to the masked police, armed with machine guns, who surrounded him in several cars.
He was suspected of carrying out a robbery. But this is no justification for murder. What gives the police the right to take an innocent life, and not suffer the consequences of their actions?
Anthony was not resisting arrest, he was unarmed, and he was immobilised by a CS canister thrown through the window of his car. He was a defenceless man murdered by Greater Manchester Police.
We – his family, his friends, and all those opposed to a police force operating above the law – want answers. We want the officer who fired the fatal shot to be charged.
There have been 333 deaths at the hands of police officers in the past ten years, and not a single officer has been convicted. We are demanding answers and fighting for justice. The number of innocent deaths at the hands of the police is growing – rapidly. Harry Stanley was shot from behind whilst carrying a table leg in a bag, which police suspected was a gun. Jean Charles de Menezes was shot 7 times in the back of the head after being “mistaken” for a terrorist. Smiley Culture and Mark Duggan were both murdered in unexplained circumstances. The list goes on.
The death sentence was abolished for many reasons, one of them being innocent people were losing their lives, but with trigger-happy police shooting people down, guilty or not, how is it any different? Police officers who take away the lives of innocent people should be tried, convicted and subject to the same punishment as other murderers.
Our campaign has touched the hearts of many, and there are thousands who think this is a disgrace. This is seen on the comments on twitter (#justice4grainger) and facebook, with people writing and commenting daily. There are banners on houses all over the Northwest, and photographs of people with posters calling for justice.
Leaflets have been posted and handed out all over Manchester, Salford, Bolton and many other areas. Wristbands and hoodies have been made with the campaign name to raise money for his children, their education, and their life without a father.
Our campaign is a campaign for all the victims of extrajudicial killings by a police force, which is out of control and thinks it is above the law.
There will be a demonstration in Manchester, Piccadilly Gardens, on June 17th – Fathers’ Day.
Spread the details of the demo and join the Facebook group #Justice4Grainger to show your support.