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'These things are universal': new film examines story of Mark Duggan killing 'These things are universal': new film examines story of Mark Duggan killing
(35 minutes later)
In the early evening of 4 August 2011 a minicab driving through Tottenham, north London, was stopped by armed police. They surrounded the vehicle and shouted for the passenger, 29-year-old Mark Duggan, to get out of the car. When he did an officer (known as “V53” at the subsequent inquest), thought he saw a gun in Duggan’s right hand. He fired twice, killing him. In the early evening of 4 August 2011, a minicab driving through Tottenham, north London, was stopped by armed police. They surrounded the vehicle and shouted for the passenger, 29-year-old Mark Duggan, to get out of the car. When he did an officer (known as V53 at the subsequent inquest), thought he saw a gun in Duggan’s right hand. He fired twice, killing him.
Duggan’s death ignited the worst riots in modern English history. Starting in London, before spreading to other UK cities, the unrest lasted six days and resulted in more than 3,000 arrests across the country.Duggan’s death ignited the worst riots in modern English history. Starting in London, before spreading to other UK cities, the unrest lasted six days and resulted in more than 3,000 arrests across the country.
The Hard Stop, named after the procedure armed police use to pull over a suspect at speed, is director George Amponsah’s documentary on Duggan’s death and the subsequent unrest. Premiering at the Toronto film festival this week, it follows Marcus Knox and Kurtis Henville, childhood friends of Duggan who grew up with him on the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham. Knox, one of a group filmed on CCTV smashing up a police car, was living in a bail house when filming started, awaiting sentencing after being arrested and charged with violent disorder, robbery and burglary. The Hard Stop, named after the procedure armed police use to pull over a suspect at speed, is director George Amponsah’s documentary on Duggan’s death and the subsequent unrest.
Amponsah followed him as he received his sentence, went to prison for 32 months and was released. He was intrigued by Knox’s story. The one-time criminal had found religion and moved away from Tottenham two years before Duggan’s death. He felt he had been pulled back into violence by the loss of his friend. Amponsah says he wanted to explore Knox’s struggle: watch him try to balance his resolve to live a peaceful, law-abiding life with his sense of loyalty to his community. He reasoned that by getting to know Duggan’s friends, he’d get to know Duggan. Premiering at the Toronto film festival this week, it follows Marcus Knox and Kurtis Henville, childhood friends of Duggan who grew up with him on the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham. Knox, one of a group filmed on CCTV smashing up a police car, was living in a bail house when filming started, awaiting sentencing after being arrested and charged with violent disorder, robbery and burglary.
“I just wanted to find out about the humanity,” he says. “What kind of people get shot by the police in broad daylight on a sunny afternoon by a bus stop in London?” Amponsah followed him as he received his sentence of 32 months, went to prison and was released. He was intrigued by Knox’s story. The one-time criminal had found religion and moved away from Tottenham two years before Duggan’s death. He felt he had been pulled back into violence by the loss of his friend.
Amponsah says he wanted to explore Knox’s struggle: watch him try to balance his resolve to live a peaceful, law-abiding life with his sense of loyalty to his community. He reasoned that by getting to know Duggan’s friends, he’d get to know Duggan.
“I just wanted to find out about the humanity,” says Amponsah. “What kind of people get shot by the police in broad daylight on a sunny afternoon by a bus stop in London?”
Knox, who first met Amponsah in Hammersmith hospital, where we was working, recalls being wary of the director. The media had swooped on Broadwater Farm in the wake of Duggan’s death. The community were suspicious of anyone hunting a story.Knox, who first met Amponsah in Hammersmith hospital, where we was working, recalls being wary of the director. The media had swooped on Broadwater Farm in the wake of Duggan’s death. The community were suspicious of anyone hunting a story.
“I had a lot of trust issues at first,” says Knox. “When George turned up with his camera everyone was shying away and giving me funny looks. Different newspapers had come to the house and because we weren’t used [to the media] we opened our doors to them. The next thing you know they were slandering us. So obviously when George came around we felt like, ‘Well, this is just another guy who’s trying to gain some sort of benefit off us’. There was negative energy, but George was persistent. He gained our trust”.“I had a lot of trust issues at first,” says Knox. “When George turned up with his camera everyone was shying away and giving me funny looks. Different newspapers had come to the house and because we weren’t used [to the media] we opened our doors to them. The next thing you know they were slandering us. So obviously when George came around we felt like, ‘Well, this is just another guy who’s trying to gain some sort of benefit off us’. There was negative energy, but George was persistent. He gained our trust”.
Duggan had been monitored by Operation Trident, the Metropolitan police’s anti-gang taskforce. They had intelligence to suggest that he was involved in drug trafficking and gun crime (this has been denied by Duggan’s family). The police performed the hard stop because they suspected he was carrying a gun. A weapon was found, wrapped in a sock, behind a fence several metres from Duggan’s body after he was shot. It was not marked with his fingerprints and no significant trace of gunpowder was found on his body. The jury at the inquest into his death decided that he had not been holding a gun when he was shot, but ruled that his killing was lawful, a verdict that was described as “perverse” by Duggan’s supporters. Duggan had been monitored by Operation Trident, the Metropolitan police’s anti-gang taskforce. They had intelligence to suggest that he was involved in drug trafficking and gun crime (this has been denied by Duggan’s family).
The Hard Stop is pitched as an investigation into the real Mark Duggan, but it achieves something broader and greater than that too. Timely, given the spate of police killings of unarmed black people in the US, it places the killing of a black man by police in the context of a decades long breakdown in trust between communities like that of Broadwater Farm and the law enforcement. The police performed the hard stop because they suspected he was carrying a gun. A weapon was found, wrapped in a sock, behind a fence several metres from Duggan’s body after he was shot. It was not marked with his fingerprints and no significant trace of gunpowder was found on his body. The jury at the inquest into his death decided that he had not been holding a gun when he was shot, but ruled that his killing was lawful, a verdict that was described as “perverse” by Duggan’s supporters.
The Hard Stop is pitched as an investigation into the real Mark Duggan, but it achieves something broader and greater than that too. Timely, given the spate of police killings of unarmed black people in the US, it places the killing of a black man by police in the context of a decades long breakdown in trust between communities, like that of Broadwater Farm, and the law enforcement.
Amponsah explores the history of Broadwater Farm, explicitly a riot in 1985 that lead to the still unsolved murder of PC Keith Blakelock. PC Blakelock was working to protect a group of firefighters who had been called to the estate after the riot started. He was killed by a gang wielding knives and machetes.Amponsah explores the history of Broadwater Farm, explicitly a riot in 1985 that lead to the still unsolved murder of PC Keith Blakelock. PC Blakelock was working to protect a group of firefighters who had been called to the estate after the riot started. He was killed by a gang wielding knives and machetes.
The spark for the 1985 riot was the death of Cynthia Jarrett, who suffered a heart attack while police were searching her house. In news footage from the time one announcer notes that “police could have prevented the riot, if they responded to community groups from Broadwater Farm”. The Hard Stop suggests little has changed.The spark for the 1985 riot was the death of Cynthia Jarrett, who suffered a heart attack while police were searching her house. In news footage from the time one announcer notes that “police could have prevented the riot, if they responded to community groups from Broadwater Farm”. The Hard Stop suggests little has changed.
“What happened in 2011 is not an isolated incident,” says Amponsah. “And what happened in 1985 wasn’t an isolated incident. These things are universal. And they always tend to start with the same issue, which is – at the very least – a perception of police brutality: state-sanctioned violence towards a member of a community. As the riots in 2011 escalated the actual reason for them in the first place started to get lost, which was a human life”.“What happened in 2011 is not an isolated incident,” says Amponsah. “And what happened in 1985 wasn’t an isolated incident. These things are universal. And they always tend to start with the same issue, which is – at the very least – a perception of police brutality: state-sanctioned violence towards a member of a community. As the riots in 2011 escalated the actual reason for them in the first place started to get lost, which was a human life”.
The Hard Stop shows us the human beings behind the headlines. It shows Knox reflecting on his criminal past – how he used to dominate people, ruling them through extortion and fear.The Hard Stop shows us the human beings behind the headlines. It shows Knox reflecting on his criminal past – how he used to dominate people, ruling them through extortion and fear.
“Growing up I always rated badness,” he says ruefully. Today he mentors young people who grew up in a similar situation to him, including Mark Duggan’s eldest son, Kemani. Similarly Henville, who has served prison time for drug offences, is shown trying to go straight (“I didn’t rob anyone or hustle anyone – I was just trying to be a young entrepreneur at the time,” he says of days as a dealer). Amponsah denies that he’s trying to sanitise the pair. The film is not, he says, “a Hug-a-Hoodie exercise”. But he does place value on what they did during the three years that he spent filming with them. They took significant steps to redefine themselves. “Growing up I always rated badness,” he says ruefully. Today he mentors young people who grew up in a similar situation to him, including Mark Duggan’s eldest son, Kemani.
“What’s been interesting is getting to know Marcus and Kurtis as they try and get on with their lives,” he says. “[But] the police still have this problem with them. You get the impression that there’s this game of cat and mouse. One side decides, ‘Right, I’m going to leave now’, but the other side, being the police, say, ‘Well, no. You can’t leave. It’s not up to you’.” Similarly Henville, who has served prison time for drug offences, is shown trying to go straight (“I didn’t rob anyone or hustle anyone – I was just trying to be a young entrepreneur at the time,” he says of days as a dealer).
“We’re antagonised by [the police],” says Knox. “They come driving into the Broadwalk Farm estate doing hand gestures – gun fingers. When Mark first got shot uniformed officers were driving past putting two fingers up [he mimes 1 finger up on each hand], like “one-one”. Like it’s a football match. One-all [referring to PC Blakelock]”. (The Met say this is a rumour that was investigated at the time by borough police officers, who found no evidence that it was true). Amponsah denies that he’s trying to sanitise the pair. The film is not, he says, “a Hug-a-Hoodie exercise”. But he does place value on what they did during the three years that he spent filming with them. They took significant steps to redefine themselves.
“What’s been interesting is getting to know Marcus and Kurtis as they try to get on with their lives,” he says. “[But] the police still have this problem with them. You get the impression that there’s this game of cat and mouse. One side decides, ‘Right, I’m going to leave now’, but the other side, being the police, say, ‘Well, no. You can’t leave. It’s not up to you’.”
“We’re antagonised by [the police],” says Knox. “They come driving into the Broadwalk Farm estate doing hand gestures – gun fingers. When Mark first got shot uniformed officers were driving past putting two fingers up [he mimes 1 finger up on each hand], like “one-one”. Like it’s a football match. One-all [referring to PC Blakelock]”. (The Met say this is a rumour that was investigated at the time by borough police officers, who found no evidence that it was true.)
A big part of the problem, say Amponsah and Knox, is that communities like Broadwater Farm, which is highly ethnically diverse, are policed largely – if not entirely – by white officers.A big part of the problem, say Amponsah and Knox, is that communities like Broadwater Farm, which is highly ethnically diverse, are policed largely – if not entirely – by white officers.
“When all of that escalates, as it did in 2011, suddenly they bring out a black police officer to somehow come and be some sort of soothing balm for the situation,” says Amponsah. “That might be something the Met does because they think it’ll show they care, but that’s only going to antagonise the community. Isn’t that almost trying to humiliate people further?“When all of that escalates, as it did in 2011, suddenly they bring out a black police officer to somehow come and be some sort of soothing balm for the situation,” says Amponsah. “That might be something the Met does because they think it’ll show they care, but that’s only going to antagonise the community. Isn’t that almost trying to humiliate people further?
“Why are you coming now?,” says Knox. “Where were you the other 25 years? Why is it only now that a man’s been shot that they want to put you there?”“Why are you coming now?,” says Knox. “Where were you the other 25 years? Why is it only now that a man’s been shot that they want to put you there?”
The police involved in the killing of Mark Duggan were cleared of any wrongdoing by the Independent Police Complaints Commission in March of this year, following the lawful killing verdict from the inquest in January 2014. Amponsah was there filming with Knox and Henville when the inquest jury’s verdict was announced. He shows Duggan’s family and friends reacting with shock, anger and disbelief. The police involved in the killing of Mark Duggan were cleared of any wrongdoing by the Independent Police Complaints Commission in March, following the lawful killing verdict from the inquest in January 2014. Amponsah was there filming with Knox and Henville when the inquest jury’s verdict was announced. He shows Duggan’s family and friends reacting with shock, anger and disbelief.
Amponsah belives the truth about Duggan’s death will seep out eventually. His personal take is that, equipped with bad intelligence about their suspect, the police overreacted to the threat that Duggan posed. The shooting therefore may have been a mistake. But the way the police reacted after Duggan’s death? That was damning. Amponsah believes the truth about Duggan’s death will seep out eventually. His personal take is that, equipped with bad intelligence about their suspect, the police overreacted to the threat that Duggan posed. The shooting therefore may have been a mistake. But the way the police reacted after Duggan’s death? That was damning.
“I think they botched it,” he says. “An officer potentially thought they saw a gun in Mark’s hand, that seemed like a threat to themselves and their fellow officers. If we accept that then at what point do the police accept that a mistake was made? That’s what Marcus says in the film: ‘Just admit you were wrong and made a mistake’. I didn’t see that happening then and I don’t see it happening now. There was just this kneejerk process of ‘Let’s demonise the victim of the mistake’.” “I think they botched it,” he says. “An officer potentially thought they saw a gun in Mark’s hand, that seemed like a threat to themselves and their fellow officers. If we accept that then at what point do the police accept that a mistake was made? That’s what Marcus says in the film: ‘Just admit you were wrong and made a mistake’. I didn’t see that happening then and I don’t see it happening now. There was just this kneejerk process of ‘Let’s demonise the victim of the mistake’.
“The police have a difficult job to do,” he says. “But I believe that if you make a mistake in your line of work, you should hold your hands up and say, ‘I made a mistake and we will do the best we can to learn from it’. I don’t see the police doing that and I think that’s a problem. If we’re talking about a capacity to change? I’ve seen it in Marcus and Kurtis. I don’t really see it in the police.” “The police have a difficult job to do,” he adds. “But I believe that if you make a mistake in your line of work, you should hold your hands up and say, ‘I made a mistake and we will do the best we can to learn from it’. I don’t see the police doing that and I think that’s a problem. If we’re talking about a capacity to change? I’ve seen it in Marcus and Kurtis. I don’t really see it in the police.”