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In 2011 Keir Starmer ran all night courts as Director of Public Prosecutions to maximise the number of people prosecuted after the London riots. https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1270374388488167428
"The [DPP], Keir Starmer, made a morale-boosting visit to Highbury magistrates court, north London, at about 4am during one of its night sittings at the height of the August riots, and later praised the efficient response to the disorder." https://www.theguardian.com/law/2011/dec/22/england-riots-all-night-courts
Starmer argued that convicting people of riot offences 24-48 hours after they were arrested in magistrates courts would be a deterrent to further unrest.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jul/03/riot-prosecutions-sentences-keir-starmer
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jul/03/riot-prosecutions-sentences-keir-starmer
In 2010 Starmer declined to prosecute the police officer who pushed over (white) newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson at the 2009 G20 demonstrations. Tomlinson died as a result of his injuries. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/jul/22/charges-tomlinson-death-court-cps
In 2009, Starmer declined to prosecute any of the police involved in the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes. A Brazilian killed in a 'counter-terror' operation and who the MET lied about consistently after he was killed. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/family-of-jean-charles-de-menezes-1009708
Some Starmer fans are complaining that he did eventually prosecute Tomlinson's killer PC Simon Harwood in 2011 so pointed to the 2010 decision is somehow unfair. Well the timeline makes it even worse. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10728685
August 2009: CPS gets a file of evidence against PC Harwood
April 2010: open letter to Starmer about intolerable delays reviewing that evidence.
July 2010: decision taken not to prosecute Harwood.
April 2010: open letter to Starmer about intolerable delays reviewing that evidence.
July 2010: decision taken not to prosecute Harwood.
July 2010: Attorney General Dominic Grieve (a fucking Tory) criticises the CPS decision.
September 2010: pathologist Freddy Patel is suspended from the medical register.
October 2010: Starmer once again declines to prosecute despite Patel's suspension.
September 2010: pathologist Freddy Patel is suspended from the medical register.
October 2010: Starmer once again declines to prosecute despite Patel's suspension.
Then, after the CPS had delayed for months, taken at least two separate decisions not to prosecute, massive public and even establishment outcry, there was an full inquest into Tomlinson's death, and Starmer finally prosecuted only after that.
And if course like every other UK death in custody since 1969, after all that delay, there was no conviction. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opensecurity/deaths-in-british-police-custody-no-convicted-officers-since-1969/
Now apply Starmer's arguments for rapid prosecution and sentencing of people arrested for public order offences in the aftermath of the police killing of Mark Duggan, to deter others from joining in, to his massive delays in the case of PC Harwood. https://twitter.com/libcomorg/status/1270639674403495936
Wow this blew up, checkout the @UFFCampaign and their fundraiser. https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/united-families-friends-campaign
The Tories are now using Keir Starmer's rapid prosecution approach from the London riots to threaten BLM protesters with the same treatment. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/courts-fast-tracking-prosecutions-black-lives-matter-a9562031.html
