The family of Kevin Clarke, a 35-year-old Black man who died following police restraint in Lewisham in 2018, will unveil a commemorative mural in his honour next week. No officers have been held accountable over his death.
Kevin was experiencing a mental health crisis when he died following restraint by Metropolitan Police officers in Lewisham, South London, on 9 March 2018.
During the restraint, which lasted 33 minutes, he told officers “I can’t breathe” and “I’m going to die”. An inquest in 2020 found Kevin's death was contributed to by “inappropriate” restraint by police, yet two officers involved were cleared of misconduct earlier this year.
The public artwork, created by artist Carleen De Sözer, stands as a powerful tribute to Kevin’s life and as an ongoing reminder of his family’s call for justice.
The mural will be formally recognised by Kevin’s family and Lewisham Council during a public commemoration on Thursday 24 July from 2pm to 3pm.
Community members are invited to gather from 1:30pm at The Albany Deptford Café, Douglas Way, SE8 4AG, before walking together to the unveiling site.
Speakers will include the family’s pastor, the Mayor of Lewisham, Adam Pugh, who painted an earlier temporary mural in memory of Kevin in 2020, and representatives from Black Lives Matter UK (BLMUK) and the United Families & Friends Campaign (UFFC).
Wendy Strachan, the mother of Kevin Clarke, said: “After losing my son at the hands of Lewisham Police officers, we did not get accountability or justice. We have been deeply disappointed by the system, so this mural is a big source of comfort to us.
It shows his humanity in a way that the system refused to. We appreciate Carleen’s work and are grateful for that he will be remembered in Lewisham.”
Tellecia Strachan, the sister of Kevin, said: “This mural is such a bittersweet moment for the family filled with raw emotions of hurt, anger and grief. It’s been seven years since Kevin was taken from us, but it still only feels like yesterday!
On the 9th of March 2018, Kevin’s life was cut short at the hands of the police who held him down to the point he constantly gasped out the words “I CAN’T BREATHE”! This injustice remains with us today!
Kevin’s name is on a long list of those who die at the hands of the state and families are left to seek, campaign and fight for answers as to how they lost their loved one with no real justice, just the trauma!
But we continue as a family to keep our son, our brother, our uncle, our friend alive. So we are grateful today that this mural is placed here in Deptford where Kevin was known and well-loved and where people will be reminded of his story!”
Kojo Kyerewaa, National Organiser at Black Lives Matter: “Kevin Clarke should be with us today, the Police took his life with impunity. The officers who ignored his pleading to breathe were exonerated of any wrongdoing. Black Lives Matter UK pushed the council to acknowledge this racist injustice with this mural.
While it doesn’t atone for the violence that this family has suffered, it commemorates Kevin not as a victim but as a Black person whose life mattered. We are honoured to be part of keeping his memory alive.”
Deborah Coles, Director of INQUEST, said: “Kevin Clarke's death was a brutal reminder of the systemic racism that sees Black people seven times more likely to die following police restraint than White people.
This public mural is not only a tribute to Kevin’s life, but a powerful act of remembrance by his family - a space for reflection, community, and truth-telling in the face of ongoing injustice.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information, interview requests and to note your interest, please contact Kojo Kyerewaa on
[email protected] or 07947147964. A photo of Kevin is available here.
Black Lives Matter UK was founded in 2016 and incorporated as a Community Benefit Society in 2020 following receiving £1.2 million donations from the public.
Kevin Clarke
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The family of Kevin Clarke, a 35-year-old Black man who died following police restraint in Lewisham in 2018, will unveil a commemorative mural in his honour next week. No officers have been held accountable over his death.
Kevin was experiencing a mental health crisis when he died following restraint by Metropolitan Police officers in Lewisham, South London, on 9 March 2018.
During the restraint, which lasted 33 minutes, he told officers “I can’t breathe” and “I’m going to die”. An inquest in 2020 found Kevin's death was contributed to by “inappropriate” restraint by police, yet two officers involved were cleared of misconduct earlier this year.
The public artwork, created by artist Carleen De Sözer, stands as a powerful tribute to Kevin’s life and as an ongoing reminder of his family’s call for justice.
The mural will be formally recognised by Kevin’s family and Lewisham Council during a public commemoration on Thursday 24 July from 2pm to 3pm.
Community members are invited to gather from 1:30pm at The Albany Deptford Café, Douglas Way, SE8 4AG, before walking together to the unveiling site.
Speakers will include the family’s pastor, the Mayor of Lewisham, Adam Pugh, who painted an earlier temporary mural in memory of Kevin in 2020, and representatives from Black Lives Matter UK (BLMUK) and the United Families & Friends Campaign (UFFC).
Wendy Strachan, the mother of Kevin Clarke, said: “After losing my son at the hands of Lewisham Police officers, we did not get accountability or justice. We have been deeply disappointed by the system, so this mural is a big source of comfort to us.
It shows his humanity in a way that the system refused to. We appreciate Carleen’s work and are grateful for that he will be remembered in Lewisham.”
Tellecia Strachan, the sister of Kevin, said: “This mural is such a bittersweet moment for the family filled with raw emotions of hurt, anger and grief. It’s been seven years since Kevin was taken from us, but it still only feels like yesterday!
On the 9th of March 2018, Kevin’s life was cut short at the hands of the police who held him down to the point he constantly gasped out the words “I CAN’T BREATHE”! This injustice remains with us today!
Kevin’s name is on a long list of those who die at the hands of the state and families are left to seek, campaign and fight for answers as to how they lost their loved one with no real justice, just the trauma!
But we continue as a family to keep our son, our brother, our uncle, our friend alive. So we are grateful today that this mural is placed here in Deptford where Kevin was known and well-loved and where people will be reminded of his story!”
Kojo Kyerewaa, National Organiser at Black Lives Matter: “Kevin Clarke should be with us today, the Police took his life with impunity. The officers who ignored his pleading to breathe were exonerated of any wrongdoing. Black Lives Matter UK pushed the council to acknowledge this racist injustice with this mural.
While it doesn’t atone for the violence that this family has suffered, it commemorates Kevin not as a victim but as a Black person whose life mattered. We are honoured to be part of keeping his memory alive.”
Deborah Coles, Director of INQUEST, said: “Kevin Clarke's death was a brutal reminder of the systemic racism that sees Black people seven times more likely to die following police restraint than White people.
This public mural is not only a tribute to Kevin’s life, but a powerful act of remembrance by his family - a space for reflection, community, and truth-telling in the face of ongoing injustice.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information, interview requests and to note your interest, please contact Kojo Kyerewaa on [email protected] or 07947147964. A photo of Kevin is available here.
Black Lives Matter UK was founded in 2016 and incorporated as a Community Benefit Society in 2020 following receiving £1.2 million donations from the public.
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