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Chris Kaba was shot by an armed police officer after the car he was driving was stopped and surrounded by officers. As the fourth unarmed black or mixed race man killed by police since 2005, his death sparked protests and anger. But when an officer was arrested for his murder, police officers were also furious – with some colleagues saying they would not volunteer for armed police work in solidarity.
This week, Sgt Martyn Blake was swiftly acquitted – with a jury reaching a verdict within hours of the case being completed. Their conclusion reignited the discussion about whether police officers are being sufficiently legally protected. The Guardian’s crime correspondent, Vikram Dodd, explains why officers felt so let down. “Firearms officers are in an impossible position, and in their own mind’s eye, they should be treated as heroes protecting the public,” he says. But instead they feel “they’re being treated as common criminals”.
Yet Kaba’s family are also deeply unhappy. They say they do not feel they have had justice, and the acquittal has sparked more protests. Helen Pidd hears why the case has prompted such intense discussions and what could happen next.
Photograph: Family Handout/PA
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