Dear Friends & Family,

Please stand with us in support of the ‘De-Shaun Joseph Justice Bill; which seeks to lobby Parliament to implement a child centred approach, when the MET Police and the Police Force at large, conducts their procedural Stop and Search of our children, especially ‘Black Children’. 

This Bill supports the police having the right to exercise Stop and Searches.  However, due to their being an epidemic in the numbers of Black children being handcuffed and brutalised by the Met Police, in recent years, we are calling for a Bill that protects our children from being adultified and dehumanised by the UK Police Force.  

On Thursday 23rd June 2022, at exactly 17.35pm our family's life was turned upside down. I, Janet Joseph, the mother of De-Shaun Joseph, received a phone call from a member of the public to say that our son had been detained by the police. (Every parent's worst nightmare; A roller-coaster of emotion hit me like a high-speed train, my baby!!) 

In sum, we later realised that our 14-year-old son had been brutally and wrongfully targeted in a ‘mistaken’ stop and search by officers of the ‘MET Territorial/Tactical Unit’! Whilst walking home from school and fully identifiable in his school uniform, my son was speaking to a classmate on his phone, when he was suddenly, pounced on by multiple police officers, who handcuffed him; he was then wrestled to the ground, where one officer kneeled on his back, another on his legs, whilst another officer pinned his feet together. Excessive force used on our son, which was unlawful and inhumane. Our little boy, later recalled the events to me by saying –

“I thought I was going to die”.

The MET later released a statement saying that:

‘This was a case of mistaken identity, and that a review of the incident found that no misconduct was apparent’.

The police take an oath: ‘On my honour, I will never betray my integrity, my character or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions. I will always maintain the highest ethical standards and uphold the values of my community, and the agency I serve’.

As a family we now have to take time to digest the brutal experience, the deep trauma and the emotional stress this incident has caused to our son and our family. 

Our friends and the local community are shocked by the horrific event. We feel that 'this inhumane treatment to our children occurs on a daily basis and MUST STOP! Why should any parent have to worry if once their child leaves their home, will they return home alive?

The police need to be held accountable for the adultification of our children, especially black children, who are being targeted at an alarming rate.

Early this year, the case of Child Q, was probably the most prolific example to date, as it highlighted an exceptional case of police misconduct over stop and search of a 15 year old girl. There are many others horrific stories by the police during stops:

1) Black child on London charity cycle ride injured during ‘aggressive’ arrest | Police | The Guardian

2)  South London Police Filmed Choking 13-Year-Old Black Boy In Fruitless ‘Stop and Search| Complex UK

3) Greater Manchester Police officer warned for spraying boy, 13, with CS gas| UK News | Sky News

4) Two Met officers who strip-searched school girl removed from frontline duties| The Guardian

5) A 15-year-old girl was handcuffed by the Met Police during a stop and search which reportedly involved an armed response vehicle in Stockwell| LondonWorld 

Finally, we are lobbying for CHANGE, by being the voice for our son and for all the voiceless and nameless, children who have been wrongfully and brutally stopped by the police, which has led to them experiencing deep trauma in silence.  

No child or parent should have to experience this nightmare, nor should any of our future young Kings and Queens. 

Please stand with us in our Campaign, which seeks to lobby parliament to pass the ‘De-Shun Joseph Justice Bill’ and put an end to police adultification of our black children.

THE LEGAL FACTS:

Stop Watch.org - On child stops states - The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) - which sets out the general rules for stop and search - also governs the stop and search of children. This includes that general (section 1) searches must be based on reasonable grounds for suspicion (i.e. an objective basis) and that the requirements and restrictions under PACE (code A para 3) are met.  There are limited safeguards under section 1 of PACE in relation to the stop and search of children: searches cannot be based on personal factors or relevant protected characteristics such as age, unless these characteristics fall under the category of 'information or intelligence which provides a description' of the suspect.

However, there do not appear to be specific protections for children. In fact, section, 28(1)(a) of the Equality Act2010 excludes under 18-year-olds- from protection in services and public functions, which covers police activities. 

The only strict requirements for searches of children that differs from searches of adults relates to intimate strip searches: an appropriate adult must be present in the room when offices conduct an intimate strip search of a child, unless both the child and the appropriate adult agree to the adult leaving the room.

We are asking you to stand together with us, in collaboration to lobby the De-Shaun Joseph Justice Bill, which aims to enforce new protective measures that safeguard the way in which our children today and the future generation are stopped and searched by the police. 

HISTORY IN THE MAKING:

On Thursday 14th July 2022. I the mother of De-Shaun Joseph as well as Simone Frazier, the families advocate, and Social Justice Speaker (two mothers joined together), had our first parliamentary round table meeting of ‘Community Leaders’, to lobby the De-Shaun Joseph Justice Bill in the Houses of Parliament.

As we move to the next phase to formulate the ‘De-Shaun Joseph Justice Bill’, we ask that you stand with us. Let us all stand together to bring change!

MESSAGE OF THANKS:

Our family would like to send a huge thank you to everyone who has reached out, we have felt all the love and support. For those members of our local community that stopped that day to challenge the police in defence of our son, we cannot thank you enough!!

We are calling on all, mums, dads, Grandparents, Uncles, Aunties, Godparents, Foster Parents, Stepmothers, Step-Farthers, everyone!! Please show your support for the ‘De-Shaun Joseph Justice Bill’.

Out of many come One People. Together, Lets fight for change by signing the petition.

 #ittakesacommunitytoraiseachild #Futurekings&queens #Ifwedontstandforsomethingwewillfallforanything

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Thanking everyone for your support.