imageOne person showing this kind of bravery to allow others to speak out.

Doreen Lawrence’s steadfast courage in the face of repeated police failures to investigate her son’s death is admirable, especially in the light of recent revelations that her family was spied on.

Thankfully, Theresa May has called for a public inquiry into unethical police methods such as these; but we have little basis to believe justice will be meted out.

From Jean Charles de Menezes to Mark Duggan, the police have a record of being found not guilty in court; but despite these precedents, Lady Lawrence has never given up hope.

She should be commended for this; not only because the Metropolitan police have a particularly bad relationship with the black community as a whole, but because her particular circumstances must have been nigh-on unbearable.

As well as having to cope with the brutal murder of her son, disinterest from police in the immediate aftermath, her son’s alleged killers walking free after being put on trial the first time around, a groundbreaking inquiry revealing institutional racism in the police (which doubtless she knew about already), and only two of the five killers eventually being convicted.

And now this further betrayal.

All of this has been dragged out for 20 years, but still she has fought for her son.

It takes a special kind of resilience to continue a battle like this: a battle against the establishment, against those more powerful than you and with all the backing of societal oppression behind them.

But these are the battles that count – even if there is little chance of winning them, it will inspire others.

It only takes one person to show this kind of bravery to allow others to speak out; and the more we do, the easier it will become to force those in power to recognise us.

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