Several London police officers have turned in their weapons in support of a fellow officer facing murder charges in connection with the fatal shooting of a young Black man. In response, the UK has placed its army on standby. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the army will assist the police with specific tasks, primarily focusing on counter-terrorism duties, which require specialized firearms officers from London’s Metropolitan Police.
Notably, police officers in the UK are not typically armed, and only a small proportion, roughly one in ten in London, are authorized to carry firearms, undergoing extensive training.
Approximately 100 Metropolitan Police officers have withdrawn from firearms duties in protest. This action comes following the court appearance of a London firearms officer known only as NX121, who faces charges related to the death of 24-year-old Chris Kaba in September 2022. Kaba died after being struck by a single gunshot fired into his unarmed vehicle in the Streatham area of south London, reigniting allegations of institutional racism within the Met.
Kaba’s family welcomed the murder charge against the officer, who has been granted conditional bail and is expected to stand trial next year.
This unprecedented protest has led Home Secretary Suella Braverman to emphasize the need for firearms officers to make “split-second decisions” without fearing prosecution for carrying out their duties. A Met Police spokesman stated that “a number of officers have taken the decision to step back from armed duties while they consider their position.” Concerns have risen about how this decision will affect officers, their colleagues, and their families, as it signals a potential shift in the evaluation of their actions during challenging situations.
