Justice for Jay Abatan campaign to hold vigil on 27th anniversary of his death

The family of Jay Abatan are to hold a vigil to mark the 27th anniversary since his death. And they’ll call once again for justice and appeal for new witnesses to come forward.

In January 1999, Jay Abatan, a 42-year-old Black man, alongside his brother Michael, was assaulted outside the Ocean Rooms in Brighton in what Michael Abatan has always believed was a racially motivated attack. Jay Abatan tragically died five days later from injuries sustained in the attack.

Michael Abatan has written a pamphlet to tell the story of the long struggle for justice. The PCS trade union, of which Jay was a member, produced the pamphlet in association with the Justice 4 Jay campaign. You can access it online here or contact the Justice 4 Jay campaign for a copy.

Remember Jay Abatan

Twenty-seven years on, the family of Jay Abatan will hold a vigil on Saturday 24 January to mark the 27th anniversary of Jay`s death. They will make an announcement about recent developments in the case. And they will call once again for justice and for any witnesses to the attack to come forward.

The vigil to remember Jay Abatan – as with many other vigils held by the family since Jay’s death – will take place at Brighton Police Station (John Street) from 12pm-1pm.

Sussex Police have apologised to Jay Abatan’s family for their multiple failures in their investigation into Jay’s death. Over thirty years after the murder of Stephen Lawrence, which highlighted the institutional racism of the police, there is still a lack of will within Sussex Police to bring those responsible for Jay’s killing to justice and even those responsible for the attack on Michael to account.

More generally, as the Black Lives Matter movement has highlighted, too many Black people still die at the hands of the state in Britain. And too many Black families are still having to campaign for justice after police failings into their loved ones’ deaths.

Featured image supplied