Leader of black and Asian police officers investigated for ‘free speech’ tweet on Chris Kaba case
4 March 2025, 13:51
The leader of the UK’s black and Asian police officers is under investigation for a tweet criticising the case of Martyn Blake, the firearms officer that shot dead Chris Kaba.
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Ch Insp Andy George, the president of the National Black Police Association, said the misconduct investigation launched against him ‘sends a chilling message’ and ‘stifles free speech’.
His tweet was about the case of firearms officer Martyn Blake, who was cleared of the murder of Chris Kaba after shooting him dead.
The Chris Kaba case prompted widespread protests against police brutality, and an investigation into whether his race played a role in the shooting, as the 24-year-old black man was unarmed when he was shot dead.
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After Blake’s trial, it was alleged that Kaba was a core member of a London gang, and was suspected of shooting a rival in the legs six days before he died in September 2022.
But when Blake pulled the trigger, he did not know these details and did not know who was in the Audi Q8, which was believed to be linked to a firearms incident the night before.
After his acquittal, Blake was promoted from sergeant to inspector despite the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) saying he should face a hearing for gross misconduct.
George’s tweet, which came shortly after Blake's promotion, compared the treatment of the white police officer with that of black and Asian officers, who statistically face more disciplinary actions than their white colleagues.
Retweeting a MailOnline article about Blake’s promotion, George wrote: “Regardless of your feelings on the case, this will come as a slap in the face to the disproportionate number of Black officers under investigation for misconduct and being held back in their own careers! No doubt an impact on Black Londoners as well.”
He has told the Guardian that the misconduct proceedings launched against him ‘send a chilling message’, and that speaking out on the issue was part of his job.
He told the newspaper: “My role is to advocate for fairness, accountability and justice within policing. This action sends a chilling message, not just to me, but to all Black officers who raise concerns about racial disparities in policing.
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“It stifles free speech, undermines my ability to represent our members and reinforces the very inequalities we are fighting to address.
“Policing must be open to scrutiny, not silence those who seek positive change.
“This is the latest in a series of misconduct proceedings brought for engagement on X and is in stark contrast to how the [Police] Federation and senior officers are treated when they speak out.”
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), which George works for, sent a discipline note warning George that “may have breached the PSNI code of ethics”.
It also said the investigation was launched after the force had received an allegation that the tweet ‘stirred up racial division’, was biased and not factual.
The complaint continued: “It is high time this man was removed from policing as it is clear he is intent on harming relations between different races of officers, especially in the Met.”
The Martyn Blake case has triggered calls for more protection for police officers, including measures to make it harder to put officers on trial, and to protect their anonymity if they are the subject of court proceedings.
The PSNI told the Guardian that their investigation began after a “referral of complaint from the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland”, the police watchdog in the region.
They added: “As these proceedings are currently ongoing, we will not be making any further comment.”
