Two much loved members of the CDR community need our help in their fight for justice.

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London based musician and selector, Andrew Ashong and educator, writer and activist, Dr Aditi Jaganathan were stopped by the Metropolitan Police on 1 May 2023 under the assumption that they were suspected drug dealers. 

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“We were driving home from a dinner with friends when we were pulled over by Metropolitan Police officers for no apparent reason around the Bermondsey area.  We were both completely sober and were driving with care. However, after asking why we were being pulled over, the officers told us that they suspected that we were hiding drugs. When we tried to ask for an explanation, we were accused of obstructing a drug search.”

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Andrew, who was driving, was dragged out of the car by police officers. He was pepper sprayed directly into his face, arrested and handcuffed. Aditi was arrested, put in handcuffs and detained in the back of a police van, unable to see what was happening to Andrew.  During this time, officers searched their car and took a pot of digestive enzymes claiming that they might in fact be Class A drugs. 

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They were arrested under the possession of Class A drugs which involved a strip-search, detaining the couple in separate cells in Walworth police station for over 16 hours. All drug tests came back negative but it was only when laboratory testing confirmed that they were digestive enzymes – for dietary intolerance – that all charges against the two were dropped.

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Andrew and Aditi are asking for support in their legal case against the Metropolitan Police as they seek justice and accountability for false imprisonment and racial discrimination. 

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“We strongly believe that we are fighting this case not only for ourselves, but countless victims and survivors of police brutality, state violence and institutional racism. We are so grateful for any contributions you can make to support us in this fight for justice and accountability.”

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