Tuesday, January 22, 2008
FRIDGE INCIDENT
PRESS RELEASE
FRIDGE BAR-BRIXTON
THE LINK TO THE YOUTUBE VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QJph-xQ-RQ
Mr Ralph Daley is the former co-owner of the Fridge Bar in Brixton. Mr Daley is not a bouncer as reported in media reports. Mr Daley is a businessman. Mr Daley has been in business for over twenty years.. Mr Daley is a prolific letter writer and hereby instructs me to furnish you with the facts of the incident to which he was convicted for Violent Disorder on Friday 18 January 2008 . Mr Daley was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.
BACKGROUND
Mr Daley wrote to the South London Press on 14th November 2006 in response to an article published a week prior. Mr Daley wrote using the pseudonym Rodney Ramdeo . Mr Daley deemed it necessary to use a pseudonym for the following reasons. Firstly, as one of the few black club owners in Brixton and the most outspoken in his criticism of some elements within Lambeth police. Mr Daley is a prolific letter and understood that writing in his name would bring unnecessary attention to himself and his business. Secondly since the pernicious new Licensing Legislation came into force the onus of the prevention of crime was shifted from the police to venue owners. In simple terms it means that should an incident happen, not only inside your venue but within the vicinity, as a business owner you are left with the threat of closure. All reports of disorderly behaviour, sometimes life-threatening behaviour are weighed heavily against you.
Notwithstanding, the Fridge Bar, up until the incident on 26 November 2006 had a impeccable safety record, as submitted at a Lambeth licensing review hearing, by the police barrister held on Tuesday 23 October 2007.
The article printed in the SLP to which Mr Daley responded was one where the police said that doormen should ¡do more to tackle gunmen¢. This is highly irregular and inconsistent when the police¢s own procedures and guidelines state that unarmed police officers cannot and must not engage in firearm situations without the mobilisation of ARV¢s (armed response vehicles). So whilst the polices¢ own guidelines stipulate this, it is expected that doormen not only do the job of trained firearm officers, but door staff and venue owners should in fact do the job that the police themselves cannot and will not do.
It is against that backdrop that Mr Daley seeks to present the facts of the incident.
FACTS OF THE INCIDENT
On the morning of 27 November 2006 at around 3:15am Mr Daley was on the pavement when he heard a disturbance, shouting and clanging coming from the direction of the Mass Club.
Mr Daley saw a group of white males shouting and aiming missiles toward what looked like Babalou, the club adjacent to the Mass Club. Mr Daley walked over with his staff out of professional courtesy to assist the manager Mick Kellas whom he had known for some 5 years. There was no security outside the Mass Club. The security had decamped.
Mr Daley instructed his marketing manager Phoenix to call the police. Mr Daley and his staff walked over toward Babalou. When Mr Daley and others got to the stairs of the venue he saw security railings at the bottom of the stairwell.
From CCTV footage taken by the Mass Club security system, which, incidentally the police disclosed as unused material, Mr Daley is seen with his hands behind his back in an unthreatening manner. Mr Daley and others did not engage the white males who were chanting very serious racist taunts and threats at Mr Daley and his staff.
Insp. Martell who viewed the CCTV within the Mass club and said it was an attack by 9 men against 1. It is also accepted that a doorman from the Mass club received head injuries as a result of being hit on the head with a bottle. When Mr Daley attended to assist the staff at the Mass & Babalou club he stood still with his hands behind his back almost motionless. Mr Daley did not react to the vile taunts. Mr Daley¢s actions were not the actions of someone ¡spoiling¢ for a fight!
It was never challenged that these men were indeed racist or indeed that they had savagely attacked a black male within the Mass club causing him injuries that Insp. Martell and the London Ambulance Service agreed needed hospital attention.
Even though the white males said they would return motioning like a gun. Mr Daley believed it to be pure bravado. Infact Mr Daley went as far as saying that one out of every three or four hundred people ever return. Mr Daley returned to the Fridge Bar.
The white males can then be seen moving in a threatening manner toward a black member of public at which point they surround him and threaten him with being shot because he was a ¡nigger¢. That black male sought to take refuge at the Fridge Bar as he deemed there would be safety in numbers.
It is at this time around 4.15 that Mr Daley notices that the same group of men who threatened to come back did indeed come back. Only this time some of them were ¡hooded up¢ concealing their identity. They have weapons in their hands. Mr Daley and staff chase them away.
The white males hold, what the Hon. Judge Philpot described as, a ¡war council¢ on the corner of Porden Road . Two white males were captured on CCTV one of whom was appearing to conceal a firearm.
Mr Daley instructs the police to be called. Mr Daley returns to the Fridge Bar. Mr Daley saw that the group of males advancing again toward that Fridge Bar and crucially, it is at this point that Mr Daley armed himself with a metal pole taken from the cloakroom.
A second chase ensued and in that chase the white male who said¢ do you wanna get shot¢ tripped on the kerb and fell to the floor. This man who fell to the floor was surrounded and quickly patted down and found to have no weapons.
When the prosecution opened the case the court was told that Mr Daley had chased a man thought to be Mr. Koonjean who had fallen to the ground, whilst running away, was set upon and savagely attacked. We know this not to be true as can be seen from CCTV footage. This was the premise of the prosecution case. Mr Daley was confronted with the live and direct threat of being shot and or seriously injured, yet Mr Daley¢s behaviour was still restrained. Mr Daley¢s actions were not that of someone ¡wanting to teach a lesson, bent on exacting revenge¢ as asserted by the prosecution.
Immediately to the left Mr Daley a white male was advancing toward him with his hands concealed. At this point Mr Mallefroy approached the man we now know to be Mr Koonjean, from his blind side right. Mr Daley heard the shout ¡gun gun¢ and Mr Mallefroy tackled Mr Koonjean to the floor.
Mr Daley could not see what was in Mr Koonjean ¢s hand and he struck him 4 times on his legs for him to release what he had in his hands.
Mr Koonjean was rendered unconscious by the blows reigned on him by Mr Mallefroy . On closer examination of the CCTV it can be seen that Mr Reid was stamping on Mr Koonjean's forearms for him to release what he had in his hands. Mr Reid retrieved a long chain with a knife on the end of it.
Mr Daley and others believed that Mr Koonjean had a firearm and defended themselves accordingly. One cannot weigh to the nicety of the amount of force used under those fast moving life threatening circumstances.
Despite calling the police regarding the return of the ¡violent racist hooligans¢ as described by Hon. Judge Philpot. Mr Daley and his staff were treated as the aggressors.
Armed police arrived first? Why? PC Grey said that when he heard the sound of metal on concrete on the Monday he thought that it was a gun and on that basis he did not want to approach Stephenson & Baker. What was his premise? Was he told that there was the possibility that were used in the incident the day before?
An order was given the order to swab hands of the arrested Fridge Bar staff but that three experienced police officers could not remember who gave them the order to do so? The swabbing of hands is to primarily find gun residue. Why did they do that in this case?
Mr Daley is guilty only of believing Mr Koonjean who proclaimed that he had a gun and gestured as if he had a gun. Images were captured showing at least two of the white males with what appears to be a gun.
Notwithstanding had the police pursued the white males after the incident at the mass club, Mr Daley would not have been put in a position where he had to fight for his life.
Mr Daley¢s business was 10 minutes or so from closing. It does not make sense to suggest that a violent disorder would be initiated so close to the end of the night?
You might, also find it interesting that Mr Daley writes to the local newspaper under a pseudonym lamenting the fact that he and his staff are facing the threat of ¡terrorism¢ from gunmen and the apparent inactivity of the police.
Mr Daley sent a letter to the South London Press newspaper on the 7th November 2006 which was published on the 14th November 2006 . This is 12 days before the incident on 26th November 2006 . These are not the actions of a thug but a local businessman who is concerned at the threat to his staff and his business.
CONCLUSION
Mr Daley has furnished you with the facts of the case in order to satisfy your journalistic curiosity.
How is it in the 21stcentury that the police can allow white racist thugs to get way with seriously attacking a black man and nothing comes of it. However, the police at the behest of a senior ranking officer saw fit to pursue Mr Daley for attempted GBH and Violent Disorder despite knowing the facts of the case.
The entire case and media reports have been construed as a racist witch hunt and a gross character assassination of the Highest Order. Institutional racism is RIFE and the events of these past days have highlighted that fact even more.
Should you wish to write the truth and pay homage to your profession Mr Daley will be willing to furnish you with all material.
THE LINK TO THE YOU TUBE VIDEO: http://www.youtube..com/watch?v=-QJph-xQ-RQ
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]