Mum Wants Justice, Others Want Tony Blair's Blood

Maria de Menezes, mum of the man slain by London police in a calamitous execution as a result of police gross error, understandably wants justice for the killing of her innocent son. She told the BBC that those responsible for her son's death must be punished. She said:

"They took my son's life. I am suffering because of that. I want the policeman who did that punished. They ended not only my son's life but mine as well."

Family members and several hundred supporters have staged a vigil outside the British prime minister's official London residence at Downing Street. They howled for the resignation of the Police chief Ian Blair.

Commissioner Ian Blair did the most stupid thing, by lying to demonise de Menezes as if that could ameliorate the police monumental error in the mistaken execution, and then did nothing to correct those lies even when virtually everyone knew the police had f*** up.

The police faced the publicity assault not only from the family and supporters of the dead man, but also from the Brazilian government who has despatched a team to probe further into the smokescreen thrown up by Ian Blair and his police.

The recent revelation that the police could have tampered with the London Tube CCTV tape has dealt a hugh blow to their integrity. The British police cannot be trusted anymore.

However, I don't believe the anti-war movements are helping the situation by marshalling around the de Menezes family. Obviously they want to make hay while the British government is in thick sh*t but it can have unfavourable outcome as well, as the police could exploit their biased involvement to sneak away from their guilt over their lies.

Clare Short, the former Labour Cabinet minister who was anti-Tony Blair and anti-war, yesterday joined those calling for a statutory investigation. Mrs Short said:

"We've been lied to. This should be bigger than just calling for Sir Ian Blair to go. We need to find out exactly what happened. Who was telling the lies? How did this come about? We can never give back the life of Jean Charles de Menezes, but we have got to find out what happened to make sure it never ever happens again."

While she is of course right, the fact that she has been anti-Tony Blair and anti-war make her sound, even to me, as if she wants Tony Blair's blood rather than Ian Blair's.