WATCH | "You're Supposed to be a Leader!" Khan Blasted for Abandoning Officer in Kaba Case

Susan Hall demands an apology for Sgt Blake and criticises Khan's handling of the Kaba case.

In a heated London Assembly meeting (scroll down for the video), Mayor Sadiq Khan faced fierce criticism from Assembly Member Susan Hall, who demanded he apologise to Sgt Martyn Blake, the Metropolitan Police firearms officer recently acquitted of murder in the Chris Kaba case. Hall’s questioning of Khan was unrelenting, highlighting the severe impact the case has had on Sgt Blake, who has endured two years of one-sided scrutiny, a reported £10,000 bounty on his head, and significant safety risks to himself and his family.

Hall, known for her outspoken support of the police, sharply criticised the mayor’s handling of the case from the outset. “No way should this officer’s name have gone out… he’s had to go into hiding over this. It’s totally unacceptable,” she said, accusing Khan of failing to support police officers while they navigate life-threatening situations in the line of duty.

“A Leader, or Supposed to Be”: Hall’s Direct Challenge to Khan

The exchange was marked by Hall’s pointed accusations that Khan’s handling of the case was biased and unsupportive, effectively abandoning Blake and his colleagues during the two-year ordeal. “My criticism is of you. You are a leader—well, you’re supposed to be a leader,” she charged, underscoring her disapproval. She accused Khan of publicly taking “one side” throughout the case, suggesting that his constant expressions of sympathy for Kaba’s family had demoralised officers who were aware of Kaba’s violent background.

“You were putting out things in a one-sided way right from the beginning,” she added. “That police officer and his colleagues had to listen to that the whole time, knowing many of them know the background here. And let me tell you, very many Black families knew the background to this person.” Hall’s statement underscored her belief that Khan’s lack of balanced support during the trial only amplified the officers’ challenges and exposed them to heightened risks.

A History of Gang Involvement and the Use of Vehicles as Deadly Weapons

The criticisms of Khan’s response to the case were especially sharp given Kaba’s known affiliations with the violent 67 gang, one of London’s most dangerous criminal groups. The gang, linked to a string of shootings and violent offences, reportedly includes over 95 core members. Kaba’s recent actions underscored the dangers of his associations, including CCTV footage capturing him firing a gun in a crowded nightclub just days before the police pursuit.

Hall emphasised the lethal risks officers face when confronting individuals who weaponise vehicles, pointing to tragic cases where officers have lost their lives due to suspects using cars as deadly weapons. Since 2000, several officers have been killed in such circumstances, including:

1. PC Jon Odell (2000) - Kent Police

Struck and killed by a vehicle while conducting speed checks in Margate. The driver, Wayne Rule, intentionally drove at him, resulting in a fatal impact. Convicted of manslaughter.

2. PC Alison Armitage (2001) - Greater Manchester Police

Run over twice while attempting to stop a stolen vehicle in Oldham. The driver was convicted of manslaughter.

3. PCs Bryan Moore and Andy Munn (2002) - West Midlands Police

Killed when a van rammed their patrol car at high speed during a pursuit in Leicestershire. Originally convicted of murder, the driver’s conviction was later reduced to manslaughter.

4. PC Ged Walker (2003) - Nottinghamshire Police

Dragged and fatally injured by a vehicle while trying to remove the driver from the car in Bulwell. The driver was convicted of manslaughter.

5. PC Phillip Pratt (2009) - Thames Valley Police

Struck and killed while placing traffic cones on the A249 to divert traffic following an earlier incident. Convicted of manslaughter.

6. PC Phillipa Reynolds (2013) - Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

Killed on patrol in Londonderry when her vehicle was struck by a stolen car driven recklessly through the area. The driver was convicted of manslaughter.

7. PC Andy Duncan (2013) - Metropolitan Police

Killed in Sutton, London, during a speed enforcement operation. A driver, refusing to stop, deliberately struck him. Convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.

8. PC Dave Phillips (2015) - Merseyside Police

Run over and killed while deploying a stinger device during a high-speed pursuit in Wallasey. The driver was convicted of manslaughter.

9. PC Gareth Browning (2017) - Thames Valley Police

Fatally injured in 2013 while attempting to stop a stolen vehicle in Reading. The driver, initially convicted of grievous bodily harm, faced additional charges after PC Browning’s death in 2017.

10. PC Andrew Harper (2019) - Thames Valley Police

Dragged to his death in Berkshire while responding to a burglary report. The driver was convicted of manslaughter, sparking calls for tougher penalties for those who kill emergency workers, which led to the introduction of Harper’s Law.

For Hall, the portrayal of Kaba as “unarmed” ignored the very real and significant threat posed by his vehicle, which he used to ram multiple police cars, placing officers’ lives at immediate risk.

Media Complicity: The Demand to Release Sgt Blake’s Name

Hall also turned her ire toward the coalition of media organisations that had argued for Sgt Blake’s name to be released to the public. Despite the Met’s warnings that Kaba’s gang connections posed a grave risk to Blake’s safety, The Guardian, the BBC, The Times, Sky News, ITN, The Mirror, and The Daily Mail pushed for the officer’s identity to be revealed, citing “public interest.” Hall expressed her outrage at the consequences of this decision, noting that a £10,000 bounty was placed on Sgt Blake’s head following the public release of his name.

“The officer’s name should never have been made public,” Hall declared, condemning the media’s disregard for Blake’s safety and the security of his family. This decision, she argued, was emblematic of a broader, reckless approach that ignored the risks police officers routinely face.

Khan’s Refusal to Apologise: An Unwavering Position

When Hall directly asked Khan to offer Sgt Blake an apology, he deflected, focusing instead on what he described as the need for “checks and balances” in policing. “I think it’s really important to support our firearms officers but also to make sure there is a system of accountability,” Khan stated, sidestepping Hall’s demand.

Growing increasingly frustrated, Hall accused Khan of parroting standard responses instead of addressing the real issues. “You’re sounding like a parrot, Mr Mayor. Just answer the question,” she urged, only for Khan to continue reiterating his stance on police accountability. In response, Hall dismissed his response as “waffle,” and emphasised the lack of genuine support for Sgt Blake from London’s leadership.

Support from the Metropolitan Police Commissioner

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, who was present at the meeting, took the opportunity to praise Sgt Blake’s resilience and professionalism throughout the trial. “Having regular coffees with Martin Blake over recent months, I’ve been astounded by his personal resilience and dignity with what the world has thrown at him and his family, which has turned their life upside down,” the Commissioner said, calling Blake’s actions on the night of Kaba’s death a necessary response to a “dangerous criminal.”

The Commissioner added that framing the case around race, as some media outlets have done, only deepens public division and detracts from the real dangers that gangs pose to communities. “The 67 gang are amongst the most dangerous gangs in London… they’re responsible for certainly into double figures of shootings this year,” he explained, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by gang-related violence across the capital.

Public Support for Police at a Crossroads

The fallout from this case has revealed a stark divide between City Hall and the policing community, with Hall’s criticisms echoing a growing frustration among officers who feel unsupported by leadership. She pointed out that firearms officers are “lacking in confidence” due to the perceived lack of backing from city officials. “If we don’t all start supporting our police more, the numbers are declining, they’re handing in their tickets so that they can be firearms officers,” she warned, pointing to a retention crisis fuelled by fears of prosecution and public scrutiny.

For many within the Met and the broader public safety community, Hall’s call for Khan to apologise underscored a need for leaders who are willing to defend police officers’ actions when they are in the line of duty. While the mayor remains focused on promoting police accountability, Hall and others argue that a balance must be struck to ensure officers are not left vulnerable to public backlash or undue scrutiny.

With police morale at risk and armed officers increasingly reluctant to step into dangerous roles, Hall’s passionate defence of Sgt Blake highlights a wider issue of trust, accountability, and the urgent need for greater support for those on the front lines.

Click on the image below to watch the full exchange:

Opinion: Khan's Premature Judgement Undermines Trust in Policing

The optics of London Mayor Sadiq Khan's tweet regarding the Chris Kaba case are not just bad; many people feel it's a glaring example of leadership failing to uphold the principles of justice and fairness they claim to champion. When Khan decided to express his sympathies and comment on the case's impact on London's communities hours after the incident, he did so without the full spectrum of facts, effectively casting a shadow of doubt over the Metropolitan Police's actions before due process had run its course.