Powerful New Doc Shines Light on UK’s Dark History of State Violence
The UK Is Not Innocent is a hard-hitting documentary digging into 40 years of police brutality, racism, and injustice. The film tracks the work of the Finsbury Park charity INQUEST and features the last ever poem by the late, great Benjamin Zephaniah. It premiered at Hackney’s Castle Cinema with Zephaniah’s family in attendance.
Benjamin Zephaniah’s Final Poem Pays Tribute to Victims
The beloved poet, who died last December from a brain tumour, revised his poignant poem One Minute’s Silence especially for the film. The documentary exposes decades of “violence by the state,” tackling systemic racism, mental health crises, policing failures, prisons, and mass deaths.
Raw Stories of Tragedy Spark Calls for Change
Jessica Pandian from INQUEST revealed the first screening was deeply emotional, igniting fierce debates on activism and the urgent need for reform. The film highlights notorious cases like Mark Duggan’s police shooting in 2011 and Blair Peach’s death during a 1979 anti-racism protest. These chilling stories expose stubborn systemic failures and echo global outrage, such as with George Floyd in the US.
Filmmakers Richard 1 and Hannan Majid of Rainbow Collective say the project has shaken them to the core, both personally and professionally. They hope it sparks real change and halts future injustices.
INQUEST Seeks Venues Nationwide for Screenings & Q&A
INQUEST is on the lookout for venues – from art galleries and community centres to schools – to screen the film and host Q&A sessions. They want to engage communities in honest conversations about the issues.
Interested? Contact Jessica Pandian at [email protected] to book a screening.
