Police Criticised for cancelling Memorial Match for Jahmal Mason Blair

The grieving parents of a teenage footballer who was stabbed to death in Hackney have criticised the police for cancelling a memorial match set up in their son's memory.

The Hackney Gazette reported that hundreds of friends and family had been expected to turn up at Leyton Football Club at 12.30pm last Sunday to attend the match in honour of 17-year-old Jahmal Mason Blair.

But in the run-up to the game, senior officers from Hackney Police decided to call off the match on the grounds of public safety.

Insp Karl Winter said credible evidence had emerged that "serious violence" was going to erupt at the stadium.

Jahmal's father, Wesley Blair, a bus driver from Colvestone Crescent, Dalston, said he was devastated by the decision.

"My kid's life was in football and he was trying to be a professional footballer and he loved that game with all his heart," he said.

"The memorial match was going to bring the community together but that has been taken away."

"I will not let anyone stop me from doing what I want to do for my son. I feel let down by the police."

The teenager was knifed in the neck last May as he tried to break up a fight in Amhurst Road, Hackney. A 13-year-old boy, Michael Ematuwo, admitted manslaughter at the Old Bailey this month.

The memorial match - pitting Jamzy's All Stars versus Arsenal Kickz - was set to take place on Sunday, December 20. Jahmal's brother, Jevoy Blair, 22, a Leyton Orient footballer, was due to play.

Hundreds of fliers were printed ahead of the match, which was being sponsored by Arsenal in the Community.

The fliers bore the slogan 'You don't have the right to take a life' with an anti-knife crime logo.

Jahmal's mother, Tetela Raphael, said the march was to raise funds to set up a charitable foundation in her son's name..

She said: "A lot of youths were looking forward to that football match and they were planning to say something about Jahmal's life being taken away by violence.

Insp Winter said: "The decision to call off the memorial football match for Jamal Mason Blair was not made lightly and was made in full consultation with Jamal's family.

"We were involved in planning the event and have always been very supportive of its anti-violence message.

"Unfortunately in the days preceding the event, credible information was received suggesting some people attending the event would cause serious violence. "We have a duty of care to everyone attending the event, many of whom would be young people, as well as the general public and it was regrettably decided that the event would have to be cancelled on the basis of public safety.