The Joy Gardner Campaign Information Bulletin

The Joy Gardner Campaign Information Bulletin


Theme(s): The Joy Gardner Campaign

Keystage: KS4

BGA reference: BG/P/5/2

This information bulletin, produced by The Joy Gardner Campaign gives a chronology to the events that lead to her death. The Campaign produced the leaflet to bring about a public inquiry and draw attention to the public the issues surrounding Joy’s death.

Joy died whilst being restrained by the Metropolitan Police and immigration officials at her home in Crouch End, North London on the 28th July 1993 as they tried to deport her.

Joy was not giving any forewarning that she and her 5-year-old son were subject to a deportation order or that that her flat would be raided by three Metropolitan Police (from the now disbanded Alien Deportation Group (ADG)), two local police officers and one immigration officer. This information had been deliberately held back by the Home Office on the grounds that she would run away. As such, on the day, she was not given time to adjust to this news, she was expected to just pack up and leave there and then.

During the raid, she was forced face down onto the floor. The officers lay across her and secured a leather restraining body belt around her waist and used the buckle at the back to secure the handcuffs in order to bound her hands to her sides. They bound her ankles and thighs with two leather restraining belts and a created a gag which consisted of two 13-foot lengths of 2 inch wide adhesive medical tape wrapped around her head several times.

Unable to breathe, she collapsed and suffered brain damage due to asphyxia. She was placed on life support but died following a cardiac arrest four days later on 1 August 1993.

The case attracted huge public outrage from many both black and white, and a street demonstration by thousands.

In 1995, three police officers stood trial, charged with the manslaughter of Joy Gardner, but were acquitted. No disciplinary action was taken against any of the officers involved in the actual deportation. To date, there has been no public inquiry or inquest into her death. In February 1999, the family filed a civil court case against the police for compensation.

How can this support your teaching and students’ learning

Understanding Joy Gardner through the artefacts shows the impact migrants had on Britain and the way Britain’s Government and official agencies dealt with her in the context of the legacies of slavery, colonialism and patriarchy, as well as in terms of the inequalities of racism, sexism and classism.

Her death contextualises the issues around Britain’s multiracial society, mass migration from the Caribbean after World War II due to Britain’s depleted labour force and growing employment opportunities, the relationship between people from the Caribbean who lived under Empire rule and their ‘mother country’, Britain.

Her death highlights the factors involved in migration and the methods used by people to express their views about the Government and official agencies treatment of people. It illustrates the changing face of Government legislation to race, equality, immigration and police enforcement.

The case of Joy Gardner can be used For

History KS3, GCSE and A-Level

Interpret contemporary history requirements from KS3 – KS5 by focusing on the experience of immigrants to post-war Britain from the 1940s onward and looking at the reasons why people from the Caribbean moved to Britain during this time, the experiences they have faced living in Britain and looking at the progress of equality, diversity, inclusion and racism in Britain has changed over time.

English KS3, GCSE Literature

Explore the work of poets Benjamin Zephaniah through the poem The Death of Joy Gardner and Jackie Kay through the poem Teeth to understand increasingly challenging texts, read critically, make an informed personal response and appreciate the depth and power of poetry, as required from KS3 – KS4. Both poets also feature at GCSE and they explore what it means to be black and British through a system of systemic racism. In addition, poetry can also be used as a context for teaching the complexities of current and past migration in a more personal and creative way.

Citizenship KS4/GCSE, GCSE/A-Level Sociology, GCSE Media, A-Level Politics and Law A-Level

Understand the roles undertaken by people within the legal system to affect change and how this is pivotal to our justice system.

How the role of pressure and interest groups, play an important part in providing a voice and support for different groups in society campaigning to bring about a legal change or to fight injustice.

Know there are different forms of democratic and citizenship actions people can take to bring about change and hold those in positions of power to account in regard to issues relating to human rights and the justice system.

Gain insight into why mutual respect and understanding, and community cohesion are important in a democratic society.

Students can also understand the reasons why people migrate from one place to another, especially in and out of the UK over the last 60 years.

Lastly, students can understand how people are represented in the media and law.

Linking the artefacts to the present day

Deportation through the ‘Hostile Environment’ and the ‘Windrush Scandal’

The current state of race relations in Britain and how events contribute to and/or help diminish racial tensions and the juxtaposition of Britain’s reputation for racial tolerance.

  • The Government’s and official agencies reactions and action to race and equality especially when challenged
  • The changing face of migration to and from Britain
  • The community, political and media reactions to deportations
  • The community, political and media reactions large scale racial incidents such as the Windrush Scandal or Grenfell Tower
  • The uneven way that the law is applied to people of African and Caribbean heritage and how men and women are affected differently
  • Other high profile deaths that involved the police since 1985