A feature film documentary that has been five years in the making is finally being screened in Bristol this week. The movie explores the story in Bristol that shocked the world - of a community leader in his 60s who was Tasered in the face by the police in a case of mistaken identity.
The film, called ‘I Am Judah’, has suffered a series of delays either side of the Covid pandemic, but is being screened to a sold-out audience at The Cube cinema in Kingsdown on Wednesday evening. It tells the story of what happened to Judah Adunbi, who was 63, when he was stopped by police while walking his dog near his home in Easton, Bristol back in January 2017.
The police wrongly thought he was another man, a wanted criminal. Mr Adunbi told them they had the wrong man and tried to go home through his back gate, but police stopped him and Tasered him.
The incident was captured by a neighbour, Tom Cherry, who was filming what happened, and police apologised to Mr Adunbi for wrongly arresting him. The police officer who fired the Taser was prosecuted for assault, but found ‘not guilty’ of all charges in September 2018, and was later cleared of misconduct in an internal disciplinary.
Filmmaker Bashart Malik worked with Mr Adunbi for the past four years, and finally the film ‘I Am Judah’ is being premiered in Bristol, with an international distribution schedule being worked on. Back in 2019, it was the subject of a crowdfunder appeal, after a trailer of early sections was screened.
Mr Malik said the film isn’t a ‘documentary expose’. “It’s a deeper exploration of the meaning of identity through one man’s eyes, with a completely independent approach,” he said. “He’s been involved in engagement throughout his life: campaigned, raised funds; set up community spaces; acted as police relations advisor; trained kids…a lifetime of community activism,” said Mr Malik. “The film aims to engage a wide audience and send the message that institutional racism and injustice continues to be rife,” he added.
At the time, Mr Adunbi exercised his right not to tell the police who he was - just that he wasn’t the man the police thought he was. “The film explores that theme of identity, as well as the issues around institutional racism,” said Mr Malik, “Using verbatim script, poetry and cinematography to reinforce a deeply personal narrative, and University of Bristol policing lawyer, Dr Clare Torrible, to highlight how institutional bias, system failure, and a lack of mindfulness led to a violent incident at Ras Judah’s home, and the subsequent undermining of the trust systems we expect to live by,” he added.
Mr Judah said he hoped the film told a wider story. “The way we have been treated by those who should know better—police, local authority, government—it warrants exposure,” said Mr Adunbi. “We know unlawful acts have been conducted in this country and it’s been going on a long time.”
“It’s not about me as an individual” he said. “I’m talking about what’s happening up and down the country to other people. My story needs to go to people that matter: people suffering, people less fortunate. It’s for future generations coming through.”
Dr Clare Torrible, from the University of Bristol, features in the film. “What researching this project has brought home to me is the fear that is engendered when people feel that the police are not held properly to account,” she said.
After Wednesday’s screening there will be a Q&A panel discussion with Lee Lawrence, the son of Cherry Groce, whose shooting by the police sparked the Broadwater Farm riots in Tottenham in 1985, Bristol poet and educator Lawrence Hoo, social entrepreneur Dean Okai Snr and former Lord Mayor of Bristol, Cleo Lake.
Read next:
- Investigation as Bristol police Taser member of their own race relations group
- Marlon Thomas: Family of Bristol's 'Stephen Lawrence' speak out 25 years on from racist attack
- Police upheld just one percent of complaints of racism made against them
- Police explain why they are 7 times more likely to stop and search black people in Avon and Somerset
- Police mistake Judah Adunbi for a wanted man - again
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