Family brawl after court ban

Violence erupted at a magistrates court in London's East End today when the family of a murdered 15-year-old boy were refused entry to see his alleged teenage killers appear in the dock.

Relatives of Abdul Maye, plus some of his school friends as young as 14, fought with more than a dozen uniformed police and security guards in a series of ugly clashes after they were prevented from entering the Stratford Magistrates Court building.

At one stage as many as 25 of the 40-strong group, which had come to support Abdul's family at court, were caught up in the violence.

They included a 15-year-old girl, who had to be restrained by five burly policemen as she vented her anger at their steadfast refusal to let the crowd inside. Dozens of uniformed police reinforcements were scrambled to the scene and within 30 minutes of the trouble flaring, the court was surrounded by a cordon of more than 40 officers.

At one stage around 20 teenagers tried to force their way into the court building by using a steel dustbin as a battering ram to smash down the front entrance door. Four protesters, who did manage to get inside, were immediately thrown to the floor by police and security guards before being handcuffed and arrested. They included Abdul's 18-year-old nephew Mohamed, who was crying and screaming "Why are you doing this?" as he was led away.

Speaking outside the court building once tempers had finally calmed down, Abdul's older brother Ahmed Maye, 18, said his family had only wanted to see justice done.

Visibly distressed, he said: "All Abdul's school friends came along with his family today. All we were doing was seeking justice for my brother.

"When we arrived this morning, the security guards would not let us into the main court building and then, when we tried to go in anyway, it all went wrong.

"We said that all we wanted to do was to sit quietly in court and listen but they would not let us in."

Abdul's cousin, Abdul Osman Maye, 38, criticised a reported decision to allow his alleged killers out on police bail after they were arrested. He said: "I find it very disappointing that they are charged with murder but allowed bail. They could escape.

Abdul was killed in a fight outside Little Ilford comprehensive school, Newham, on Friday.