Sheku Bayoh: vigil marks eighth anniversary of death of Sheku in police custody

It takes place at the Buchanan Street Steps, Glasgow, on Wednesday at 6:00pm.

Mr Bayoh died in police custody after being restrained in an incident in Hayfield Road on May 3, 2015. The 31-year-old was originally from Sierra Leone, but had lived in Scotland since the age of 17.

His death sparked a huge campaign for answers which continues to this day with a rare, judge-led public inquiry being held to consider all the circumstances and whether race played any part. Led by Lord Brackendale, it commenced in May 2022, and restarted on Tuesday. The inquiry in Edinburgh is not expected to be completed until 2024.

Mr Bayoh’s funeral brought hundreds of people to join a march and vigil which paused outside St Brycedale Police Station in the Lang Toun before a rally was held at a packed Templehall Community Centre.

His family have held top level meetings with chief constables and the Lord Advocate as well as PIRC - the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner - which was asked to look into the case. Their campaign for an explanation has also taken to them to the Scottish Parliament.

While the eighth anniversary of his death is being marked with a vigil in Glasgow, no plans for any similar gathering have been publicly announced in Kirkcaldy where he lived and worked.