Coinciding with the 35th anniversary of the shooting of Cherry Groce, the installation and construction of a memorial in her honour will commence in the coming weeks, with an unveiling ceremony planned for this Autumn.
The memorial, which will be sited in Windrush Square, Brixton, is a fitting tribute to the life of Cherry Groce, an innocent mother who was shot in her home in 1985 by the Metropolitan Police. The shooting sparked the Brixton uprising in which a community rose up in protest to the institutional racism and systemic injustice faced by Britain’s black community. Designed by the world-renowned architect Sir David Adjaye, the memorial will act as a beacon of hope in the pursuit of equality, justice and truth.
Commenting on the memorial, Lee Lawrence, the son of Cherry Groce who witnessed his mother’s shooting at the age of 11 said, “The 35thanniversary of my Mum’s shooting is a poignant time for our community. Over the years and despite all odds, we as a community have never faltered in our pursuit for justice. And whilst we still face enormous challenges, coupled with the impact of a pandemic, our plans for the memorial remain firm. The memorial will serve as a living legacy to a woman who never doubted the power of truth nor the spirit of community. We believe it will both honour and inspire a community that seeks to live in harmony.”
Sir David Adjaye said, “The construction of this memorial will speak to restorative justice and will symbolize that what matters to the community, matters to London and the whole world. This tragedy went too long in the public realm without acknowledgement and there is now renewed urgency and importance in finally facing this history.”
The following GoFundMePage has been set up for donations towards the cost of constructing and installing the memorial.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/cherry-groce-memorial-in-honour-of-our-community
