Rudy Narayan
(1938-1998)

Died aged 60

Rahasya Rudra Narayan (11 May 1938 – 28 June 1998), commonly known as Rudy Narayan, was a barrister and civil rights activist in Britain. He migrated to Britain in the 1950s from Guyana. Narayan was a persuasive and eloquent advocate who specialised in trials arising from conflicts between police and ethnic minority communities and enjoyed much success. His trials included the Black Star Club, the Bristol Twelve, the murder of Donat Gomez, the Cricklewood Twelve, the Leeds Bonfire Eight, the Metro Four, the Newham Seven, the Scarman Inquiry and the Thornton Heath Sixteen. He defended some of the Black Panthers and defendants accused in the riots of Handsworth, Brixton, and Bristol in the 1980s. Many of his cases revolved around police violence against the poor and vulnerable. He was considered to be a powerful speaker. Michael Mansfield stated that Narayan "should have been the first black QC. Narayan became aware that clients who asked for him were being told by their solicitors that he was not available. He protested and made public complaints against the racism that he saw in the legal establishment.

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