Rudy Narayan

Narayan was a compelling, rigorous, and eloquent advocate who specialised in trials arising from conflicts between police and ethnic minority communities and enjoyed much success.

[6] He emigrated to Britain in 1953 and worked as a street cleaner, in a Brillo Soap Factory and in a Lyons Tea House, before joining the Royal Army Ordnance Corps.

[9] After condemning solicitors, barristers, and judges in Birmingham as racist, he faced his first disciplinary hearing in 1974, accused of bringing the administration of justice into disrepute.

He was reprimanded in 1980 for being discourteous to a judge, and then acquitted of professional misconduct in 1982, after claiming in a press statement that the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions were in "collusion with the National Front and fanning the flames of racial hatred" (although he was suspended for six weeks for other infractions).

The former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder paid tribute to Narayan at a conference organised by the Society of Black Lawyers in 1999 in London.

The BBC programme Black Britain aired after his death in 1998 noted that Rudy Narayan was known for his internationalism and distinctive oratorical style.

He also co-wrote an eight-part drama series, Black Silk, that was loosely based on his life in which he was played by Rudolph Walker.

There were poetry readings in different venues in Brixton and the Mangrove Steel Band played outside St. Matthews Church where the funeral was held.

[19][20] The plaque stated: "Rudy Narayan, 1938 – 1998, barrister, civil rights activist, community champion and 'voice for the voiceless', practised law here 1987 – 1994".

There were tributes from Arthur Torrington of the Windrush Foundation, Yasmeen Narayan, Alex Pascall, Dennis Bovell, Keith Waithe, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Rudolph Walker, Peter Herbert and Marcia Willis Stewart.