In the early hours of Saturday morning, Rashan Charles died after being apprehended by police.

According to the BBC, the 20 year-old was pursued by a Metropolitan Police Officer on foot, after they attempted to stop a car that Rashan was a passenger of, on Kingsland Road, in Hackney, at 1.45am.

He ran into the local off license called 'Yours Locally' in Dalston, where he was seen 'trying to swallow an object'.

The footage of what happens inside the shop is circulating widely on social media.

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The CCTV footage shows a struggle as the officer takes down Rashan. Once on the floor the struggle continues for more than a minute, whilst another plain-clothed man sits on the young suspect.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) have released a statement saying they are going to investigate the officer's contact with Rashan.

They also explain that Rashan became unwell at the scene and first aid was given by a police officer as well as paramedics before he was taken to the Royal London Hospital where he subsequently died.

The IPCC state that they believe an object was removed from his throat at the scene.

It is yet unclear how Rashan actually died.

Since his death, social media, particularly Twitter, reacted with outrage.

The hashtag #JusticeForRash quickly began trending.

Many people were angry at the lack of mainstream coverage, as well as commenting on the apparent force used in the video.

Yesterday afternoon people took to Kingsland Road to protest.

Holding Black Lives Matter posters they stopped traffic chanting 'No justice, no peace.'

Protestors made it clear they believed there is a systemic issue within the police regarding excessive used on people of colour.

Black Lives Matter is a movement stemming from the US that aims to publicise and ultimately end the disproportionate amount of people of colour killed by the police.

His friends left flowers outside the shop and spoke to reporters about his loving and protective nature, with one man telling the Independent, 'He was a brother to me'.

A spokesman from the Metropolitan Police said to the BBC: 'The man entered a shop in Kingsland Road, where he was seen to be trying to swallow an object. The officer intervened and sought to prevent the man from harming himself, but he was then taken ill.'

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Daisy Murray
Digital Fashion Editor

Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.