Thread by @BLMCardiff

It's not "different" in #Cardiff 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿. Cardiff is home to the oldest continuous Black community in the #UnitedKingdom🇬🇧. Historically, Cardiff🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 had one of the largest #Black communities in the #UK🇬🇧. #BlackLivesMatter now, and throughout history. 1/

Mahmood Hussein Mattan, pictured below, was a sailor from #Somaliland and worked as a merchant seamen. His work brought him to #TigerBay in #Cardiff, #Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿.

Here is a photograph of Mahmood. 2/

He wrongfully convicted of the murder of Lily Volpert on 6 March 1952, and the murder took place in the dockland area of South Cardiff, Wales🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿. Within a few hours Mattan was questioned by the Cardiff City Police+ten days later he was charged with Volpert's murder. 3/

The trial took place in #Swansea🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 His barrister said he "Half-child of nature; half, semi-civilised savage". He was denied access to an interpreter. The prosecution witness changed their statement. He was convicted on the evidence of 1 prosecution witness. 4/

On 3 September 1952 he was hanged at Cardiff Prison. Mattan was the last person to be hanged at the prison. He was buried in the prison grounds. 5/

web.archive.org/web/2016030403…

Mattan was a victim of miscarriage of justice a victim of police racism. New information emerged that exonerated him and the Court of Appeal stated the trial of Mattan was "demonstrably flawed" and awarded compensation to his family. 6/

It was quashed 45 years later on February 24, 1998. The Mattan family fought long and hard for the clearing of their father's name.

His body was exhumed and buried in a new plot in a cemetery in #Cardiff. His epitaph reads "KILLED BY INJUSTICE"

bbc.co.uk/news/resources… 7/

It's not different in #Cardiff. It never has been.

walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-new…

#BlackLivesMatter #BlackHistoryMatters #Somaliland #MahmoodMattan #BywydauDuYnPwysi #BHM #Hanes #HanesOGaerdydd 8/