A video shows the moment a man was kneed in the head by a Met Police officer who was allegedly bitten on the arm. A MyLondon reporter witnessed the incident on Friday (August 29) just before 11am outside Croydon Magistrates Court. MyLondon previously published an article describing what this reporter saw, but now we can share footage of the knee strike.
The footage that has been compiled includes a photo of the water spraying incident, two videos from our reporter, and one video from Woman 2 who also witnessed events. The footage begins with two police officers (PC 1 and PC 2) chasing the man down the road, with PC 1 using what appears to be PAVA spray, a synthetic incapacitant similar to pepper spray which officers are issued with.
The footage then shows the officers trying to restrain the man while Woman 1, heard referring to the man as her brother, gets physically involved. At 19-seconds in our footage PC 2 appears to knee the man while everyone is standing up. The footage (from Woman 2) then shows what happened when the man was brought to the ground.
At 49-seconds in the footage, PC 2 puts his arm under the man’s face. A second later, PC 2 removes his arm. At 51-seconds PC 2 strikes the man’s head with his knee, creating an audible thump. Woman 1 then screams: “Why are you still kneeing him?” The final section of footage shows PC 1 move Woman 1 away from the man as more officers arrive.
What our MyLondon reporter saw on Friday morning
It was chaos outside Croydon Magistrates Court on Friday morning, but this is exactly what our reporter saw:
- The man kicking open the door of the court, smashing the glass.
- The man calling security and police officers ‘f**king p**syholes’.
- The man tossing a lit cigarette that landed inside the court building.
- PC 1 walking down the steps to speak to the man.
- The man spraying PC 1 with water from his bottle.
- PC 1 spraying the man with what appeared to be PAVA spray.
- PC 2 and Woman 1 getting sprayed by the police spray.
- PC 1 and PC 2 trying to restrain the man.
- Woman 1, upset about the spray, getting physically involved in the restraint.
- PC 2 kneeing the man in the head.
- PC 1 moving Woman 1 away, pushing her to the ground.
- The man being arrested, handcuffed and restrained by the legs, and put in the back of a police van.
- What appeared to be a bite mark on PC 2’s arm.
Police at the scene told MyLondon the man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage on the door, and on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. MyLondon understands the initial arrest was triggered by an alleged common assault, attributed to the water spraying. Woman 2 described the incident as: “Institutional racism… Prejudice.”
Man released on bail
On Saturday morning, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “Police were called to Barclay Road, Croydon at 10.56hrs on Friday, 29 August following reports of a man causing criminal damage.
“It is alleged that the 32-year-old man assaulted police officers while he was being detained. The man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage and assault of an emergency worker. He has since been released on bail pending further inquiries. The two officers are not seriously injured. The investigation continues.”
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