Police launch probe after black man ‘kneed and punched’ as eight cops wrestle him to the ground
POLICE have launched an investigation after a video showed a black man apparently being kneed and punched as eight officers wrestled him to the floor.
Footage shows a squad of cops restraining the man on a street in Croydon, South London last Friday.
A police spokesman said the man had tried to run from officers, who believed he had a weapon.
They are seen hauling him to the pavement next to a police van as a member of the public films the incident on Wellesley Road just after 2pm.
One cop appears to aim his knee at the man as officers grapple with him.
After the police pull him to the floor, two officers kneel down next to him.
‘THE GUY LOOKED TERRIFIED’
Three cops then walk away from the scene, leaving five others surrounding the man.
Shouts can be heard before an officer appears to swipe two punches at the man as he is pinned to the floor.
The video ends with the man sat on the pavement as police officers stand around him.
A man who alerted the Met to the incident by posting it on Twitter, wrote: “Would anybody like to explain this??
“This was in Croydon. The guy looked terrified and the way the police kick and hit him, I’m not surprised.”
POLICE PROBE
Sun Online has contacted the Met for comment.
A Met police spokesman told My London officers in a marked vehicle saw a man running away after seeing them.
The spokesman said: “He was instructed to stop but continued to run. Officers observed what appeared to be a sharp object in his hand.
“Officers followed the man and attempted to detain him for the purposes of a search. During this the man resisted and became aggressive.
“A number of officers restrained the man and he was placed in handcuffs as they believed he had a weapon on him.
“No weapon was found but an umbrella spoke was found nearby which the man admitted to discarding while running from police.
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“The man was not arrested and no injuries were reported at the time.”
A public complaint has been recorded and will be assessed by the Met’s Department of Professional Standards.
The Met added it is “aware of the video and the actions of each officer seen in the footage will form part of this assessment.”