Police challenged over use of force after footage of Leeds confrontation emerges

By The Guardian

Police challenged over use of force after footage of Leeds confrontation emerges.

Video shared on Facebook shows officer pinning woman to ground and around 10 uniformed officers scuffling with residents on a street in Harehills

Police officers have been challenged over their use of force after video footage emerged of a tense confrontation in Leeds in which one officer is seen pinning a woman to the ground.

The clip, filmed by Facebook user Mark Abisetti and uploaded online, shows a chaotic scene in Harehills, an inner-city area of Leeds, with around 10 uniformed officers scuffling with residents in the middle of a street of terraced houses.

Dozens of bystanders look on as screaming and shouting escalates and a man is dragged out of shot by a police officer and the group is dispersed. The camera then captures another clash between an officer and a woman, who is held against the barred front door of a house before breaking free.

Another officer wearing a high-visibility vest with his baton withdrawn tackles the woman to the ground before the footage ends.

Facebook users have accused officers of excessive force in comments posted under the video such as “well over the top”, “that copper went too far with the woman” and “be like America over here”.

Sophie Khan, a solicitor advocate who specialises in claims against the police at Sophie Khan & Co, said: “The footage shows an alarming scene. Bystanders are being dragged across the street and thrown on the floor by riot-geared police officers.

“It is unclear why the riot police attended but it is clear from the footage that the bystanders have been treated with violence on the police’s arrival to the scene.

“The police officers are permitted to use reasonable use of force on those suspected of committing a crime, but that does not extend to using force on bystanders. The police officers did not have the right to use force on bystanders if all they were doing was to speak out about the way an alleged suspect was being treated.”

West Yorkshire police said officers were called before 3.45pm on Monday to Nowell Mount following a report of criminal damage to a vehicle and an associated disturbance involving a number of people.

A 56-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man were arrested at the scene on suspicion of affray. An 18-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of assault in relation to an earlier incident. All three remain in custody.

Ch Insp Fran Naughton, of Leeds district, said: “We are aware of footage from the scene circulating via social media channels. I would urge anyone with such footage or information about the circumstances of this incident to contact the police to assist us in our ongoing inquiries into this incident.”

A spokeswoman for the force said they had received no complaints about the behaviour of any police officers in connection with the incident, while the Independent Police Complaints Commission had not received any referrals.