Policeman abused at protest and then accused of racism
A POLICE officer is being investigated for racism after telling a protester: ‘You don’t tell me what to do in my country.’
Marcus Tyson was responding to a screaming pro-Kurd activist who told him to ‘get out of here’ during an ugly clash.
The Metropolitan Police constable, who has served on the frontline for almost 29 years, thought little more about the incident. But after a video of the exchange was posted online, he has been placed on restricted duties and could now be sacked for gross misconduct.
Yesterday PC Tyson blasted his force for overreacting and described their actions as akin to ‘Stalinist thought police’.
He accused his superiors of ‘oppressive political correctness’ and said many colleagues are ‘afraid to do their jobs properly’ as a result.
He told the Sunday Times: ‘I would like to know upon what basis they regard my statement as being racist – it is purely a statement of fact that this is my country.
‘The action the Department of Professional Standards has taken against me is so wildly over the top, it discredits the investigators and brings their judgment into question.’ The exchange took place when PC Tyson was supervising a protest by members of the Kurdish community against the Turkish government in central London on August 14.
The video shows him being verbally abused by protesters as he walks along in full uniform, with one saying: ‘F*** the police.’ The 55-year- old is then confronted by a woman activist, one of the event organisers, to whom he says: ‘You don’t tell me what to do in my country.’ In notes taken following the demonstration, PC Tyson said protesters were also chanting messages of support for the PKK, a Kurdish terrorist group which is banned in Britain.
He said some were deliberately blocking traffic and he made the comment after moving the woman out of the way of an ambulance. She then became ‘irate’ and repeatedly shouted at him to ‘get out of here’, he claims. He said he responded: ‘I’m doing my job, it’s a shame you haven’t done yours.’
The activist made a formal complaint to the Met on August 20, and PC Tyson was notified in writing on September 6.
However, the wording in the complaint does not exactly match the wording of PC Tyson’s comment, which can be heard in the footage. The woman alleges he said: ‘You can’t teach me what I can do in my country.’ However, the video captures him saying: ‘You don’t tell me what to do in my country.’
Last week the officer was placed under investigation for allegedly ‘breaching the standards of professional behaviour’ by ‘using discriminatory language’.
PC Tyson, who is now on sick leave with stress, said: ‘There are an awful lot of my colleagues who are suffering from this awful and oppressive political correctness... It means that officers are afraid to do their jobs properly.’
He added: ‘The investigators can’t even get the most basic wording right and there’s even a video to prove it.’
A Met spokesman confirmed PC Tyson is under investigation. He declined to respond to the officer’s comments.
‘Awful and oppressive political correctness’