Star’s blast as pair with tot stopped
LINFORD Christie says the Metropolitan Police is guilty of “institutionalised racism” after two of his athletes were stopped and handcuffed.
The pair, who compete internationally, had their threemonth-old baby in the car at the time.
A video clip showed the couple seemingly manhandled by officers during the stop in west London on Saturday as the woman yelled: “He didn’t do anything.”
Olympic 100m gold medallist Christie said in a Twitter post that the driver was assaulted and demanded an explanation. The 60-yearold wrote: “Can Cressida Dick or anyone please explain to me what justification the Met Police officers had in assaulting the driver, taking a mother away from her baby all without one piece of PPE and then calling the sniffer dog unit to check the car over.
“Was it the car that was suspicious or the black family in it which led to such a violent confrontation and an accusation of the car smelling of weed.
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“This is not the first time this has happened and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
“This abuse of power and institutionalised racism cannot be justified or normalised any longer.”
The officers were responding “to an increase in youth violence involving weapons”.
Scotland Yard said the car with “blacked out windows” drove off “at speed” after “travelling the wrong side of the road”.
A statement read: “After a search was conducted on the persons/vehicle, no arrests were made and the occupants were allowed on their way.”
It added it was “satisfied that there is no concern around the conduct of officers” after reviewing the social media and bodyworn camera footage. ●
PROTESTERS have called for an end to racial disparity in the health system.
A demonstration at London’s Marble Arch yesterday was organised by All Black Lives UK.
A spokesman for the group, Tyrek Morris, 21, said: “We need extensive measures to prevent the suffering of black women in healthcare.”
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