Police probed after protester ‘grabbed’ by throat’
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS BRANCH INVESTIGATES COMPLAINT
POLICE have launched an internal probe over a video that appears to show an officer grabbing a student by the throat.
A group of students claim the young man was detained by police simply for ‘shaking his head’ at them following a protest. Greater Manchester Police say the 18-year-old was arrested for alleged ‘breach of the peace’ and he was later de-arrested.
The incident will now be looked at by the force’s Professional Standards Branch following a complaint.
Hundreds of people gathered in St Peter’s Square in Manchester city centre last night to demonstrate on a number of causes including opposition to the government’s proposed new crime legislation. After the crowd dispersed, there was an incident nearby involving an 18-year-old man and a group of Tactical Aid Unit officers.
A video shared widely on social media shows an officer pinning the young man up against a van, at one point appearing to have his hand on the teenager’s throat.
The other officers tell his friends to stay back as they complain.
A friend of the student told the M.E.N.: “I think my mate just casually shook his head at the police van as we went passed and this officer jumped out and pinned him against the van.
“He was saying ‘are you shaking your head at me you little s***’? I got my phone out and they weren’t letting me film it, two officers shoved me to the floor. He wasn’t arrested, they just put him in the van and dropped him at the McDonald’s in Peel Park.
“He asked for their badge numbers and they said ‘do you want to spend the weekend in the cells?’”
GMP said in a statement: “Following protests in Manchester city centre (on Saturday) an 18-year-old man was detained for breach of the peace. He was later de-arrested.
“Following a public complaint in regards to this arrest, the incident has been referred to GMP’s Professional Standards Branch for assessment.”