Police furious as crowd cheers fleeing suspect

A SENIOR police officer has criticised bystanders who laughed and cheered as a man appeared to escape arrest in a struggle that left two officers injured and needing hospital treatment.

As they grappled with the suspect on a street in Newham, east London, a crowd gathered, filming the incident on their mobile phones.

However, not one of them went to the aid of the undercover officers, despite the difficulties they were having restraining the powerful individual.

Footage of the skirmish, which was shared widely online, showed how one man shouted “go on, son”, encouraging him to escape from the officers, who had identified themselves as police.

Supt Roy Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Service, wrote on Twitter: “So disappointing to see members of the public filming this and laughing at the officers.

“It’s a sad state of affairs when we forget police are the public and the public are the police…”

Scotland Yard said a female officer sustained a broken bone in her right hand, while a male officer suffered a torn hand ligament.

Since the incident on Thursday, a man has appeared at Thames magistrates’ court.

Nanikutomisa Mpelenda, 25, of Leyton, was yesterday charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possession of a firearm with criminal intent, obstructing a drugs search and driving while uninsured.

A 23-year-old man arrested in connection with the incident was released under investigation.