A MET cop is under criminal investigation for an alleged race attack on a mum wrongly arrested in front of her son for bus fare evasion.
Footage showed the woman being handcuffed by two officers as her son cried in the background.
The mum was arrested in front of her son
She was arrested on suspicion of fare evasion after the Met claimed she became abusive and walked away from police.
But the mum was de-arrested and released when it was confirmed she had paid to use the public transport.
The video, taken in Croydon, South London, on July 21, drew widespread criticism after it went viral.
A Met Police officer is now under criminal investigation for alleged racially aggravated assault and false imprisonment.
The cop is also being probed for potential gross misconduct, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed.
IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: “It’s important to emphasise that this development does not necessarily mean that criminal charges or disciplinary proceedings will follow.
“At the conclusion of the investigation, we will decide whether to refer a file of evidence to the CPS for a charging decision and also decide whether any officers should face disciplinary proceedings.
“Representatives for the woman and the officer have been advised of this update and we will keep them informed throughout our investigation.”
The Met said the woman was asked to provide her ticket when she boarded the bus but failed to do so.
A Transport for London ticket inspector and a PCSO spoke to her before the police arrived.
In the footage, the mum can be heard screaming: “What the hell, get off me, what are you doing? What the f*** is going on?”
She then shouts: “You’re hurting my arm! No you don’t – I haven’t done anything!”
Her young son, who was visibly distressed and sobbing, was looked after by a PCSO at the scene.
After she was arrested, the inspector checked her ticket and confirmed it was valid – with the woman immediately de-arrested.
The Met confirmed today the officer will remain on restricted duties while the criminal investigation is carried out.
Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain, responsible for policing in Croydon, said the force is “co-operating fully”.
He added: “This incident caused a great deal of concern in the community when it happened and when a video showing part of the events was shared on social media. The incident was clearly distressing for the woman involved and particularly her child.
“Because of that concern, we made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct which is now carrying out an independent investigation.
“It is important the incident is thoroughly investigated to understand what happened.
“As the IOPC has stated, the launching of a criminal or misconduct investigation is not in itself a finding of wrongdoing and we await its conclusions after all the available evidence has been gathered and fully examined.”
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