Reece Richards: Sex education actor's arrest to be investigated

A regulatory body will look into the improper arrest of Reece Richards, the Sex Education actor, by police in west London, who used pepper spray during the incident.

Mr. Richards, known for his role in a Netflix series and currently performing in the West End musical Hairspray, was on his way home on September 4 after a show. He reports that he saw a car accident happen and noticed two men running away on foot.

He claims that he directed the police towards the path the two men had taken, but the officers responded by kicking him and throwing him to the ground.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is looking into the matter. The Metropolitan Police had already acknowledged that pepper spray was deployed and mentioned that their professional standards department has been notified.

Mr. Richards stated that four police officers held him down as he was heading home after his show. They did this by sitting on him, which aggravated his pre-existing injuries to his back, ribs, and stomach.

The Metropolitan Police stated that their officers were in pursuit of a car believed to be stolen and using fake license plates when the situation involving Mr. Richards occurred. Mr. Richards has claimed that the police acted with "racial profiling."

Scotland Yard also mentioned that before Mr. Richards was released from custody on Fulham Palace Road in Fulham, "a Taser was aimed at him but not fired."

A video that Mr. Richards and Hairspray director Brenda Edwards posted on social media seems to capture several police officers restraining a person on the ground.

In a post on Instagram, Mr. Richards mentioned that he had reported the incident to the Metropolitan Police and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), describing the situation as an instance of "racial profiling." This event occurred in the early morning hours.

The actor recounted, "In an instant, I found myself lying face-first on the pavement, with several officers pinning me down and pressing my head into the ground."

I couldn’t see anything around me, but I could hear my mom close by, crying out and pleading for them to release me.

I can't shake off that sense of powerlessness. The entire situation was humiliating, really distressing, and utterly draining.

"I won't stop until I find out the truth, and my heart goes out to anyone else who's experienced this."

A representative from the IOPC stated, "This afternoon, the Metropolitan Police sent us a voluntary complaint regarding an event that took place on Fulham Palace Road in west London on September 4. During this incident, a man was arrested and sprayed with Pava, a type of pepper spray, by the police before being released at the location."

They mentioned, "We recognize that the man sustained only some minor injuries."

The spokesperson stated that the individual expressed concerns regarding excessive force and an unjust arrest. He also claimed that he was stopped solely due to his race and that he did not match the description of the suspects.

"We will now review the referral and determine if we need to take any additional steps."

The Metropolitan Police reported that the 15-year-old driver involved in the car accident was taken into custody at the location for not stopping, reckless driving, and burglary.

According to Scotland Yard, two additional passengers, aged 20 and 21, had fled the scene but were found in the vicinity shortly after.

Both individuals were taken into custody on suspicion of stealing a vehicle. Additionally, the 20-year-old was arrested for allegedly having a sharp or pointed weapon in their possession.

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