Shocking moment police pepper-spray Sex Education star and ‘throw’ him to ground
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A star from the show Sex Education has posted a troubling video showing the moment police pepper-sprayed him and brought him down to the ground. He claims that the officers were engaging in racial profiling.
Reece Richards, known for his role as Eugene in the popular Netflix series, was heading home after his performance in Hairspray the Musical in Milton Keynes when he found himself being restrained, even though he was just an innocent bystander.
The actor reported that he saw two individuals running away from a car accident close to his residence in Fulham, west London, at which point he was wrongfully arrested.
He mentioned that he attempted to guide the chasing officers towards the suspects when one of them confronted him, saying, "Get down on the ground or I'll use pepper spray on you."
In a post on Instagram, he shared troubling video of the event and described what happened: “They sprayed me with pepper spray, knocked me off my feet, slammed me to the ground, and put handcuffs on me.”
He said, "In an instant, I found myself lying face first on the pavement with several officers pinning me down, pushing my head into the ground."
I was already hurt from the performance, but having four officers piled on top of me made my back, ribs, and stomach injuries even worse.
"I wasn't able to see anything, but I could hear my mom close by, shouting and in tears, pleading for them to release me."
The actor has officially reported the incident that occurred in the early hours of September 4 to both the Metropolitan Police and the Independent Office for Police Conduct. He expressed his frustration with the issue of racial profiling within the police.
The Metropolitan Police has stated that they are looking into a complaint regarding the arrest, and this matter is being examined by their Professional Standards department.
No officers have been put on leave or removed from their duties as a result of the incident.
"I'll always remember that sense of powerlessness. I've been stopped and searched in the past, but I've never experienced arrest or been treated in this manner," Mr. Richards expressed.
According to what witnesses have shared with me, the suspects were indeed placed in handcuffs, but they did not receive any pepper spray.
He further explained, “I try my best to steer clear of any encounters with law enforcement, but this situation has made it painfully obvious that racial profiling is still a serious problem.”
"Having armed police officers all around you without any explanation can be an incredibly frightening and distressing situation."
A representative from the Metropolitan Police stated, "We have seen a video that is being shared on social media showing a man being arrested in the Fulham neighborhood."
Police officers frequently encounter fast-paced and difficult scenarios, requiring them to make quick decisions about how to respond.
Police were chasing after three men who fled from a car that had crashed on Fulham Palace Road after not stopping for officers.
It’s evident that the individual caught on camera was simply an innocent bystander, and he was released as soon as the officers on the scene confirmed this.
All officers are aware that any use of force needs to be appropriate and justified, and they recognize that their actions will be closely examined.
A grievance has been reported concerning his arrest.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police's Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) are currently looking into this matter, along with additional evidence, such as the video filmed by the officers' body cameras.
"Currently, none of the officers involved have any limitations placed on them."
