SHOCKING video shows the moment a man appears to be grabbed by the throat and pepper sprayed in the face during an altercation about “breaking lockdown”.
The incident, which took place in Ashford, Kent, after officers stopped the man on his way home from a food shop because he had multiple occupants in his car.
During the exchange, officers can be heard threatening to arrest him on suspicion of stealing the vehicle after the man questions why he is being detained.
The disturbing footage was shared online last Wednesday by Callum Clements, who was among those pulled over by police.
In the video, Callum can be heard giving his details to one of the police officers while another questions the driver of the vehicle.
The two exchange in a heated argument with the officer asking the unknown man: “Have you stolen it ?”
Offended, Callum’s friend retorts: “You can’t just ask me that, because you are now accusing me of driving a stolen vehicle.”
The other officer who was taking Callum’s details can be heard saying: “At the moment mate we don’t know who you are do we.”
Standing his ground, the man says: “It is mine, run the plate and you’ll find out.”
He continues: “You can’t arrest me unless I have committed a crime or broke the law yeah? I have done none of the above.
“You are just accusing me of driving a stolen car.”
The officer who was engaging with the man then steps forward to grab his hands in an attempt to cuff him.
The man stands back and the other officer says: “We don’t know whose car it is and we don’t know who you are.
“I am going to nick you on suspicion of theft of that car.
The man comes back with: “Suspicion? You are going to nick me on suspicion?”
The officers then both grab a hold of the man who again says: “I have not committed a crime, can you let go please.
He continues: “There’s no need for this, can you just run the plate and be done with it.”
Callum then attempts to intervene, but is pushed away.
His friend manages to escape the clutches of the officers and backs away from the pair and yells in pain, claiming the officer “nipped” him.
Suddenly, the officer who allegedly nipped him then grabs him by the throat.
Callum again tries to intervene as the man is pepper sprayed and tackled to the ground by the two men.
The officers pin him down with their knees as they urge Callum to get away.
As the clip ends, his friend can be heard wailing in agony as Callum exclaims: “You guys are police brutality.”
Callum then decided to share the footage on Facebook, saying: “Police are brutal for no reason.
“Just going to Sainsbury’s to buy stuff for our household.”
Since sharing the video, Facebook users have expressed their disgust in the comments section.
Reece Jay said: “F****** police are a joke, hope your all good.”
Mia Brown posted: “Scum mate.”
Barrie Notaro commented: “Didn’t even attempt to read him his rights or in any way make this a legal arrest.”
But Alex Collins wrote: “That’s what happens when you resist arrest funnily enough.”
Callum denied the group were resisting arrest.
Speaking today, he added: “The police approached because they saw us driving with three people in the car.
“We went shopping me, my friend and my other friend, for a disabled woman all from the same estate.”
Callum added: “”I was fined £200 for being with more than one house hold and he was not arrested for anything.
“They wouldn’t let me get him any milk or water to stop the burning.”
A spokesman for Kent Police today said: “Officers on patrol in Ashford stopped a car in Sotherton, Willesborough at 3.35pm on Wednesday 13 January 2021, after suspecting that the vehicle’s four occupants were breaching Government rules designed to stop the spread of Covid-19.
A 31-year-old man was arrested but due to his aggressive behaviour and failure to comply with officers’ requests, PAVA spray was used during his detention.
Following concerns raised on social media regarding the officers’ handling of the arrest and the suggestion the suspect was choked in some way, a review of the officers’ body worn video from the incident has taken place and has established no issues concerning the conduct of the officers or any evidence of choking of any kind.
“Furthermore, no formal complaints against the attending officers have been received.
“The man was initially arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle. He was later de-arrested and re-arrested for a public order offence.
“He was given a fixed penalty notice for disorder and a fixed penalty notice for breaching Covid-19 rules and released.”
