Two Metropolitan Police officers were physically assaulted by a “hostile crowd” at an East London McDonald’s on Monday night after responding to a call for urgent assistance at the restaurant.
Police were called at 10:40 pm after McDonald’s staff had used the panic alarm and reported that a man was fighting with customers in Mare Street, Hackney.
Two officers arrived and attempted to arrest the man, struggling with him on the floor, only to then be surrounded by a jeering, screaming group, some of them kicking and verbally abusing them.
“Both officers were later treated for injuries,” the Met confirmed, “one for an ankle injury and the other for cuts to his face.”
Hackey Police re-Tweeted out witness footage on Tuesday, writing: “If you witnessed this incident last night please DM. If the ‘tough man’ who feels it’s acceptable to kick my colleague in the back, not once but twice when trying to arrest someone, feels any sort of remorse, get in touch too before we track you down.”
One man in a white t-shirt, jeans, and a black baseball cap is seen kicking one of the officers, causing the crowd to push forward. Another man, wearing a black t-shirt and black and white baseball cap with a balloon hanging out of his mouth, surged towards the officer who in return produced his taser and pointed it at the unruly crowd.
One 30-year-old man was arrested for assaulting a police officer, but the Met is continuing its investigations into identifying the other suspects.
While many Twitter users expressed shock and sympathy for the police, some claimed that the suspect, who was arrested after allegedly fighting with customers, had been assaulted by the officers and that the actions of some in the crowd were justified, with the department’s Twitter handle operator finding themselves justifying one officer protecting himself during the altercation by producing the taser.
Scotland Yard confirmed to the MailOnline that the taser was not discharged.
“Two officers, who were responding to a call to protect the public have been repeatedly assaulted.
“This is an unacceptable, nasty incident, with my officers being kicked while they were on the floor just trying to do their job,” Acting Borough Commander Steve Johnson of the Central East Command Unit said in a statement.
The incident occurred on the final day of Notting Hill Carnival in West London, an annual Caribbean-influenced festival led by black communities in the UK, during which 30 police officers were injured.
Leftist activists criticised the increased policing aimed at keeping carnival-goers safe, claiming it would lead to a disproportionate number of ethnic minority men being searched.
During the two-day event, 395 people were detained including 69 for weapons offences, 12 for assault, and nine on suspicion of sexual offences.
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