Outrage over bus fare arrest of mum 

Mother had paid her face, but police brand her ”aggressive”

A POLICE arrest of a mother for fare evasion sparked widespread uproar today after a video of the incident was circulated on social media.

The mother, who was handcuffed in Croydon, south London, last Friday (21 July) had paid her bus fare and was innocent of the crime she was being accused of.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police branded the woman as “aggressive” and downplayed the video, suggesting it did not show the full picture.

The video was met with outrage, while the police statement was heavily criticised.

Author Nels Abbey wrote: “A woman is placed in handcuffs and manhandled by two police officers, a needless fiasco which left her infant son severely distressed… all over a lousy £1.75 bus fare. And it looks like she was entirely innocent.”

Claudia Webbe MP responded: “Outrageous. The most disrespected person is the Black woman. The most unprotected person is the Black woman. The most neglected person is the Black woman The Met Police is the boot of the state; they do not care about Black people and Black women in particular.”

Social commentator Kelechi Okafor added: “Not just the mayor of London but leaders of the opposition who keep waltzing with the idea of giving police more powers. The BLACK MOTHER and her very young BLACK SON were being dehumanised by the Met police.”

The incident comes in the same week that the Metropolitan Police published the London Met Plan – a response to the Casey Report which accused the force of being institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic.

The Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley dug his heels in over his rejection of the term ‘institutionally racist’, but said he was committed to rooting out “systemic issues.”

A statement from the Metropolitan Police about the incident read: “We are aware of a video circulating showing a female being handcuffed by police.

“Officers from the Roads and Transport Policing Command were conducting a joint revenue protection operation with Transport for London inspectors in Whitehorse Road, Croydon, on Friday, 21 July.

“One woman left the bus after not complying with a revenue inspector’s request to check that she had paid her fare. When asked to stop by police she attempted to walk off and became abusive. As a result she was arrested on suspicion of fare evasion and detained.

“When it was later established that the woman had paid she was de-arrested and allowed to go on her way.

“The woman was with her child and we appreciate that the video and circumstances look concerning. However, it is a snapshot of a wider incident. The video from this incident and the officers body worn video, which was active for a longer period than the social media clip, has been reviewed.

“Our officers regularly liaise with local community groups and forums and we will be discussing the matter with them and listening to their views.”

Florence Eshalomi MP has been in touch with police and raised the matter with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. It is understood there will be a meeting tomorrow about it.

Claudia Webbe MP is the member of Parliament for Leicester East. You can follow her at www.facebook.com/claudiaforLE and twitter.com/ClaudiaWebbe