Met Police refers itself to watchdog over arrest of black actor
The Met Police has referred itself to the police watchdog after a black actor was pepper sprayed and kicked by officers while being ‘wrongfully’ arrested.
Reece Richards, who played Eugene in the hit Netflix show Sex Education, accused the Met Police of ‘racial profiling’ and claimed he was the ‘victim of an unlawful arrest’ just yards from his home in Fulham, West London, on September 4.
The drama unfolded after Mr Richards witnessed a car crash while returning home from performing in Hairspray the Musical in Milton Keynes. Three men jumped out of the vehicle as police gave chase.
However, when Mr Richards apparently tried to tell the officers which way the men ran off, he was mistaken for one of the suspects.
Three men jumped out of the vehicle as police gave chase but Mr Richards was mistaken for one of the suspects and arrested.
The force has since referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPIC) with the actor alleging ‘he was only stopped because he was black’.
Mr Richards was pepper sprayed and had his legs kicked from under him by police during an ‘unlawful arrest’
Mr Richards, who played Eugene on the hit Netflix show Sex Education (pictured above), accused the Met Police of ‘racial profiling’
Footage shared by the actor appears to show him being told to ‘stay where you are’ with Met Police admitting that pepper spray was used.
He then claims to have been ‘kicked’ to the ground and ‘handcuffed’ by officers who briefly detained him. The force added that a ‘Taser was pointed but not discharged’ before he was dearrested shortly after when it became clear he was just a bystander.
An IOPC spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We have received a voluntary complaint referral this afternoon from Met Police following an incident on Fulham Palace Road, West London on September 4 where a man was arrested and PAVA sprayed by police officers before he was dearrested at the scene.
‘We understand the man received minor injuries. The man complained about use of force and the false arrest and also alleges that he was only stopped because he was black, and he didn’t fit the description of the suspects.
‘We will now assess the referral and decide if any further action is required from us.’
Guidance from the police watchdog says that police forces must refer serious incidents whether or not someone has made a complaint.
The police can also refer incidents to watchdog if they have concerns about the conduct of their officers or staff.
When the watchdog receives a referral, it then assess whether an investigation is deemed necessary.
The actor appeared to be told to ‘stay where you are’ by an officer threatening him with pepper spray in in footage captured nearby and later posted to Instagram
The Met Police confirmed it had received a complaint over the arrest which was being investigated by its Professional Standards department. However, the force said no officers have been suspended or taken off duty over the incident.
A former drama teacher of Mr Richards who lives on the same street as him said she was woken up by the incident and rushed down to see what was happening.
Acting coach Ms Hass, who is a former drama teacher of Mr Richards and lives on the same street as him, said she was woken up by the noise of the incident and ran down.
She described the incident as ‘incredibly distressing’ and said that Mr Richards was not offering any resistance to the officers.
Ms Hass told LBC: ‘Three of them were holding him down on the ground. This went on for a very long time. He’d been pepper sprayed. He couldn’t see anything.
‘He was incredibly distressed because he was blinded. His mother was trying to intervene, trying to talk to them.
‘I was trying to talk to them, saying he’s a student of mine. I know him.’
The Hairspray tour has released a statement ‘strongly condemning racism’ following the incident involving one of their actors.
A statement from the official Hairspray UK Tour said: ‘We stand in full support and solidarity with Reece Richards, a valued member of our cast who was wrongfully targeted by the Met Police whilst making his way home after a performance of Hairspray The Musical.
The official Hairspray UK Tour has said it stands in ‘full support and solidarity’ with Reece Richards
The Met Police confirmed it had received a complaint over the arrest which was being investigated by its Professional Standards department. However, no officers have been suspended or taken off duty over the incident
‘We strongly condemn any form of racism and discrimination.
‘We are in close contact with Reece and are offering him our full support during this difficult time.’
While under arrest the actor asked his mother, who was with him at the time, to call family friend Brenda Edwards, the director of Hairspray and well-known TV host.
He claimed that after Ms Edwards arrived at the scene around 20 minutes later the officers’ attitude shifted ‘immediately’.
Posting to social media, Ms Edwards said: ‘Reece Richards who is currently playing one of the leads in my production and has never been in trouble with the law, was racially profiled and violated, just after getting back to London from me watching him and the fabulous cast in Milton Keynes.
‘He told the police that he had just performed in Milton Keynes so it couldn’t be him and the fact he had a massive suitcase with him and the cast on FaceTime was totally ignored.
‘This was such a distressing experience to witness. Conversations sadly still need to be had.’
Ms Edwards arrived at the scene around 20 minutes and has described it as a ‘distressing experience to witness’
The actor says he was placed under arrest after telling officers which way the men involved in the crash ran off
Mr Richards (pictured) said the incident left him ‘confused’ as he said he was ‘treated like a criminal’
In a statement posted on social media, Mr Richards said: ‘I was confused, unable to understand why I was suddenly being treated like a criminal. Calmly, I explained that I was a performer returning from a show, but one officer yelled, ‘Get to the floor or I’ll pepper spray you’.
‘They pepper-sprayed me, kicked my legs out from under me, threw me to the ground, and handcuffed me.
‘In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground.
‘I was already injured from the show, but having four officers on top of me worsened my injuries to my back, ribs, and stomach.
‘I couldn’t see anything, but I could hear my mum nearby, screaming and crying, begging them to let me go.’
Mr Richards went on to describe the experience as ’embarrassing, deeply upsetting, and exhausting’.
He added: ‘It has left me questioning everything I thought I knew about justice. Suddenly, my understanding of right and wrong feels completely upended.’
Describing the incident, Mr Richards said: ‘That feeling of helplessness will never leave me’
The Met Police said the driver, aged 15 was arrested at the scene for failing to stop, dangerous driving and burglary. It added that two passengers, aged 20 and 21, had run off but were located nearby.
They were both was arrested on suspicion of theft of motor vehicle, while the 20-year-old was also arrested on suspicion of being in possession of a pointed or bladed article.
As a precaution, the pair were taken to hospital where their injuries were assessed as not being life-threatening or life-changing.
A spokesperson for the Met Police told MailOnline: ‘We are aware of a video circulating on social media of a man being detained in the Fulham area.
‘Officers often find themselves in dynamic, challenging situations and have to make split-second judgements on which course of action to take.
‘Officers had been pursuing three men who had run out of a car that had crashed in Fulham Palace Road after it failed to stop for police.
‘It is clear the man shown in the footage was an innocent bystander and he was dearrested as soon as this was established by officers at the scene.
‘All officers know any use of force must be proportionate and reasonable and they understand their actions will be scrutinised.
‘A complaint has been received in relation to his arrest.
‘This is currently being assessed by officers from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS), along with other material including the officers’ body worn video footage.
‘None of the officers involved are subject to restrictions at this time.’
