18 October 2023 , 23:03
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A youngster sparked panic in London after he was surrounded by armed police and rammed off his bike as an officer thought his water pistol was a real gun.
The 13-year-old boy was handcuffed in Hackney, east London, on July 19 after a water fight with a younger sibling that saw the pair spray water at each other with blue and white and pink and white water guns. Despite units from the Met and City of London Police rushing to the scene, the water pistols were obviously just toys, according to the Alliance for Police Accountability (APA).
An APA statement slammed the incident as ‘horrific’ and ‘appalling’. It added: “He was surrounded by armed police officers who pointed their firearms at him and arrested him on suspicion of being in possession of a firearm. He was de-arrested at the scene soon afterwards, once his mother had arrived and challenged what was happening, but she too was treated with contempt by the officers when she sought an explanation for their conduct from them.”
A probe launched by the Metropolitan Police cleared officers of misconduct during the confusion but a complaint accusing them of racial bias is still being investigated. Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway said he had apologised to the family for the ‘extremely distressing’ incident. He added: “We know it may cause public concern and we want to help the public understand why we responded in the way we did. This does not in any way detract from our recognition of the trauma caused to the boy.”
The officer, in charge of policing for Hackney and Tower Hamlets, argued that armed police have to deal with fast-moving situations and limited information. “(It is) clear that officers should treat all firearms as real and loaded until proven otherwise,” he said. “The police have a positive legal obligation under human rights legislation to protect life, which shapes our approach to responding to suspected firearms. I am sorry for the trauma caused to the child and I am happy to meet with the family again if they feel that would help.”
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