THE FURORE that erupted after a Black mother who was wrongfully arrested in front of her young son under suspicion of fare evasion will now be investigated, the Met’s Assistant Commissioner has said.

The distressed mother was seen in handcuffs as she shouted at police officers to let go, insisting that she had paid for her bus fare in footage shared widely on social media. She was also heard protesting that she hadn’t “done anything wrong”.

Following the incident, the Met Police branded the woman as “abusive” and said she had refused to let a revenue inspector check her bus tickets and when asked to stop by police she did not comply which led to her arrest.

The shocking incident happened in Croydon, south London, last Friday but footage was only circulated on social media over the weekend.

In a statement today, the Met Assistant Commissioner, Matt Twist, said the matter would be referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) due to the level of “community concern”.

The incident took place while Officers from the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command were supporting TfL ticket inspectors on a pre-planned operation in Windmill Road, he said. 

“It is clear from the video that has been shared online that this incident was distressing for the woman involved and particularly for her child. We understand why it has prompted significant public concern and we want to be transparent about our position and the role of our officers.

“Anyone without a valid ticket is required to provide their details to a TfL inspector so a penalty fare can be issued. This is not a policing matter. Officers only become involved where details are not provided or where someone tries to leave when challenged,” said Twist.

“The woman involved in this incident was asked to provide her ticket as she got off the bus, but did not do so. She was spoken to by a TfL inspector, then by a PCSO and finally by a police officer. She continued to try to walk away and did not provide her ticket for inspection.”

Twist added that when once TfL inspectors were able to check her ticket, she was de-arrested and handcuffs were removed.

He continued: “Throughout the incident, the child was comforted by a PCSO who immediately recognised his distress. Anyone seeing how upset he was would be moved by this, and we regret any impact it may have on him.

“We recognise that the use of handcuffs can be a cause of concern, particularly given the context of this incident and the type of offence involved, but when a person is trying to physically leave an incident it is an option officers can consider. All uses of force must be proportionate and necessary in the circumstances.

“Ticket inspection operations of this nature are difficult. They place police officers in direct confrontation with frustrated members of the public and could escalate what would otherwise be civil matters to a different level.”

The shocking footage was responded to by leading community figures that went on to highlight the racial bias targeted against Black people after the Met was still slammed as being “institutionally racist” earlier this year.

The Black community was also found to be “over-policed and under-protected” which has left them with “generational trauma”.

One social media commentator described the incident as “dehumanising” for the woman and her young son. 

In a statement to The Independent, IPOC Detective Chief Superintendent, Christina Jessah, said: “We know that this is a distressing video to watch, even more so as a child is seen to be visibly upset by the way in which his mother has been apprehended. We regret the upset that has been caused to the child.

“A PCSO (police community support officer) can be seen comforting the child; however, we know that this does not take away from the impact that this will have on him.

“We are seeking to make contact with the female in question to understand the wider circumstances.

“Given the level of public concern we will ask the Independent Office for Police Conduct to review the circumstances shown in the video clip. We are currently working with the local senior police teams and Transport for London.”

An IOPC spokesperson said: “We have received a complaint referral this afternoon from the Metropolitan Police Service following an incident in Whitehorse Road, Croydon on 21 July where a woman was handcuffed. The complaint alleges the woman was racially profiled and verbally abused by an officer.

“We will now assess the referral and decide if any further action is required from us.”