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Policeman hits wheelchair-bound man for 'insulting and threatening' him, investigation underway
The incident took place on St Peter's Road in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, UK. The officer was insulted, threatened and spat upon prior to the altercation.
In a shocking incident that has left numerous individuals disturbed, a policeman was seen thrashing a person in a wheelchair. The incident took place on St Peter's Road in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, UK. A person recorded the ordeal from a distance and later shared it on social media. Once the video gained widespread attention, it reached the local police department, who are now looking into the matter, as per reports.
According to Norfolk Police, the officer was verbally insulted, threatened with a bottle, and spat upon prior to the altercation. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the force's watchdog, and the Professional Standards Department of the force have been notified of the situation, reported Metro UK.
The news outlet added that, according to bystanders, the man in the wheelchair was standing in the centre of the road with an alcohol bottle in his hands. The man cowered in his chair as the police officer shoved him back into the entryway of a store. (Also Read: After cop kicks worshippers in Inderlok, high alert in Delhi’s mixed areas)
Ch Insp Matt Dyson, the local policing commander, told the BBC, "We recognise the public concern around the level of force used in this incident and this will form part of our investigation. We are aware of a video circulating on social media. The matter has been referred to the Professional Standards Department and we are carrying out a thorough investigation of the circumstances, including a review of the officer's body worn video."
43-year-old Carla Carvalho, who witnessed the incident, said that the man in the wheelchair was "in the middle of the road, dancing and singing and all happy when the policeman comes and stops him". She further told BBC, "He was trying to get up with a bottle of beer in hand, and I think the police guy thinks he was going to throw the bottle at him. Then you see in the video the police guy punches him."
