Black fireman accuses Met Police of racism
A black firefighter says he was assaulted and tasered by a group of police officers because of his skin colour.
In the latest case of alleged racism by Scotland Yard, Edric Kennedy-Macfoy, says he was insulted and arrested after going to assist six policemen while they were dealing with a disturbance last year.
The firefighter, who was off duty at the time of the alleged incident, has lodged an official complaint against the force which is being investigated by both the MPS Directorate of Professional Standards and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
Mr Kennedy-Macfoy’s case brings the number of investigations into race related-allegations against Met Police officers, to 12.
The firefighter says he was driving though Harrow in north London in the early hours of September 4 last year when he spotted a youth throw a rock at a police van. He stopped his car and says he approached a group of officers, who were dispersing a group of partygoers from a property in Harrow View, to inform them.
Mr Kennedy-Macfoy says he was insulted by the policemen, which included an inspector, sergeant, detective constable and two constables from Harrow borough, and was then detained without good cause.
The 28-year-old also claims he was assaulted during his arrest before being tasered. He was later charged with obstructing police, but found not guilty following a trial at Brent Magistrates’ Court in February.
He originally issued a complaint against the six officers shortly after the incident. But the force did not launch a misconduct investigation because criminal proceedings against Mr Kennedy-Macfoy were on-going.
His solicitor sent a further complaint letter outlining the precise details of the alleged incident last week.
Read more: Channel 4 News reveals 120 race-related cases within the Met Police, and only one officer dismissed, since the Macpherson Report launched after the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence, branded the force “institutionally racist”.
Met taking allegations ‘extremely seriously’
A Met Police spokesman confirmed that officers had shut down a noisy party of more than 200 people on the day of the alleged incident, adding that four officers sustained minor injuries after some of those attending the party became violent.
“A man arrived at the scene by car and approached officers on the cordon. He was subsequently tasered. He did not require medical treatment,” he added.
The force confirmed it had received a complaint against the conduct of six officers during the incident and that it was taking the allegations “extremely seriously”.
None of the officers, which also included a constable from the Diplomatic Protection Group and officers from black and ethnic backgrounds, have been suspended or restricted.
The Crown Prosecution Service last week recommended that PC Alex MacFarlane be charged with a “racially aggravated public order offence” during last summer’s riots. The alleged incident was recorded on a mobile phone.