Met police deny misconduct after Linford Christie athletes stopped

The Metropolitan police have said there were “no misconduct issues” after its officers stopped and handcuffed two black athletes trained by the Olympic champion Linford Christie.The Metropolitan police have said there were “no misconduct issues” after its officers stopped and handcuffed two black athletes trained by the Olympic champion Linford Christie.

Video of the incident, in Maida Vale, west London, on Saturday, and posted by Christie on Twitter, showed officers telling the occupants of the vehicle they were going to be searched as an obviously distressed woman says repeatedly: “My son is in the car.”

In another tweet, Christie, the most successful British and European sprinter, said officers stopped the athletes, who were travelling with their three-month-old baby, outside their home and assaulted the male driver.

He called on the Met chief, Cressida Dick, “or anyone else” to justify the officers’ conduct.

“Was it the car that was suspicious or the black family in it which led to such a violent confrontation and finally an accusation of the car smelling of weed but refusing to do a roadside drug test,” he wrote.

“This is not the the first time this has happened (second time in two months). And I’m sure it won’t be the last but this type of abuse of power and institutionalised racism cannot be justified or normalised any longer.”

Reference The Guardian Haroon Siddique 2 hrs ago 5th July 2020