Black woman shouts ‘I can’t breathe’ as she’s pinned to ground by police in London
Footage showing police officers appearing to pin down and hit a black woman as she shouts ‘I can’t breathe’ has sparked an official investigation.
Kamyimsola Olatunjoye, 28, is shown being restrained by six officers in Lewisham, southeast London, in a clip filmed on May 9.
A woman’s voice is heard yelling ‘please stop!’ as one officer appears to punch Ms Olatunjoye several times while the others try to put handcuffs on her. Meanwhile a passer-by confirms having seen police hit her, saying ‘that’s not right’.
She was under suspicion of obstructing a search for drugs and assaulting an emergency worker, according to a Met Police statement.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct confirmed they were looking into the incident on Sunday, while the Met said they were liaising with community groups to ‘discuss any concerns’ over the incident.
Lawyer and political rights activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, who posted the clip on Twitter, said: ‘Why would it take six police officers to pin down one woman in Lewisham? I can see police hitting her as she screams I can’t breathe? Shouting ‘Please stop’ as she’s being slapped. She’s restrained.’
She added: ‘This is unjustified, unacceptable, excessive force. I’m very concerned at the level of excessive force used and want it thoroughly investigated. Begs the question what else is happening without video footage.’
According to redacted documents released under Freedom of Information requests, the police are trained to punch or slap people in the carrying out of their duties – although it is not clear whether this is permitted against a suspect who is already restrained.
Ms Olatunjoye, from Lewisham, was a passenger in a car that failed to stop for police, the Met said.
The driver, Carlton Ireland, 46, of Hither Green, southeast London, was charged with drink-driving.
A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘Two people have been charged in relation to an incident in Lewisham on 9 May.
‘Kamyimsola Olatunjoye was charged with obstructing a drugs search. A matter of assaulting an emergency worker was not proceeded with.’
‘Officers on proactive patrol in Lewisham on Saturday, 9 May attempted to stop a vehicle on Lewisham High Street at 23:05hrs.
‘The vehicle attempted to make off after officers signalled for it to stop. It became blocked and the male driver and female passenger were detained.
‘Both were searched under section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act and subsequently arrested.’
The spokesperson added: ‘Police are aware of videos circulating on social media showing the arrest and are liaising with local community groups and forums to discuss any concerns that they might have regarding this incident.
‘The matter has since been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.’
Ms Olatunjoye and Mr Ireland have been released on bail.
Just two weeks after the incident, footage of a black man being abruptly handcuffed for a drugs search in Lewisham would go viral on social media.
The white police officer tells him the search is due to reports of drug-related activity in the area, but only after questioning him at length about why he was sitting outside.
Reports indicate he was an off-duty ambulance driver.
Protests have taken place in various locations in London following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, with many activists highlighting cases where black people have died in custody in the UK.
Demonstrators in the US have taken to chanting ‘I can’t breathe’ in a symbolic reference to some of Mr Floyd’s last words while his neck was knelt on by ex-cop Derek Chauvin.
While the act of protesting has not been outlawed in the UK during the pandemic, social distancing rules remain in place requiring any demonstrators to remain two metres apart from each other at all times.
Large gatherings are forbidden under Covid-19 legislation, although police did not attempt to use this to shut down the protests in London this weekend.
Police on Friday closed an investigation into the death of railway worker Belly Mujinga, another figure widely cited by anti-racism activists, after concluding a spitting attack she reportedly suffered from a man claiming to have coronavirus did not contribute to her death.
The man reportedly had a negative antibody test after the incident and British Transport Police found ‘no evidence to substantiate any criminal offences having taken place’.
They said on Friday: ‘Our thoughts remain with her family and we will continue to support them as they come to terms with the loss of their much-loved mother and wife.’
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