Police Racism: Black Firefighter Edric Kennedy-Macfoy To Lodge Complaint After Being 'Assaulted And Tasered' By Met Officers

PA/Huffington Post UK  |  Posted: 20/04/2012 06:57 Updated: 20/04/2012 15:59

Scotland Yard
Kennedy-Macfoy has filed a complaint after being tasered by Met Police

A black firefighter who claims he was assaulted and tasered by a group of Met police officers because of his skin colour is the latest case of alleged racism to be brought against Scotland Yard

Edric Kennedy-Macfoy, 28, was off duty when he said he was insulted and arrested without good cause after going to assist six policemen while they were dealing with a disturbance last year.

It is the 10th case in the last three weeks which is due to be investigated by both the MPS Directorate of Professional Standards and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

It is the latest in a wave of race related allegations made against Metropolitan Police officers which are being probed by the two watchdogs.

Mr Kennedy-Macfoy claims he was driving through Harrow in north London during the early hours of September 4 last year when he spotted a youth throw a rock at a police van.

He says he then stopped his car and approached a group of officers, who were dispersing a group of partygoers from a property in Harrow View, to inform them.

However, the firefighter claims he was insulted by the policemen who behaved like "wild animals." The group of officers which included an inspector, sergeant, detective constable and two constables from Harrow borough, swore at him and were violent before going on to detain him without good cause.

He was later charged with obstructing police, but found not guilty following a trial at Brent Magistrates' Court in February.

Jim Crow Museum Of Racist Memorabilia 'Aims To Teach Tolerance' (PICTURES)

The firefighter 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.
However, his solicitor sent a further complaint letter outlining the precise details of the alleged incident last week.

A Met Police spokesman confirmed officers had shut down a noisy party of more than 200 people on the day of the alleged incident.

"Some of those attending became hostile towards police and threw bottles and bricks at officers. Four police officers received minor injuries caused by missiles thrown at them," he added.

"A man arrived at the scene by car and approached officers on the cordon. He was subsequently tasered. He did not require medical treatment."

Inspector David Bergum told Brent court that he "had to do a quick risk assessment" on Kennedy-Macfoy in what was a "stressful" situation, reports The Guardian.

"I couldn't say he was anything to do with the party. The party was all black. He was black. He had driven through the cordon. I had to do a quick risk assessment."

The force confirmed it had received a complaint against the conduct of six officers during the incident.

It alleged that "officers arrested and detained a 28-year-old man without good cause, assaulted him during the arrest, that the officers were insulting and the way in which he was treated was motivated by factors relating to race", the Met said.

The Met spokesman confirmed the MPS Directorate of Professional Standards is investigating the incident, which was also automatically referred to the IPCC as a taser was discharged.

The Met said 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.

There are now 12 separate allegations of racism by Met officers under investigation by Scotland Yard and the IPCC.

They include the case of Pc Alex MacFarlane, 52, who will face criminal charges after being accused of racially abusing a suspect during last summer's riots. The alleged incident was recorded on a mobile phone. He will appear before magistrates in May charged with a public order offence.

Launch Slideshow
?
 HIDE THUMBNAILS
1 of 13
PLAY ALL
ADVERTISEMENT
FOLLOW UK

A black firefighter who claims he was assaulted and tasered by a group of Met police officers because of his skin colour is the latest case of alleged racism to be brought against Scotland Yard Edr...
A black firefighter who claims he was assaulted and tasered by a group of Met police officers because of his skin colour is the latest case of alleged racism to be brought against Scotland Yard Edr...
 
 
  • Comments
  • 168
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Post Comment Preview Comment
To reply to a Comment: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to.
View All
Favorites
Recency  | 
Popularity
Page: 1 2 3  Next ›  Last »  (3 total)
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
23:37 on 30/03/2013
There are more racst commenters in this online newspaper than there are with Daily Mail stories. Why is that?
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
23:34 on 30/03/2013
I am a guy of South Asian descent and the despicable treatment by 'white' police officers of a dissident named Babar Ahmad is still fresh in my mind. No one needs to convince me that the bad guys are 'white' police officers in the above article.
17:11 on 20/04/2012
MY SYMPATHIES ARE WITH THE POLICE.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
23:53 on 30/03/2013
If so, you're part of the problem.
17:08 on 20/04/2012
There are two sides to every story. Anyone who has ever watched any of the many police programmes will know that offences don't get to court even if the evidence is pretty conclusive, so the fact that it went to court even if he was found guilty must have meant that the police had something on him.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
23:56 on 30/03/2013
You're a twit: the television is not a source to understand what is going on in the world. If anything, the TV is part of the problem for furthering the myth that 'white' police officers are OK when they are not at all.
16:59 on 20/04/2012
Would he have complained if all of the attending police officers had been black?
18:33 on 20/04/2012
some was
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
23:43 on 30/03/2013
Your comment is revealing that you are racist because you have misunderstood that Macfoy would NOT be tasered if police officers were black. 'White' police officers in the UK are by and large pure arseholes. This is so much the case, that they would not hesitate to treat 'white' people badly either.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
coady12
16:50 on 20/04/2012
thats it basically, he should have minded his own buisness
16:32 on 20/04/2012
Black white what does it matter?.......I just wonder why he stopped his car and got involved with something that was absolutely nothing to do with him......

in my experience the police would of simply asked him the clear the scene as it was none of his business...
18:38 on 20/04/2012
Also that's the idea of cordons to prevent the civilians getting caught in the disturbance and note that this person was of duty therefore a civi interfering and obstructing police.
16:09 on 20/04/2012
Jump on the bandwago mate - the taxpayer can afford to fund you - WE BLOODY FUND EVERYTHING ELSE!!
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
nwsaia
The Voice of Reason, Truth & Intelligence
16:00 on 20/04/2012
Judging by the comments on here, there were 2,000 people at the party. If you weren't, shut your mouths and wind yer necks in.
majdf18148
I have nothing to declare but my curiosity
15:52 on 20/04/2012
Some of the comments on this issue are evidentially biased against this man because of his race. These same comments are made with only the sketchiest of detail upon which to base an opinion.The Inspector's initial statement "I couldn't say he had anything to do with the party, they were black, he was black, I had to do a quick assessment" speaks volumes. That statement alone will be a deciding factor against the Met; it demonstrates the firefighter was tazered and arrested "just in case" with no evidence whatsoever to suggest he was guilty of any a crime, a fact supported by his subsequent acquittal of any charge.The police will have been severely stretched dealing with that number of rowdy revellers, they will have been under enormous stress, probably worried about their own safety and generally in a sticky and nasty situation. I feel for them genuinely. BUT that can never excuse what happened to this man. Never, ever and is a further damning indictment of the poor command and control exercised over the police in situations involving large numbers of members of the public. Tempers get frayed, police officers are only human but that still does not excuse such treament.
16:07 on 20/04/2012
nice genrelisation there. So people like me who has doe this type of job and can see the bigger picture must be racist!
majdf18148
I have nothing to declare but my curiosity
17:44 on 20/04/2012
Read my post carefully and try to understand what I am saying which has NOTHING to do with what your post intimates.
17:14 on 20/04/2012
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS WATCH & LISTEN TO TV. THE ATTITUDE FROM MOST BLACK PEOPLE TO ANY KIND OF AUTHORITY IS TERRIBLE.
15:11 on 20/04/2012
So instead of blaming an out of control party with 200 black people, he blames the 6 white officers who had to deal with it, sounds about right. If he feels hard done by he should take it up with the partgoers that gave the police just cause for their reaction.
photo
AlanDente
Noses: made to hold glasses
15:22 on 20/04/2012
Ridiculous statement.

Let's see how much benefit of the doubt you'd give police when they seriously assaulted you and tried to stitch you up for crimes you didn't commit!
majdf18148
I have nothing to declare but my curiosity
15:38 on 20/04/2012
x20000000
15:49 on 20/04/2012
Proof please.

Alan, why do you hate the police so much. Did you get caught on the rob?
photo
AlanDente
Noses: made to hold glasses
15:36 on 20/04/2012
Oh and it wasn't 6 white officers...
15:09 on 20/04/2012
Iv`e said it before that this stupid RACE relations should be scrapped,when they asked for this Law to be writtn in it shows they knew they would not be liked, and if they can not live with decent white people they should be thrown out, it`s getting beyond a joke and I for one are fed up with it.
16:10 on 20/04/2012
DON'T FORGET THE DO-GOODERS' BRIGADE - THEY ARE AS BAD.
14:58 on 20/04/2012
Where is the race issue? Is it automatically about race everytime the police arrest a black person?
There is clearly more to this. He drove through a police cordon - why?
I know some police officers aren't overly blessed with intelligence but using a taser on someone who is trying to help? Unlikely
The police are confronting a 200 group and he wants to let them know someone has thrown an object? Get real - "Excuse me officer I know you are in a hostile situation and obviously out numbered but did you know one of those rascals threw something at your car?"
15:11 on 20/04/2012
LOL!! "I say officer, these handcuffs are chafing somewhat!!"
14:55 on 20/04/2012
So if someone excersises their right to breath near a policeman he can be charged with obstruction and that gives them the right to use a potentially lethal Tazer weapon on him?

He was not even charged with threatening behaviour or assault. For gods sake it is getting more like a banana state every day.
photo
AlanDente
Noses: made to hold glasses
15:25 on 20/04/2012
According to the logic of some posting here, 'if the police used the taser it must ov been justified or else they wouldn't ov used the taser'!

... hardly the bright sparks that you'd trust to stand up to authority when they're rounding up the undesirables, are they?
16:05 on 20/04/2012
A few years back a mentally impaired woman was cornered in a local car park after she was seen waving what appeared to be a gun in the early hours.
Although they were only twenty yards away from her and there was no evidence it was a firearm and they did not try talk to her or bring her down using a cs gas canister or a baton round.
Just twenty minutes after they arrived they elected to put a bullet through her chest.... not even a leg shot that would have brought anyone down.
Nobody tried to question why they did what they did and the I.P.C.C. did what they always do and rubber stamped the police version.
The womans name was Ann (Tosh) Sanderson.
18:45 on 20/04/2012
hay Alan are you going for a Huff post Oscar or what?
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
14:40 on 20/04/2012
What is the relevance, if any, of this gentleman being a fireman?