Cyclist’s video of police officer stopping him and accusing him of ‘antisocial behaviour’
Cyclist’s video of police officer stopping him and accusing him of ‘antisocial behaviour’ for riding on the pavement, not wearing a helmet and not having a LICENCE PLATE goes viral with more than 1m views
- Unnamed man is stopped on a residential street for riding his bike on pavement
- Police officer explains he is not wearing a helmet, hi-vis jacket or licence plate
- A group of officers surround the man as he continues to question the officer
By Bhvishya Patel For Mailonline
Published: 07:23 EDT, 2 July 2020 | Updated: 08:11 EDT, 2 July 2020
A video showing police officers stopping a cyclist for ‘antisocial behaviour’ after he rode on the pavement has gone viral with more than 1.1million views.
The clip, which appeared on social media on Tuesday, shows a Metropolitan police officer telling the man he has been stopped because of the way he was riding his bicycle.
The clip, filmed on a London street, begins with a police officer telling the cyclist he is displaying ‘antisocial behaviour’ for riding his bike ‘in and out of the road’.
The unnamed man films himself as he is stopped by a group of officers in London for riding his bicycle on the pavement
A female officer stood in front of the man explains that he has been stopped for riding his bike ‘in and out of the road’
The cyclist moves the camera up to capture the group of officers stood behind him at the end of the street
Two officers stand behind the cyclist and one female officer stands in front as the man asks disbelievingly: ‘Anti social behaviour? Does this look antisocial to you?’
The man then pans the camera down to show his bike before the female officer explains: ‘Well the way you’re cycling around, yes.
‘You are in and out of the road, on the pavement, on the road. Not wearing a helmet, not got a licence plate, not wearing a hi-vis.’
The cyclist immediately interjects: ‘So everyone who doesn’t wear a helmet is antisocial behaviour when they’re riding a bike?’
However the female officer says: ‘I didn’t say that’ before the cyclist zooms in on her face.
The footage was shared online by the man’s friend next to the message: ‘Police getting more bored by the day, whole bully van parked cos a black yute riding his bike.’
The man pans the camera down to his bike and asks the officers if what he is doing looks like antisocial behaviour
As the female officer explains why he is being stopped the unnamed man questions if all those who do not wear a helmet while cycling outside are displaying antisocial behaviour
The man films the police van behind him as the officer goes on to explain that he is not wearing a helmet, not carrying a licence plate and not wearing hi-vis clothing
However after it was shared the clip gathered more than one million viewers and has been met with a range of criticism from startled viewers.
One user wrote: ‘Your police officers are beyond embarrassing. Biggest laughing stock. Do better.’
While another commented: ‘Absolutely no law against riding a bike without helmet or visibility vest. This is pure racial profiling.’
Another person added: ‘People cycle on the pavement all the time- I bet if he was white they wouldn’t stop him.’
Meanwhile one social media user said: ‘Anti-social behaviour for not wearing a helmet or hi-viz? What sort of racist (and misinformed) police state are we in now?’
While another questioned: ‘Hello @metpoliceuk since when do you need a bike to have a license plate please clarify thanks!!!’
However others pointed out that the man should not have been riding on the pavement.
Some social media users questioned the police officer’s decision to stop the man and asked if it was necessary to carry a licence plate
One user commented: ‘It’s very simple, bikes shouldn’t be on the pavement. Yes it is anti-social and it is against the highway code. HA 1835 section 72 & RSA 1984, section 129, cyclists must not cycle on the pavement. Police are correct.’
While another added: ‘His ethnicity is irrelevant… He is old enough not to be riding his cycle on the pavement (an offence, even though it is rarely prosecuted) and that IS a type of anti-social behaviour the police get untold complaints about…
MailOnline has contacted the Metropolitan Police for comment.
While others said the man had been displaying antisocial behaviour and should not have been riding on the pavement
