- Confrontation at Peckham Shop Goes Viral
- 45-Year-Old Man Questioned by Police
- Calls for Boycott and Criticism of Police Response
After complaints that a young black woman tried to steal products but was stopped, officers were called to the store. She was detained on suspicion of assault before being released on bond.
A 45-year-old man was interviewed by police under caution after a Peckham store dispute video went viral and sparked protests.
On Monday, video footage of a woman striking a man with a shopping basket as he appeared to choke her sparked outrage among residents of southeast London who objected to his actions.
Tuesday afternoon, protesters gathered outside the store after the video was circulated on social media.
After the woman was denied a refund and attempted to remove replacement items from the store, an altercation ensued.
Monday at 1:15 p.m., officers were dispatched to the store in response to reports that a woman attempted to pilfer merchandise but was prevented by an employee.
After Tuesday’s confrontation, a 31-year-old woman was apprehended on suspicion of assault and released on bail.
The Metropolitan Police has not disclosed the identity of the man who was questioned on Wednesday, but they have revealed that a 45-year-old male was questioned under caution.
The video depicts a violent confrontation between a male of Asian descent and a black woman.
He also grabs her by the throat and restrains her by her arms as she tries to flee.
Tuesday, the man seen in the video explained to ITV that he had been detaining the woman, not strangling her.
Detective Chief Superintendent Seb Adjei-Addoh, local policing commander for Southwark, stated, “I would like to appreciate the local community for their patience as we investigate the allegations made”.
We are investigating short video snippets of the broader incident to discover what crimes were committed and by whom.
“Today, my officers will patrol Rye Lane to provide reassurance to the community. I know this occurrence will raise concern, so please notify your local police agency or patrol officers.”
Also London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted, “I understand Londoners’ concerns about the Peckham store incident. I am in contact with the Metropolitan Police and am urgently requesting additional information.”
The charity Sistah Space, which assists women of African and Caribbean descent, criticized the police for arresting the woman.
They stated, “What we all witnessed in that video was traumatic.” People do not comprehend how distressing this is to observe, much less to endure.
“There is no justification for the attack on this black woman, and to add insult to injury, she was arrested while the perpetrator was left alone at the scene of the crime.”
“She has been failed by the police and violently attacked by a criminal with no accountability.”
The charity posted Instagram footage of ladies chanting “shut it down, shut it down” outside the store during the demonstration.
Sayce Holmes-Lewis released a video on social media urging people to boycott the store and peacefully protest at 2:00 p.m.
“We hit them in the pocket, that’s the only language they understand,” he stated.
Emotions can sometimes get the best of us, so we must keep our emotions in check and remain focused on our objective today, which is to ensure that we boycott this store and any other store that treats us in a derogatory and disrespectful manner, extracts money from the community, and puts nothing back in.
Mr. Holmes-Lewis stated, “I wanted to stand in solidarity with black women who are routinely abused and are not protected and supported as they should be.”
“The protest was peaceful, purposeful, and aimed to support the lady in question with a positive outcome.
The purpose of the protest was to highlight those who treat women in this manner; it cannot be tolerated, and we will show up in force to support them; if they continue to do so, we will take our business elsewhere.
He added, “The CCTV makes no difference, as the male is 6ft 2ins tall and twice as large as the woman.
Who knows what would have transpired if there had been no one there to film or to support the woman? Also there are levels of violence we will not tolerate; what he did is not justified.”
