2019-07-12 Protest for Youness Bentahar
28 images Created 12 Jul 2019
London, UK. 12 July, 2019. Members of the local community protest in Poplar, east London, close to the site where Youness Bentahar, aged 38, was violently arrested by Metropolitan Police officers on 10th July after he stopped on a single yellow line, displayed a disabled badge and did not either move his vehicle or produce his driving licence following a 5-stage warning. The incident, during which Mr Bentahar appeared to be having a seizure, has since been referred to the Metropolitan Police’s Central East Command Professional Standards Unit after a video of the violent arrest during which Mr Bentahar was filmed being pushed to the ground, struck with handcuffs and pinned down by the police officers went viral on social media. Disagreements in approach between community elders and members and the local Labour Party, including the Mayor of Tower Hamlets John Biggs, were apparent during the protest.