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Police in the U.K. are in the international spotlight after video emerged of West York police hauling a screaming, crying 16-year-old autistic girl from her home in handcuffs for allegedly saying that one of the female officers “looked like her nana, who is a lesbian.”
Seven police officers dragged the panicked child from her home in Leeds, West Yorkshire, accusing her of committing a “hate crime.”
Officers drove the girl home after midnight when she allegedly made the remark.
UK 🇬🇧, this may be one of the most uncomfortable videos I've had to watch. This is what hate speech legislation that prioritises certain groups over others, looks like in action, poor child 😢 @HMcEntee #binthebill pic.twitter.com/u7B54r7BJ0
— KellyS (@SineadKelly113) August 9, 2023
The child’s mother recorded the disturbing incident and uploaded it to TikTok, where it quickly went viral across social media platforms.
“This is what police do when dealing with autistic children. My daughter told me the police officer looked like her nana, who is a lesbian,” the mother posted. “The officer took it the wrong way and said it was a homophobic comment (it wasn’t).”
“The officer then entered my home,” the mother continued. “My daughter was having panic attacks from being touched by them and they still continued to manhandle her.”
According to local authorities, the girl was arrested for violating the “homophobic public order.”
The heartwrenching video sparked immediate backlash on X.
“If a child calls a police woman a lesbian, her response should be. ‘So what, what’s wrong with being a lesbian?’ Or to simply ignore them,” stated the woman’s rights organization, Local Standing for Women. “It shouldn’t be setting a mob of your police mates on them because you’re offended. It just highlights your blatant homophobia.”
If a child calls a police woman a lesbian, her response should be.
“So what, what’s wrong with being a lesbian?” Or to simply ignore them.
It shouldn’t be setting a mob of your police mates on them because you’re offended. It just highlights your blatant homophobia. pic.twitter.com/p59PBgEdZR
— Local Standing for Women (@StandingLocal) August 10, 2023
In a statement from West Yorkshire Police, Assistant Chief Constable Oz Khan said, “We are aware of a video circulating on social media which, as is often the case, only provides a very limited snapshot of the circumstances of this incident.”
“We have received a complaint in relation to this incident which is currently being assessed by West Yorkshire Professional Standards Directorate,” he continued. “While that ongoing process and the active criminal investigation limit our ability to fully discuss the incident in detail, we feel it is important for people to have some context about the circumstances.”
According to police, a family member called the police just after midnight on Monday to report that the girl was “intoxicated” and was “putting herself at risk in Leeds city center.”
The officers picked her up and returned her to her home “so she could be appropriately looked after.”
“Upon returning her to the address, comments were made which resulted in the girl being arrested on suspicion of a homophobic public order offence,” Khan said. “The nature of the comments made was fully captured on body-worn video.”
The terrified girl was ultimately released on bail “pending further enquiries and advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.”
To the “disgust” of many, Khan showed little empathy for the autistic child.
“West Yorkshire Police takes its responsibilities around the welfare of young people taken into custody and around neurodiversity very seriously,” he stated. “We also maintain that our officers and staff should not have to face abuse while working to keep our communities safe.”
“We are fully reviewing the circumstances of this incident and ask that people avoid reaching any conclusions about it solely on the basis of the social media video,” he added.