A 70-year-old Jamaican man, Errol Dixon, was hospitalized after South East London police officers pulled him over for a broken brake light.
The incident took place in Bromley earlier this week, and officers claim Dixon was apprehensive during the stop and a “struggle” ensued.
Dixon’s daughter brought attention to his case by sharing pictures of his injuries on Instagram. The photos show him bleeding from a head wound, and he has various cuts and bruises. His daughter, Char, also claims he suffered a broken nose and a fractured cheekbone and eye socket, Complex reported.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) released a statement, which reads: “We are aware of a post on Instagram relating to the arrest of a man following a vehicle stop on Blyth Road in Bromley. After exiting the vehicle, the driver became involved in a struggle with an officer during which the officer sustained an injury to his eye.”
Char, the Black Lives Matter organization, and members of the public have called out the police, saying this was a clear act of police brutality and racism.
“My dad is born and bred Jamaican, whose accent is very strong and isn’t afraid to say what he feels about the Met Police and their corrupt, racist system. As my dad made hand gestures telling them to leave him alone, they felt it was now their duty to physically abuse him.”
“My dad is 70 years old, no more than eight stone, 5ft 6, who has had multiple strokes, heart problems and is also on blood-thinning tablets. Multiple witnesses have stepped forward to describe the absolute torture they put my dad through until my brother turned up. When questioned as to why they’ve assaulted him, the police then lied to say my dad hit them. I’m absolutely heartbroken at this time.”
The Police Watchdog has launched an investigation.
