Force’s disability advisers lodge complaint about treatment of Extinction Rebellion protesters.
The Metropolitan police’s advisers on disability have accused the force of “degrading and humiliating” treatment of disabled activists during the Extinction Rebellion (XR) protests in London this month, reports The Guardian.
A formal complaint by the Met’s disability independent advisory group says members are “disappointed and angered” the force failed to engage with them over the policing of the protests and the Met may have caused “irreparable damage” to relations with disabled people.
Anne Novis, who chairs the DIAG, said it was the first formal complaint issued by the Met’s disability advisers in more than 20 years working as “critical friends” of the force. “We were on the point of resigning because we were hearing so many bad stories from people,” she said.
There were a series of confrontations between disabled activists and police during XR’s “autumn uprising” protests. A number of disabled people taking part in the protests say they believe they were deliberately and aggressively targeted by police.
