Photos courtesy of Zeyna Kada
Bystander video showed 13-year-old Benjamin Olajive being manhandled by Metropolitan Police in South London after officers mistook his afro pick for a knife.
The incident occurred while the teen was on his way to McDonald’s last Tuesday, according to MetroUK. He was confronted by Metropolitan Police officers who responded to a call about a person with a knife. Benjamin, who has ADHD and PTSD, was identified using CCTV footage.
“Then five officers rushed to him, and he was really confused as it was his first experience with police, so he was not expecting any of it and did not know what was happening,” Zeyna Kada, Benjamin’s mother, said.
A video shared by Kada showed several officers swarming the handcuffed teen. Benjamin screamed for help, which drew attention from bystanders. Several people demanded the officers uncuff Benjamin and let him go. The supposed weapon turned out to be a hair pick.
“No one is against stopping and searching people, but this is a child, and they checked him three times for 45 minutes and nothing, so why did they not let him go?” Keda told MetroUK.
“My child is now traumatized,” she added. “They [officers] were told he has special needs, so why did they not provide him with duty of care?”
Benjamin was left with a swollen eye, and the handcuffs ripped a scab on his wrist. The shirt he wore that day is stained with blood.
In a statement to The Daily Mail, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson claimed Benjamin was restrained because he “physically resisted and tried to get away from the officers.”
“He was restrained and handcuffed in order to allow a search to be carried out,” the spokesperson continued.
The spokesperson admitted a weapon was not found. The statement said Benjamin was taken into custody because he damaged a police vehicle.
“As he was being restrained, he kicked a police car a number of times, causing dents. He was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage,” the spokesperson said.
Benjamin will not be charged with a crime and will be reunited with his mother. The police spokesperson said a complaint was filed, and the incident will be investigated by the South Area Professional Standards Unit.