Fury as black boy, 13, playing with a water pistol is rammed off his bike by armed police: Mother accuses London officers of racially profiling her son after mistaking his toy for a real weapon during game with his sister 

• Having water fight with younger sibling when officer reported firearms incident 

The Met Police has been accused of racial bias after a 13-year-old black schoolboy was surrounded by armed police and rammed off his bike when an officer mistook his water pistol for a real gun. 

The youngster was handcuffed as he was confronted by marksmen in Hackney, east London, in July. 

He was having a water fight with his younger sibling on July 19 when a police officer on patrol reported a potential firearms incident. 

The Alliance for Police Accountability (APA) condemned the treatment of the boy, saying the water pistol was unmistakably a toy.

One of the water guns was blue and white, and one was pink and white, the APA said. 

Armed units from the Met and City of London Police were sent to the scene, according to the APA.

The youngster was handcuffed as he was confronted by marksmen in Hackney, east London , in July. Pictured: People outside Stoke Newington Police Station in London protesting the treatment of Child Q

He was having a water fight with his younger sibling on July 19 when a police officer on patrol reported a potential firearms incident. Pictured:  People outside SHackney Town Hall in London protesting the treatment of Child Q

It comes less than three years after police in the same borough strip-searched a 15-year-old girl – known as Child Q – at her school while she was on her period when she was wrongly accused of having cannabis in her possession. Pictured: File photo

The identity or race of the boy has not been disclosed.

The child’s mother has accused a Met officer of being ‘aggressive’ as she says she has been left ‘broken’ by the trauma of the incident.

‘It has been a deeply traumatic experience for him, for me and for our family as a whole,’ she told the Guardian. 

READ MORE: Met Police sergeant and three constables are investigated for misconduct over the arrest and strip search of a 15-year-old schoolgirl 

‘The attitude of the police to him – and to me – is show up in the words of the senior officer at the scene when I protested to him about the conduct of his officers. He told me I was lucky that they had not arrested my son!

‘For what? For playing with a brightly coloured plastic water gun with his younger sibling on the streets behind our home? For being a black boy on the streets of Hackney?’ 

It comes less than three years after police in the same borough strip-searched a 15-year-old girl – known as Child Q – at her school while she was on her period when she was wrongly accused of having cannabis in her possession.

A Child Safeguarding Practices Review later said racism was ‘likely’ a factor in Child Q being searched. The identity or race of the girl in the Walworth case has also not been revealed. 

In a statement, the APA said: ‘The subsequent treatment of Child X and the horrific scene that unfolded was appalling. 

‘A police van rammed Child X off his bicycle, knocking him to the ground. 

‘He was surrounded by armed police officers who pointed their firearms at him and arrested him on suspicion of being in possession of a firearm. 

An internal investigation by the Metropolitan Police found no misconduct had been committed by the officers involved. Pictured: File photo

‘He was de-arrested at the scene soon afterwards, once his mother had arrived and challenged what was happening, but she too was treated with contempt by the officers when she sought an explanation for their conduct from them.’ 

READ MORE: More than 330 Met police officers are waiting to face gross misconduct charges, force admits at it plans to hold 30 hearings a month 

The APA is set to hold a press conference on Thursday during which a statement from the mother of Child X will be read. 

Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway, in charge of policing for Hackney and Tower Hamlets, said he had apologised to the family. 

He said: ‘This incident was understandably extremely distressing for the boy involved as well as the rest of his family. 

‘We know it may cause public concern and we want to help the public understand why we responded in the way we did. 

‘This does not in any way detract from our recognition of the trauma caused to the boy, for which I apologised soon afterwards to his family.’ 

An internal investigation by the Metropolitan Police found no misconduct had been committed by the officers involved. 

Further complaint accusing them of racial bias is still being investigated by the force’s standards department. 

Further complaint accusing the police of racial bias is still being investigated by the force’s standards department. Pictured: Protestors demonstrated outside Hackney Town Hall to demonstrate their support of Child Q

The Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog directed that the Met could carry out both investigations itself. 

READ MORE: Armed police revolt not yet squashed as Mark Rowley admits number of firearms officers on duty is ‘still significantly less than normal’ after dozens down their weapons in protest over Chris Kaba murder rap 

The number of Met firearms officers on duty is ‘still significantly less than normal’ after dozens put down their weapons in protest over the murder of Chris Kaba (pictured) 

Mr Conway said: ‘Our officers are dealing with fast-moving situations, based on the limited information provided to them at the time. 

‘Such is the nature of the threat from firearms that the College of Policing is clear that officers should treat all firearms as real and loaded until proven otherwise. 

‘The police have a positive legal obligation under human rights legislation to protect life, which shapes our approach to responding to suspected firearms.’ 

Child X’s family have seen body-worn video of what happened and have met Mr Conway. 

He added: ‘I am sorry for the trauma caused to the child and I am happy to meet with the family again if they feel that would help.’ 

A City of London Police spokesperson said: ‘As common practice, a firearms unit from the City of London Police attended in support of Metropolitan Police firearms units at an incident on 19 July 2023.’ 

Just last month the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said officers will face a misconduct hearing, and a fourth lesser misconduct meeting, over the treatment of Child Q. 

No drugs were found in the teenager’s bags or outer clothing, and she was then strip-searched by two female officers with two male officers standing outside. Again no drugs were found. 

The Child Q case sparked a wave of protests last year, with hundreds gathering at Hackney town hall, after it emerged the teenager was searched without another adult present and in the knowledge that she was menstruating. 

The watchdog has investigated four other incidents since Child Q where children were strip-searched by Met officers.

Two have resulted in officers either facing disciplinary meetings or so-called internal ‘reflective practices’ – a strip search of a child in custody in 2022 with no appropriate adult, and the search of a 15-year-old girl at Walworth Police Station in December 2020 who was found to have a sharpened stick and a Stanley knife.

The third was a strip search of a 16-year-old boy at Ilford police station in January 2020 where no further action is being taken against the officers involved.

For the fourth, a strip search of a 16-year-old boy at Bethnal Green police station in October 2020, the IOPC investigation has yet to be completed but it is expected that no disciplinary proceedings will result.

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