Featured Image Credit: Channel 4
Topics: News
Aisha Nozari
A mum has been left furious after her sons were allegedly stopped and roughed up by British Transport Police officers on their way to school.
London mum Sabreena insists her two boys, aged 15 and 13, were treated differently because of the colour of their skin after being stopped by rail staff over an Oyster card.
Bodycam footage appears to show her eldest son being pushed up against the wall by staff.
Speaking to Channel 4 about the incident, Sabreena revealed her youngest boy was stopped for not having an Oyster card on him.
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According to The Mirror, she said: "I got a call just before 9 o'clock from my 13-year-old son, he was really distressed, he was crying and couldn't speak.
"I don't think anyone should be allowed to take anyone's child off the street and disappear them for two hours."
Sabreena said she was unable to locate her son after learning of his arrest and was told by staff at Bromley Police Station that he wasn’t there.
Sabreena then called other stations looking for her son, only to allegedly be told by Bromley Police Station two hours later that her son was actually at the station.
"The last vision I had of my son was him being pushed up against a wall with eight hands on him, and then the police telling me for two hours that they had no idea where he was,” said Sabreena.
"Every thought as a young Black man, he's 6ft four, you just go back to things like George Floyd, you go back to just everything, it's so difficult.”
She added: "You try so hard to keep them out of certain environments, you try to protect them and I sent them to school. That's all I did. You know, they are guilty of going to school, that's it."
A British Transport Police spokeswoman said: “Officers were at Shortlands station on the morning of 5 December assisting rail staff as they checked tickets.
“Two teenage boys were stopped by rail staff and one did not show a valid ticket. He was initially arrested on suspicion of fare evasion before being de-arrested at the scene and issued with a penalty fare.
“The second male was arrested on suspicion of common assault and possession of an offensive weapon. He was taken to police custody and was released a short time later with no further action taken against him.
“We are aware of concerns on social media regarding this incident and will be reviewing it fully – looking at CCTV, body-worn camera footage from the involved officers and speaking with our colleagues at Southeastern.
"A senior officer will also be reaching out to the family.”
Tyla has approached Bromley Police Station for comment.