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| Chichester Superdrug store: Anger as boy pinned down and handcuffed by guards | Chichester Superdrug store: Anger as boy pinned down and handcuffed by guards |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Kirsty Buchanan posted footage of the incident on Twitter | Kirsty Buchanan posted footage of the incident on Twitter |
| A former No 10 adviser has called for a review of private security guards after her 15-year-old son was pinned down and handcuffed in a Superdrug store. | A former No 10 adviser has called for a review of private security guards after her 15-year-old son was pinned down and handcuffed in a Superdrug store. |
| Kirsty Buchanan made the appeal after a video of her son being restrained in Chichester went viral on social media. | Kirsty Buchanan made the appeal after a video of her son being restrained in Chichester went viral on social media. |
| The boy, who was later arrested by police on suspicion of assault, was "sat on" by the guards, she said. | The boy, who was later arrested by police on suspicion of assault, was "sat on" by the guards, she said. |
| Chichester BID, which employs guards through Blayde Security, said it provides "a safe environment for all". | Chichester BID, which employs guards through Blayde Security, said it provides "a safe environment for all". |
| Sussex Police said it was called to the shop in East Street after 15:30 GMT on Wednesday following reports that a group of teenagers had become involved in an altercation. | Sussex Police said it was called to the shop in East Street after 15:30 GMT on Wednesday following reports that a group of teenagers had become involved in an altercation. |
| Ms Buchanan told the BBC her son and a friend had been followed into the store by two guards, who are known as Chichester BID (Business Improvement District) rangers. | Ms Buchanan told the BBC her son and a friend had been followed into the store by two guards, who are known as Chichester BID (Business Improvement District) rangers. |
| She said: "My son went in to buy shampoo and began joking around about being followed by the rangers when they snapped. | She said: "My son went in to buy shampoo and began joking around about being followed by the rangers when they snapped. |
| "They grabbed his arm, threw him on the floor, sat on him and tied his hands with plastic handcuffs." | |
| This is my 15-year-old black son who was followed while he shopped for shampoo by two council workers called Rangers. He was assaulted by them, then sat on and handcuffed by them. When @sussex_police arrived guess who they arrested? @YvetteCooperMP @GillianKeegan @TheVoiceNews pic.twitter.com/OCZ3mgTAHc | This is my 15-year-old black son who was followed while he shopped for shampoo by two council workers called Rangers. He was assaulted by them, then sat on and handcuffed by them. When @sussex_police arrived guess who they arrested? @YvetteCooperMP @GillianKeegan @TheVoiceNews pic.twitter.com/OCZ3mgTAHc |
| Her son was released at 01:15 on Thursday, and was back resting at home feeling "tired and calm", Ms Buchanan said. | Her son was released at 01:15 on Thursday, and was back resting at home feeling "tired and calm", Ms Buchanan said. |
| When asked if she thought her son had been targeted because he was black, she replied: "Let's put it this way, if I went in to that store to buy shampoo, do you think this would have happened to me?" | When asked if she thought her son had been targeted because he was black, she replied: "Let's put it this way, if I went in to that store to buy shampoo, do you think this would have happened to me?" |
| A Sussex Police spokesman said that officers arrived to find a 15-year-old boy from Worthing had been detained in handcuffs by "privately-employed civilian security staff". He was arrested on suspicion of assault. | A Sussex Police spokesman said that officers arrived to find a 15-year-old boy from Worthing had been detained in handcuffs by "privately-employed civilian security staff". He was arrested on suspicion of assault. |
| He said: "There is no law in the UK that prevents civilians carrying handcuffs. Anyone who does carry handcuffs should be aware that their use could constitute a crime unless they can show that using them was reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances." | He said: "There is no law in the UK that prevents civilians carrying handcuffs. Anyone who does carry handcuffs should be aware that their use could constitute a crime unless they can show that using them was reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances." |
| A second teenager, a 16-year-old from Chichester, was arrested on suspicion of assault, possession of cannabis, and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress, police said. | A second teenager, a 16-year-old from Chichester, was arrested on suspicion of assault, possession of cannabis, and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress, police said. |
| The spokesman said: "A full and thorough investigation is ongoing to establish the exact circumstances of what happened." | |
| Police have been in contact with the 15-year-old's mother and contact will be maintained, he added. | |
| Kirsty Buchanan wrote on social media the incident took place in Superdrug | Kirsty Buchanan wrote on social media the incident took place in Superdrug |
| Superdrug tweeted that an "incident" occurred in its Chichester store between rangers and a group of young males they were monitoring. | Superdrug tweeted that an "incident" occurred in its Chichester store between rangers and a group of young males they were monitoring. |
| The company added in a statement: "We would like to reassure customers and members of the public that our priority is always to keep our colleagues and customers safe, and we have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to violence and aggression." | The company added in a statement: "We would like to reassure customers and members of the public that our priority is always to keep our colleagues and customers safe, and we have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to violence and aggression." |
| Ms Buchanan - who was not with her son at the time of the incident - is calling for a review of private security guards. | Ms Buchanan - who was not with her son at the time of the incident - is calling for a review of private security guards. |
| "I would like to know from Chichester BID what due diligence is carried out before rangers are hired, what training they receive and what their remit is," she said. | "I would like to know from Chichester BID what due diligence is carried out before rangers are hired, what training they receive and what their remit is," she said. |
| Ms Buchanan, who advised former prime minister Liz Truss, also said the actions of Sussex Police should be investigated,. | Ms Buchanan, who advised former prime minister Liz Truss, also said the actions of Sussex Police should be investigated,. |
| She said she was not told for 90 minutes where her son was after he had been taken away by officers. | She said she was not told for 90 minutes where her son was after he had been taken away by officers. |
| 'Treated fairly' | 'Treated fairly' |
| Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky News she was "troubled" by the video. | Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky News she was "troubled" by the video. |
| She said: "Particularly for parents not to know what is happening when a child is being arrested in that way, I do think questions need to be answered. | She said: "Particularly for parents not to know what is happening when a child is being arrested in that way, I do think questions need to be answered. |
| "You have to make sure that people are treated fairly, and children in particular are treated fairly and properly by the police and also by community rangers as well." | "You have to make sure that people are treated fairly, and children in particular are treated fairly and properly by the police and also by community rangers as well." |
| Chichester BID is an organisation set up in 2012 and funded by local business-rate payers to "invest in local improvements", according to its website. | Chichester BID is an organisation set up in 2012 and funded by local business-rate payers to "invest in local improvements", according to its website. |
| A statement from the body said: "Chichester BID is aware of an incident that occurred on 22 March at the Superdrug store on East Street, involving a group of young people and two rangers. | A statement from the body said: "Chichester BID is aware of an incident that occurred on 22 March at the Superdrug store on East Street, involving a group of young people and two rangers. |
| "Together with Blayde Security, who provide our security services, we are cooperating fully with Sussex Police, who are investigating the matter. | "Together with Blayde Security, who provide our security services, we are cooperating fully with Sussex Police, who are investigating the matter. |
| "We are taking this very seriously. We want to reassure traders, residents and visitors to Chichester city centre that we are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all." | "We are taking this very seriously. We want to reassure traders, residents and visitors to Chichester city centre that we are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all." |
| Blayde Security said in a statement it was offering full assistance to the police investigation. | |
| It added: "Our priority is always to keep members of the public, our staff and our partners safe and we have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to violence and aggression." | |
| Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Security | Security |
| Chichester | Chichester |