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Jody McIntyre wheelchair complaint: Tuition fees police cleared Jody McIntyre wheelchair complaint: Tuition fees police cleared
(about 3 hours later)
Police were justified in removing a man from his wheelchair during a violent demonstration against tuition fees in central London, Scotland Yard has said.Police were justified in removing a man from his wheelchair during a violent demonstration against tuition fees in central London, Scotland Yard has said.
Jody McIntyre said he was tipped out of his chair and dragged across a road on 9 December, as well as being assaulted with a baton by an officer. Jody McIntyre said he was tipped out of his chair and dragged across a road on 9 December, and was hit with a baton.
A police probe found officers were right to remove him from the wheelchair based on the "perceived risk" to him. A police probe found officers were right to remove him from the wheelchair based on the "perceived risk" to him, while the baton hit was "inadvertent".
It also found the 20-year-old was "inadvertently" struck by the baton. The 20-year-old said the findings were "shockingly poor" and plans to appeal.
Mr McIntyre has four weeks to appeal against the findings, if he wishes to do so. The Directorate of Professional Standards at the Metropolitan Police (Met) said violent disorder had been taking place and officers were "under sustained attack and were required to use force to protect themselves".
'Not a threat'
Violent disorder was taking place at the time and officers were "under sustained attack and were required to use force to protect themselves", the Directorate of Professional Standards at the Metropolitan Police (Met) said.
"Whilst there is evidence that Jody McIntyre was inadvertently struck with a police baton, the investigation found that the actions of officers were justifiable and lawful given the volatile and dangerous situation," the force added in a statement."Whilst there is evidence that Jody McIntyre was inadvertently struck with a police baton, the investigation found that the actions of officers were justifiable and lawful given the volatile and dangerous situation," the force added in a statement.
"His removal from his wheelchair was also justifiable given the officers' perceived risk to Jody McIntyre.""His removal from his wheelchair was also justifiable given the officers' perceived risk to Jody McIntyre."
Internal guidelines will now be drawn up, however, on the most appropriate way to move a wheelchair user in such circumstances. 'Telling' findings
In December Mr McIntyre told the BBC he was "100% not a threat to anyone" during the demonstration But Mr McIntyre said he found it "stunning that their justification for their violence towards me is that I was in the way of a violent attack on a crowd of protesters, which included children".
He claimed he was discriminated against because of his disability. "Remarkably, the report even contains the suggestion that I threw myself from my wheelchair," he added.
Acting Commander Carl Bussey, head of the Directorate of Professional Standards, said the allegations had been "extremely concerning" and "damaging" to the Met's reputation. "Throughout the report the police officers involved have stated that they were acting in my best interests, and this appears to have been accepted by those carrying out the investigation."
But it was "only right" the force reported back on what actually happened, he added. It was a "telling indication" of how the Met viewed disability, he said.
The force appeared to believe that "the fact someone has a disability renders them incapable of determining their own best interest or to act with autonomy", he said.
Following the investigation, internal guidelines will be drawn up on the most appropriate way to move a wheelchair user in such circumstances.