The actions of armed police who surrounded and arrested a black 13-year-old boy after an officer mistook his water pistol for a real gun were “reasonable in the circumstances”, the Independent Office For Police Conduct (IOPC) has said.
The child, known as “Child X”, was handcuffed and confronted by marksmen in Hackney, east London, in July last year.
The police watchdog, which launched an investigation following complaints from the boy’s family, said although the incident had been distressing for the boy, the officers’ conduct was “reasonable”.
Campaign group the Alliance for Police Accountability (APA) , which supported the boy’s family, has criticised the watchdog’s decision.
Its chairman, Lee Jasper, said in a statement: “This case exemplifies the failure of both the Metropolitan Police and the IOPC to protect black children and hold officers accountable for the harm they cause.”
The boy’s mother previously said her son had been racially profiled and believed he would not have been arrested if he was white.
