Perry Barr police station protest over 'forcible removal' of suspect's turban
- Published
Protesters gathered outside the police station on Wednesday night
A protest has been held outside a police station after allegations a police officer "forcibly removed" the turban of a Sikh man in custody.
West Midlands Police denied it happened or that the turban was stamped on and said images shared on social media were "misleading".
The man has been charged with obstructing a police officer and driving offences.
The National Sikh Police Association UK said it was liaising with the force.
The man was arrested on Monday and taken to Perry Barr police station, where hundreds of protesters gathered outside on Wednesday evening, the Sikh Press Association said.
West Midlands Police confirmed the man was asked to remove his patka - a thin head covering worn by many Sikhs - to be searched.
They said an officer removed it in a private room and it fell on the floor at one stage, but "was immediately retrieved and at no point was it stamped on".
In a statement, the force said it was "deeply concerned" about a video compilation online that includes a still that suggests a man had his turban forcibly removed and stamped on in the custody suite on Monday.
"This is not the case," a spokesperson for the force said.
"The author has used an image from elsewhere giving an entirely misleading version of the events. The CCTV featured in this video is not connected to this incident."
The force said all CCTV would be examined to establish if there was any inappropriate conduct, adding it had voluntarily referred itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct.
They also confirmed a complaint had been received "and therefore we cannot go into further details while these inquiries are progressing".
The man, who was released on bail, is due at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 25 November charged with obstructing a police officer and two counts of driving a vehicle when the VRM (vehicle registration) fails to conform with regulations.
The National Sikh Police Association UK said it would not comment on social media posts about the incident, but was talking to the force and understood "the sentiments and feel the hurt such incidents create".
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