Bus fare arrest is big community concern, says Met

The Met Police has referred itself to the police watchdog over the treatment of a woman who was handcuffed and arrested in front of her son in Croydon, south London, after wrongly being accused of bus fare evasion.

Video footage of the mother shouting as two officers handcuffed and held her provoked criticism on social media.

Ch Supt Andy Brittain told BBC London the incident had cascaded into a "big community concern" and the Met's communications around the incident "could have been better."

He also said the video "only showed a small picture of what took place".

The Met said the woman was later released when it was confirmed she had paid for her ticket.