Police in London clash with protesters outside the home of Tamil hunger striker (video)
Police in London have clashed with protesters outside the home of a British Tamil woman who has reportedly been on hunger strike for more than two weeks, and arrested at least one person, express.co.uk reported.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police clashed with crowds in Kenton Road, Harrow, north-west London. Footage posted online shows a woman lying on the ground as crowds around her shout and scream.
According to the Tamil Guardian, at least one person was arrested and another injured in the clashes.
In the videos, one officer can be seen with his baton drawn as he shouts at demonstrators to “stay back”.
In the background, officers appear to be handcuffing a man lying face-down on the ground.
Another clip shows officers attempting to handcuff a different man as women shouts: “What are you doing to him?”
The Tamil Guardian shared a photo of the woman who has reportedly been on hunger strike for 16 days.
The woman, who was named as “Ambihai Selvakumar” is said to have refused food and is surviving on only water.
The picture showed her lying on a bed beneath a giant banner which read “Hunger strike for truth and justice”.
She is demanding justice for the victims of the Tamil genocide.
ore than 100 supporters of her cause turned up outside her home on Sunday.
They shouted “we want justice” while holding posters.
Banners tied to the gates of a house read “Rape is used to destroy a nation.”
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: “Police attended a protest in Kenton Road, Harrow on Sunday, 14 March.
“Officers engaged with those present and they subsequently dispersed.
“One man was arrested at the scene but subsequently de-arrested.”
The clashes between police and demonstrators comes less than 24 hours after officers were criticized for their heavy handed response to a peaceful vigil in Clapham Common in memory of murder victim Sarah Everard.
Shocking videos and photos appeared online showing officers manhandling women and handcuffing them after they refused to leave.
The Met said four arrests were made for public order offenss and breaches of the Health Protection Regulations.
Following a backlash from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle, the Met’s Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball released a lengthy statement.
She said officers were “faced with a very difficult decision” when hundreds of people turned up at the vigil after organizers were denied permission to hold it.
Ms Ball said: “Police must act for people’s safety, this is the only responsible thing to do.
“The pandemic is not over and gatherings of people from right across London and beyond, are still not safe.”