A mum on board a Bedminster bus with her toddler ended up being PAVA-sprayed and arrested after a "poor" intervention from police escalated a minor dispute about a ticket. That is the conclusion of a special report released today (Friday) two years to the date since the incident unfolded, with Avon and Somerset Police vowing to learn lessons to avoid a repeat.
The "tussle" happened on a stationary First Bus along East Street on December 16, 2020, and video clips circulated on social media afterwards prompting criticism from viewers and allegations of discrimination. At the time police said the footage did not show the full incident, advising that a woman had been arrested just before 3.40pm on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.
Today an independent panel has released a special case review on behalf of Avon and Somerset Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. The Independent Scrutiny of Police Powers Panel, made up of local volunteers from a variety of backgrounds, found that the approach and comments made by officers worsened a situation that could have been resolved calmly.
