Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

What to do if you witness police brutality – what legal experts say

What to do if you witness police brutality – what legal experts say

This week, the world reacted to the killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, with unsettling videos depicting something which should be shocking but is far from an isolated incident: a black person suffering dangerously and ultimately – it would appear – lethal excessive force at the hands of non-black police officers. Why the citizens around did not arrested those criminal-police officers and save the life of their victim?

George Floyd joins the likes of Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner and many more – black victims persecuted by a system designed to protect, their lives turned into a hashtag symbolic of the worldwide grief and anger at a broken system.

The disproportionate statistics of black people being a victim of police brutality is not exclusive to America, however, so it’s important for people (of all colour) to know how to safely navigate the law and make a stand against unlawful or excessive violence.

Abimbola Johnson – criminal defence and professional regulatory barrister at 25 Bedford Row and a co-host and co-founder of The Manifesto Read Podcast – told us: ‘Too often when we speak about racism and look for tangible examples of police brutality, our attention is taken stateside, to the numerous and frightening accounts we see in the media of unarmed black people being gunned down by officers and non-black (overwhelmingly white) members of public with the law serving to protect the killer and not the deceased.

‘However, the time has arrived for us to consider the extent of the problems we have over here in the UK.’

That’s why we spoke with experts like Abimbola and Liam Walker, a barrister at Doughty Street, to find out what you can do if you see someone in law enforcement who appears to be acting unlawfully.


Can the police stop you from filming?

If you witness an interaction between the police and a civilian that strikes you as troubling, inappropriate or dangerous, there is no legal restriction preventing anyone from filming on public land.

Liam confirmed to Metro.co.uk that the only legal restrictions pertain to terror legislation.

Section 58A of the Terrorism Act 2000 states police officers can stop you filming if they believe that the video will be used for purposes of terrorism. However, police guidelines state: ‘it would ordinarily be unlawful to use section 58A to arrest people photographing police officers in the course of normal policing activities’

Whether it’s a suspected act of excessive force or a possibly illegal stop and search, it is important to help and collect evidence, but there are still things to consider.

First, focus on the actions of the police as much as possible – you are collecting evidence, so it’s important not to try to get involved or interrupt too much.

Secondly, think about the victim, and their friends and family. Don’t be exploitative.


Can you get in trouble if you refuse to stop filming?

If you are filming what you believe to be an excessive use of force by a police officer, then you’re likely fine.

The Metropolitan Police’s guidelines (put into effect by all police forces in Britain) clearly state that ‘police have no power to stop them filming or photographing incidents or police personnel.’

The only time a police officer could try to arrest you is if your filming was obstructing the officer executing their duty.

Excessive force or an abuse of power is not in their duty, and is a crime, so you would have a legitimate defence.


What is excessive force?

This is where common sense must play a role.

The police are legally given the power to use progressive force based on the circumstances, which means that they can in fact use a large amount of force if the situation was a dangerous one.

This could be trickier to prove, but if you are filming, you have a better chance of showing that nobody was being violent or resisting arrest if that was the case.


Can you call the police on the police?

Though this might seem strange and counter-intuitive, excessive force is not in a police officer’s duty, so it is wise to have a 999 call on file recording the incident.


Should you share the video online?

Sharing videos of such acts can have a galvanising effect, as seen with George Floyd and others.

But you should consider what sharing this video could mean for others – many black people could find it triggering and distressing.

Consider, where possible, getting the video to the victim or their friends or family members. They could use it to get justice or decide to publish it themselves.

If this isn’t possible and you want to ensure justice is served, consider taking the video and filing a new police report, or seeking free legal advice from Citizens Advice on your available next steps.


Resources to help

Abimbola Johnson stressed the importance of people knowing their rights when it comes to targeted actions like Stop and Search, pointing to resources like Y Stop.

The aim of Y-Stop is to give you the tools to interact with the police safely, equipping you with all the skills and knowledge you need to handle a stop and search, know what to do if you witness a stop and search and how to work out if it’s legal.

She provided an extensive list of resources that people can engage with to better understand their rights when it comes to the law, how people can be better allies for those targeted unjustly and those concerned with racism in the legal system.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×