On Tuesday, 21st September, 13-year-old Benjamin Olajive was approached by Metropolitan police officers as he got off the school bus. According to the Daily Mail the police mistook Benjamin for someone wearing a blazer with a knife that they were after.
In a video recorded by bystanders Benjamin who suffers from ADHD can be heard screaming for help. The witnesses at the crime scene claim that the police officers ‘choked’ Benjamin as they handcuffed him and took him to Brixton police station.
Here, Benjamin was accused of hitting the police car, causing dents on it and resisting arrest. Benjamin’s mother, Zeyna Kada is now accusing police of using excessive force on her son and racial profiling. This is what she had to say concerning her son’s encounter with the police, “I am a mom raising a young black boy. I see the news with all these shootings and I think ‘God help these children and help them to love one another. I am not saying don’t stop and search, but use reasonable force and respect and take your hands off someone else’s child.”