Disciplinary measures have been brought against five London police officers who, on July 4, 2020, arrested Portuguese athlete Ricardo dos Santos and his wife Bianca Williams, who were traveling by car with a three-month-old baby, after they were handcuffed and searched. Clients are being investigated for allegations of racial discrimination.
Videos of the operation were posted on social media, which caused a huge rebellion against customers, because Ricardo dos Santos and his wife did not commit any illegal act.
The couple’s lawyers spoke in a statement welcoming the decision and asking the London police to “reflect on the culture of racism that remains a reality within the organisation”.
This has been a long journey, and it has not been easy. We’ve been in this process for nearly two years, and who knows how long we’ll have to wait for the non-compliance process to end,” wrote Ricardo dos Santos, 27, a 400m specialist on social media.
Officers meet to face hearings on serious misconduct over stop-and-search cases for Bianca Williams and Ricardo dos Santos https://t.co/jjfjTaZeKI via Tweet embed
– Ricardo dos Santos (@RDSS400) April 27 2022
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