ANGELIQUE SERRAO

BAR Patrons and community policing forum members have come forward in support of police officers after a dozen or so people claimed to have been victims of police brutality this past weekend.

The Star reported on Monday that charges of assault had been laid against three police officers after an altercation outside a pub restaurant called The Tudors in Brackendowns, Alberton.

The group said police officers had slapped them, pushed them, and slapped cellphones out of their hands after they had tried to record what was happening.

One man, Malcolm Collins, said he was pepper-sprayed and kicked in the groin while on the ground.

But some patrons have now said they witnessed something very different.

One man, who did not want to be named because he knew some of the alleged victims, said a fight had broken out outside the pub and they had all run out to look.

He said five police officers had arrived to try to stop what was happening.

“One police officer turned to us and said, ‘Please guys, the pub has closed, go home now,’” said the patron.

He said Collins then responded by swearing at the officer and saying he would not be told what to do.

“They pulled his hand behind his back and led him to the police car. The whole time he screamed: ‘Police brutality!’ and worked the crowd of around 70 people up,” he said.

He said Collins’s friends ran forward and pushed the policemen around until one officer slapped one across the face.

The man said Collins had tried to run from the scene with some friends. When he was caught, he had called them “white k*****s”.

“In my opinion, the police acted the only way they could. There was a big group of people and they were outnumbered. We were all very drunk and they used what I thought was only a bit of force.”

Andre Bothma from the community policing forum said he was on patrol that night and had witnessed a crowd of around 50 people being unruly and hostile towards the police.

“Most if not all of the youths were intoxicated,” Bothma said.

He did not witness it personally, but was told that Collins had sworn at the cops and tried to flee.

“The rest of the mob grew increasingly hostile, and were shouting insults at the police.”

He said the police had been called “white k*****s” and some people had pushed the officers. Three men were slapped in the face by three officers, he added.

“I saw enough to report that the police were treated with hostility and aggression upon arrival, and this escalated throughout the duration of the incident,” Bothma said.