A YOUTUBER says he was 'locked up for five hours' in Kidderminster after filming outside the police station.
A video posted on the Auditing Britain channel shows the moment the content creator was handcuffed under the Terrorism Act.
The YouTuber, known by the alias AB, previously received a £1,500 pay out from police to settle a complaint after he was detained and searched by officers after filming Redditch Police Station in September 2020.
He says his goal is to "both educate and entertain by expressing the right to film matters of public interest."
On Tuesday (January 11), AB decided to film around the Kidderminster area, including the police station.
In the video, he notices the blue gate on Broomfield Road and wonders if it's the back of the police station. He says he was not filming at this point.
Two women, who later reveal themselves to be police officers in plainclothes, follow AB back to the front of the police station.
He filmed an electric police car at the front of the station before approaching the two officers himself.
The officers said they followed AB because he was filming the station and then questioned him.
AB said: “You know you caused me alarm and distress with all this following.”
DC Bills then replied: “And you’re causing me alarm and distress because I work in that building and I want to know why you’re filming it.”
Two more officers, in uniform, then approach the group and question AB about filming around the station.
AB says he was “making a video of the police” and filming “matters of public interest.”
After an argument, AB asked if he was being detained. DC Bills later said she was detaining him under the Terrorism Act, but did not say under which section of the act.
She said: “Are you failing to give your name and address? Because the next step is to arrest you – it’s as simple as that.”
AB insisted that the officer needed to tell him what section of the Terrorism Act she was detaining him under.
DC Bills added: “You’ve got two options, give us your details, or you get arrested.”
AB says he believes the section of the Terrorism Act they are referring to is section 43.
He said: “Section 43 of the Terrorism Act does not require me to give you my name and address."
He was then handcuffed by officers, taken to the police station, and the filming was stopped.
Later in the video, AB said: “I couldn’t believe it. I did not expect that at all, definitely not from West Mercia Police.
“Especially after I made the civil claim against them and I actually won.”
When he was taken into custody he says a police officer, who previously detained AB after filming Redditch Station, arrived at the station.
He then claimed officers “locked me in for five hours.”
“The thing that annoyed me the most is the fact that they didn’t let me make a phone call", he added.
“I did tell them I’ve got a dependant and it’s important I make a phone call just to inform somebody.
“They said what’s the number we’ll do it themselves.”
He claims that the police didn’t make a phone call. He says he was later released without charge.
He ended his video by saying: "West Mercia Police I will see you in court."
We are aware of videos circulating that have involved West Mercia Police officers speaking to members of the public while being filmed.
— West Mercia Police (@WMerciaPolice) January 13, 2022
One of the incidents resulted in an arrest being made.
We will review the incidents and capture the learning to share with our officers. pic.twitter.com/8WU5VThYZK
Following the upload of the video, West Mercia Police said in a statement: "We are aware of videos circulating that have involved West Mercia Police officers speaking to members of the public while being filmed.
"One of the incidents resulted in an arrest being made.
"We will review the incidents and capture the learning to share with our officers."
READ MORE - Police apologise to YouTuber arrested after filming station
West Mercia Police have since issued an apology to the YouTuber.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel