A woman feeding pigeons in the street was arrested and handcuffed in a “ridiculous” incident caught on camera.
Video posted on social media shows the woman aged in her forties being detained by a group of at least six police officers and council enforcement workers in Harrow, London, on Wednesday.
In the footage captured by a passer-by, the woman looks visibly distressed as she is placed in handcuffs at around 2.30pm on the High Street in Wealdstone, before her pockets are searched. She is then marched by two officers and put in the back of a police van.
The man filming can be heard repeatedly expressing his outrage at the scene, and other passers-by are similarly heard questioning the incident, with one saying “this is ridiculous”.
The local council said the woman was in “breach of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) relating to bird feeding” and issued her with a £100 fine. Anyone in breach of the PSPO must pay a £100 fixed penalty notice, otherwise they may face prosecution.
Police said the woman was arrested after she “repeatedly refused to provide her personal details” when asked by officers, which is an offence.
Once her details were obtained, the force said she was de-arrested, and the matter was passed over to council officers.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “At around 2.30pm on Wednesday 7 January, officers were approached by local council enforcement officers dealing with an anti-social behaviour incident on Wealdstone High Street, Harrow.
“A woman, in her forties, was repeatedly asked to provide her name and address so that a fixed penalty notice could be issued. After speaking with officers for around 20 minutes, she repeatedly refused to provide her personal details.
“She was arrested on suspicion of breaching Section 50 of the Police Reform Act, which requires people to provide their name and address when requested to do so by the police.
“Her details were later obtained, and she was de-arrested and dealt with by council officers.”
A Harrow Council spokesperson said: “There was a breach of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) relating to bird feeding.
“The individual refused to provide their details, which is an offence, and also refused to stop feeding pigeons when asked to do so.
“Our PSPO is in place to help keep our streets clean and safe for everyone, and anyone found breaching these faces a £100 fixed penalty notice.”
