An athlete who was allegedly racially profiled during a stop and search two years ago has said he was pulled over for a second time by “seven armed officers” while driving home in London at the weekend.
The Portuguese sprinter Ricardo Dos Santos published a series of tweets and video footage of him being pulled over and questioned by police.
Dos Santos said officers believed he was on his phone when they stopped him and claimed one officer took his baton out of his pocket “out of frustration ready to smash the glass” after not knowing how to open the Tesla car door.
Police said a routine armed patrol had called for further assistance after the car initially failed to stop on request.
Dos Santos said “nothing has changed” since he was pulled over two years ago with his partner, Bianca Williams, and their daughter.
“Not surprised I had to go through this again,” he wrote in a tweet. “Whilst driving home last night 7 armed @metpoliceuk officers stopped me because they thought I was on my phone whilst driving. At their request I pulled over when safe to do so.
“After I stopped two officers ran towards either side of the car, one fist clenched banged on my window and tried opening the car door. Not knowing how to use a Tesla handle he took out his baton out of frustration ready to smash the glass.
“Annoyed that 2 years down nothing has changed but they still manage to over police. Why do 7 armed officers need to be present when I was alone. 2 or 3 max would of been enough.”
He later said he had only shared part of the footage on social media as the rest is with his lawyer.
In July 2020, footage of Williams and Dos Santos being searched and handcuffed was widely shared on social media, with Williams later accusing the police of racially profiling them.
After the search, details of the couple’s three-month-old baby were also stored on a police database called Merlin, used to record information on children who become known to the authorities.
In April, police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said an acting police sergeant and four police constables will all face a gross misconduct disciplinary hearing over the incident.
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The Met said the stop this weekend took place as they had been “concerned the driver may be using a mobile phone at the wheel”.
In a statement, the force said: “We are aware of footage on social media showing part of a stop on a car. At about 04.00 hours on Sunday, 14 August, armed officers were on routine patrol in a marked police vehicle.
“They saw a car travelling eastbound on the A40 Westway and were concerned the driver may be using a mobile phone at the wheel.
“The officers clearly indicated for the car to pull over but it failed to do so and they called for further assistance. The driver stopped about five minutes later in Orsett Terrace W2, and the officers spoke to him about why they wanted to stop the vehicle.
“Following the conversation the vehicle was allowed on its way. We have since contacted the driver via Twitter to invite him to contact us if he would like to discuss this matter further.”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/aug/14/sprinter-ricardo-dos-santos-pulled-over-by-police-in-london-for-second-time
