Sex Education star is ‘pepper sprayed and kicked by police’ in front of his screaming mother as he accuses Met of ‘racial profiling’ and ‘unlawful arrest’

This is the moment an actor has claimed he was pepper-sprayed and had his legs kicked from under him by police officers in front of his crying mother.   

Reece Richards, who played Eugene on the hit Netflix show Sex Education, accused the Met Police of ‘racial profiling’ and claimed he was the ‘victim of an unlawful arrest’ in Fulham, West London, on September 4.

He says he was wrongly detained after witnessing a car crash in the early hours of the morning while returning home from performing in Hairspray the Musical in the West End.

Officers were pursuing three men who had run out of the car which crashed after failing to stop for police.

Mr Richards said he saw the men flee the crash ‘just yards’ away from his home but officers mistook him as one of the suspects and he was arrested.

However, the officers dearrested him when it was clear he was an innocent bystander.

The Met Police confirmed it had received a complaint over the arrest which was being investigated by its Professional Standards department. However, no officers have been suspended or taken off duty over the incident.

Reece Richards, who played Eugene on the hit Netflix show Sex Education (pictured above), accused the Met Police of ‘racial profiling’

The actor appeared to be told to ‘stay where you are’ by an officer threatening him with pepper spray in in footage captured nearby and later posted to Instagram

The actor claims he was wrongly arrested after witnessing a car crash in the early hours of the morning while he was returning home from performing in Hairspray the Musical in the West End

The actor, who said he alerted officers to the direction the fleeing men, appeared to be told to ‘stay where you are’ by an officer threatening him with pepper spray in footage captured nearby and later posted to Instagram.

He added that he was then ‘kicked’ and ‘handcuffed’ with the footage showing the officers on top of him.

I was confused, unable to understand why I was suddenly being treated like a criminal. Calmly, I explained that I was a performer returning from a show, but one officer yelled, “Get to the floor or I’ll pepper spray you 

In a statement posted alongside the video, Mr Richards wrote: ‘They pepper-sprayed me, kicked my legs out from under me, threw me to the ground, and handcuffed me. 

‘In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground. 

‘I was already injured from the show, but having four officers on top of me worsened my injuries to my back, ribs, and stomach. 

‘I couldn’t see anything, but I could hear my mum nearby, screaming and crying, begging them to let me go.’

The actor says he was placed under arrest after telling officers the direction of where one of the men was fleeing from the alleged car crash

 The Met Police confirmed it had received a complaint over the arrest which was being investigated by its Professional Standards department. However, no officers have been suspended or taken off duty over the incident

While under arrest he asked his mum to call family-friend Brenda Edwards, the director of Hairspray and well-known TV host.

He claimed that after Ms Edwards arrived at the scene around 20 minutes later the officer’s attituded shifted ‘immediately’.

Mr Richards added: ‘That feeling of helplessness will never leave me. 

‘I’ve been stopped and searched before, but never have I been arrested or treated like this.’

During the arrest, he was on FaceTime with some of the cast from Hairspray which is currently performing in. 

‘The whole experience was embarrassing, deeply upsetting, and exhausting,’ he added.

‘It has left me questioning everything I thought I knew about justice. Suddenly, my understanding of right and wrong feels completely upended.’

A spokesperson for the Met Police told MailOnline: ‘We are aware of a video circulating on social media of a man being detained in the Fulham area. 

‘Officers often find themselves in dynamic, challenging situations and have to make split-second judgements on which course of action to take.

‘Officers had been pursuing three men who had run out of a car that had crashed in Fulham Palace Road after it failed to stop for police. 

‘It is clear the man shown in the footage was an innocent bystander and he was dearrested as soon as this was established by officers at the scene.

‘All officers know any use of force must be proportionate and reasonable and they understand their actions will be scrutinised.

‘A complaint has been received in relation to his arrest. 

‘This is currently being assessed by officers from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS), along with other material including the officers’ body worn video footage.

‘None of the officers involved are subject to restrictions at this time.’

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been contacted by MailOnline.