An armed officer told a witness to stop filming as his friend was being held at gunpoint or his phone "will get seized as evidence".
The comment was made to a man recording from inside a vehicle as his friend was being held against the back of a patrol car on Mulgrave Street, Toxteth, on Monday evening (June 28). Merseyside Police said it had responded to reports of a man with a gun in the area, and said the man the armed officers stopped "matched the description".
Two videos of the incident have since circulated on social media, including one showing a second officer telling the witness: "Can you wind your window up mate? Can you switch your phone off or it will get seized as evidence." The witness asks: "Seized as evidence for what?", but receives no response.
Read more: 'Innocent lad' stopped by armed police says officer 'tightened handcuffs in anger'
The 23-year-old, who gave his name as Mohammed, was with a friend on his way to evening prayers at the Al-Rahma Mosque, in Mulgrave Street, Toxteth, when an armed response unit turned assault rifles on them. The force said the stop, shortly after 9.15pm on Monday (June 27), followed reports from a member of the public that a man had been seen with a gun in his waistband at the nearby junction of Princes Road and North Hill Street.
Merseyside Police initially said the two men had been given advice on what to do if they wished to make a complaint, but the men "did not indicate" they wished to do so. However today the force confirmed it has received two formal complaints in relation to the incident.
The two young men, who had no weapons or other illicit items in their possession, were handcuffed and searched by the armed officers, in an encounter filmed on a mobile phone by a friend. In footage shared on social media an officer can be seen pushing him against the back of a patrol car and telling him to "shut-up", while another officer tells the witness to "stop recording or your phone will be seized as evidence".
Mohammed, in his final year as a business design and management student at Liverpool Hope University, said he was also pulled over for a stop check the following day, but said the officers moved on when his friend told them he "was in the ECHO last night".
Mohammed said: "We were on our way to the mosque, and they stopped us with their guns up.
"You don't have any feelings, you just do what they say. It felt like we were in Russia. I said to them 'I have got nothing on me'. The short officer tightened the cuffs 10 times harder.
"They searched me and told me they were looking for someone who matched my description. I told them I wanted their names and badge numbers."
A local shop worker, who said the two men are regular customers: "They're both good lads, they don't get involved in any silly stuff. They come in here for drinks and crisps and that, and to pick up shopping for their mums.
"They aren't on the wrong path, I know they are studying. But something like this happens it can send you on the wrong path."
Another local takeaway owner said: "I know for a fact they are good lads."
Footage of the incident caused widespread anger and concern after it began circulating on social media, including accusations of "institutional racism" against the force. Kim Johnson, MP for Toxteth, said: "he said: "Seeing the video of last night's stop on Mulgrave Street, I thought I was witnessing an incident on the streets of America, not Liverpool. The firearms teams, the handcuffing of two young black men who were innocent of any offence.
"Yet another time when "you matched the description" was used by the police to intimidate and harass Black men for being Black; yet another time Merseyside police have left young Black people scared and traumatised. This is why I say they are institutionally racist and it is this profiling and scapegoating that needs to change, and change now. I have written to the Chief Constable to ask her what action she is taking."
In a twitter thread, local charity Granby Somali Women's Group said: "We understand an armed response for a report of a firearm is the necessary response, the issue here is the way in which police conduct themselves when following procedure.
"The job of police should be to deescalate the situation not escalate it, officer shouting at young lad off camera and baiting him is not doing that. Police officer shouting at him to 'shut up' in his face so he can explain why he is there is not calmly explaining someone’s rights, the tone and attitude of the police officer is not following procedure.
"Rough handling while in handcuffs, with a taser poised at his back while shouting in his face is not following procedure. The issue is not procedure but how it is performed, even after being aware the wrong boys have been stopped, the behaviour is the same, no apology, no are you ok? Nothing but treated like a criminal from beginning to end...
"Incidents like the one in the video, scar young black males, which leads 2 a negative, hostile relationship with police, which not only makes policing hard in the community but fractures the trust that should be placed in a public serving body."
The force said that having viewed the body worn footage and given the information received from the public it believes the stop search was "justified and appropriate". On Tuesday, Superintendent Diane Pownall said: "We understand the footage of armed officers stopping men on the street can look quite intimidating, but where we have reports of people armed with guns the safety of the public is our paramount concern.
"I have been in touch with our local Councillors and Kim Johnson, MP, who have raised concerns about the armed stop and have invited them to a meeting with myself and area Inspector Dave Uren, so that we can explain what the officers were responding to and why the approach they took was required, whilst at the same time listen to their concerns."
In an updated statement issued on Friday, a spokeswoman said: "We can confirm Merseyside Police’s Professional Standards Department have received two formal complaints relating to the stop search of two men in Toxteth on Monday night (27 June).
"We are liaising with the complainant and will update them on the progress of the investigation into their complaint. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."
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