Police have interviewed a man under caution after video emerged of an altercation between a member of staff and a customer at a shop in Peckham.
Viral footage of the incident at Peckham Hair and Cosmetics on Rye Lane on Monday afternoon appeared to show a member of staff grappling with a woman while she asked for the police to be called.
It has since been viewed more than a million times.
On Wednesday morning, police said a 45-year-old man was interviewed under caution over the incident. A 31-year-old woman who was arrested on suspicion of assault has been bailed pending further enquiries.
It comes after shop owner Sohail Sindho claimed the woman in the footage attempted to take items from the shelves and walk out in a refund row, and that she was “detained”.
However, eyewitness Edilenny Douteo, 18, who filmed the footage claimed the staff member “became aggressive” and “strangled” the customer.
“I saw the guy becoming aggressive, and he has strangled her very, very badly,” she told the Mirror.
“As you can see in the video. He has strangled her and he dragged her into the shop and she tried to take him away from her but she couldn’t.”
But Mr Sindho told MyLondon: “So the thing is like, when I was neutralising her, I don’t know what time my hand goes on her neck.
“The thing is, like when you...are in a [scuffle] you don’t know where you’re holding.
“When, where if you see the video - so when I was holding from the back to hold on - but even though like when I left her, she was hitting me when I left her.”
A protest was called outside the shop on Tuesday afternoon, with demonstrators holding up placards reading: “Keep your hands off black women!”
A further demonstration may take place on Saturday.
Detective Chief Superintendent Seb Adjei-Addoh, local policing commander for Southwark, said: “I would like to thank local people for their patience as we work to establish the full circumstances around the allegations made.
“We continue to examine various clips of footage that depict small sections of the wider incident and are working to establish what offences were committed and by whom.
“My officers will be patrolling Rye Lane today to provide reassurance to the community – I know that this incident will cause concern and I urge anyone who is worried to speak with their local policing team or with officers on patrol.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “I know Londoners are concerned by the recent events in a shop in Peckham. I’m in touch with the Met Police and am urgently seeking further information.”
