Sainsbury’s has started an urgent investigation after a security guard was caught on video punching a young shopper in a London store before claiming he was "stealing".
The footage was shared on social media and shows a young man being approached by a guard wearing a high vis top.
To the shock of the person recording the video and other shoppers nearby he lands a punch on the young man’s face, knocking him backwards.
He is quickly joined by another guard who places himself in front of the struck shopper.
As he is confronted by the person recording the footage he checks he is on camera before adding: “I punch him?
“It’s all on camera, so then he punched me first. He is stealing.
“If he pushed me first, then he pushed me first.”
Another guard attempts to calm the situation by saying “no one punched”.
The footage was shared on Instagram.
The user wrote: “Please everyone share this video I want it to go viral, I want that security guard to be sacked for punching two boys in their faces.
“He wrongly accused two young school kids of stealing from @sainsburys in Elephant & Castle. I was pushed and also accused of stealing because I helped the two young black boys and I was the only other person really of colour to step in and help them.
“They were wrongly accused of stealing when all they were doing was getting their bikes and therefore they was stop and harassed, so one boy pushed the security guard off him then he was assaulted multiple times because they was too young black boys basically.
“I’m sick of seeing black kids being hurt and nobody stands up for them…well not today I’m not having it. I want something done.”
“He was the most rudest guy I’ve met doing a job for a reputable company like Sainsburys.”
The user vowed to never shop in Sainsbury’s again following the altercation.
She added she saw the young man from the video afterwards and he was “okay”.
Several people congratulated the user for standing up for the man.
One said: “Yeeeeeess Queen you handled this very well and even though angry you articulated yourself clearly for him to know!
“Grateful you were there to capture and to stop it getting any worse cos you know what would have happened if Police turned up.”
Another replied: “Well done for standing up for these boys! This is disgusting behaviour and makes be so angry how he’s trying to justify it.
“Totally unacceptable. That better be that security guard’s first and last day!
“We all need to be looking out for our young kings and queens!”
A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: "We are urgently investigating this incident."
