Police Call the Boy Stupid and Gay } Now he is Thousands of $$ Richer
A schoolboy photographer has been paid thousands of pounds in compensation by the police after they wrongfully arrested him claiming he was "running around being stupid and gay”.
11:06PM GMT 12 Dec 2011
Jules Mattsson, 15, was stopped by officers as he was taking photographs of a public military parade during Armed Forces Day.
When he complained, he was told he was a public hazard and that photographing the servicemen amounted to "anti-social behaviour".
But when he demanded further explanation, an inspector told him that he was being silly and "running around being stupid and gay".
Yesterday Mr Mattsson received £4,000 in compensation from the Metropolitan Police and an apology after he recorded on tape the wrongful arrest.
"It was a bizarre and ridiculous situation," said Mr Mattsson.
"I was not doing anything wrong and yet they arrested me. When I complained they came up with this ridiculous explanation.
"It was like being in the schoolyard."
The incident happened when Mr Mattson, now a professional photographer, attended a military parade in Romford, east London, in June 2010.
The police tried to stop him taking photographs saying that he was breaching the privacy of the soldiers.
When he complained that this was not the case, they then said it was "anti-social behaviour" and could constitute a terrorist threat.
Finally when he continued to take photographs, an inspector justified their actions by saying: "You were being silly, you were running around being stupid and gay".
He was arrested for breaching the peace and detained for 15 minutes.
Chez Cotton, his solicitor at the law firm Bindmans, said: "The police had no legal power to stop him photographing in a public place.
"The inspector attempted to justify his actions in shocking and absurd ways.
"The treatment of the police towards our client, a 15-year-old, was shocking. The inspector's comments were designed to belittle.
"Our client politely and reasonably maintained that the police were not entitled to interfere with his right to report."
A letter from the Metropolitan Police said: "The purpose of this letter is to apologise on behalf of the Metropolitan Police Service for the distress you have suffered as a result of police actions.
"The MPS confirms its recognition that freedom of the press is a cornerstone of democracy and that photographers have a right to report freely.
"The MPS recognise that on 26 June 2010 they failed to respect press freedom in respect of yourself.”
Roy Mincoff, the legal officer at the National Union of Journalists, said: “This was very poor and unlawful behaviour by a senior police officer, trying to intimidate a young NUJ photographer.
"It is not acceptable conduct, has no place in the police force and is hardly likely to gain respect for the police amongst the youth of the UK."
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