Sex Education actor Reece Richards has said he is "still in shock" after he claimed he had been sprayed with an incapacitating liquid by police in an "unlawful arrest".
Richards thanked fans for their support in an Instagram post today, after he claimed in a previous video he was thrown to the ground and kicked by officers in Fulham, west London, earlier this month after being mistaken for a suspect, and claimed he "didn't fit the description of the suspects".
The actor, who played Eugene in the hit Netflix series, went on to say he was "still trying to figure this out" and added he "wasn't expecting this much support". He said in a post on his Instagram story: "I just wanted to say a massive thank you for the support, and the outpour of love that everyone has shown."
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"Sorry I haven't said anything or got back to anyone, I'm still trying to figure this out, it's just weird. I guess I'm still in shock and I don't know how to navigate the situation, but first and foremost I just wanted to say thank you to everyone. I wasn't expecting this much support, I'm just in shock about the whole thing. My mind is a little bit scattered but just thank you and stay safe."
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), said it received a complaint from the West End star on Thursday and will "decide if any further action is required from us" after Richards said he was only stopped because he was black.
The actor said the incident happened "just yards from my front door" after he had finished performing in a production of Hairspray The Musical. Loose Women star Brenda Edwards, who is the director of the show, alleged he was "racially profiled and violated" in an Instagram post.
In an earlier Instagram post, Richards said: "I had just finished performing in Hairspray The Musical when a car crashed near me." The star explained that two men jumped out of the vehicle so he pointed out to the police the direction in which they had fled. The officer then shouted to Richards that he was under arrest and "demanded" he get to the ground, according to the actor.
"I was confused, unable to understand why I was suddenly being treated like a criminal," he said. "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. Moments later, three more officers ran at me. 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. After reviewing bodycam footage, they (the police officers) agreed to release me," he said.
The arrest took place on September 4 between 12.38am and 2.30am, according to Richards. A video, shared by Richards and Edwards, appears to show a number of police officers holding an individual to the floor.
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