- MUSLIM BUSINESSMEN FROM CARDIFF HAD ATTENDED MOHAMUD HASSAN PROTEST AND SHINED A LIGHT AT THE POLICE AS PART OF A COLLECTIVE ACTION TO HIGHLIGHT THE CASE
- HE SAYS SOUTH WALES POLICE OFFICERS TURNED UP AT HIS DOOR AT 9AM, PULLED HIM FROM HIS BED AND ARRESTED HIM
- HE SAYS THE POLICE ARE ‘CRACKING DOWN’ BUT HE WON’T STOP FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE, AS CAMPAIGNERS SAY ALUN MICHAEL MUST INTERVENE TO STOP ARRESTS.
- BELOW IS THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF THE MAN DESCRIBING THE ORDEAL AT A PUBLIC ‘JUSTICE FOR MOHAMUD’ ZOOM MEETING, ATTENDED BY HUNDREDS ON TUESDAY.
A Muslim businessman from Cardiff says he was dragged from his bed by South Wales Police whilst still in his boxer shorts, and arrested for shining a torch too brightly at an officer during a protest for Mohamud Hassan. He says his parents were in the house at the time when six plain-clothed officers turned up. He was initially taken to Cardiff Bay Police station but was then transferred to Bridgend.
The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, describes being handcuffed in transit and knocked around in the back of a van.
He is part of an increasing number of protesters who campaigners say are being targeted by police following protests over Mohamud Hassan’s shocking death. So far two people have been arrested and another two have been told they must report for interviews with police or face arrest. The allegations range from being ‘verbally abusive’ to ‘obstructing an officer.’ Lee Jasper, representing the family of Mohamud Hassan, says that South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael “must intervene.”
Below is a full transcript of what the man said on Tuesday evening in a public Zoom call, in an exchange with Black Lives Matter Cardiff & Vale activist Hussein Said, who has been working closely with the campaign for justice. voice.wales has confirmed the businessman’s identity but is respecting his request for anonymity.
Hussein Said: And in recent days, the police have been cracking down on those protesters, and have been reviewing footage on the body cam of over two months ago. And I guess they probably quicker to review that footage than they are the footage of when they did Mohamud, which is absolutely disgusting. And we have very, very luckily, one of the protesters that was arrested by South Wales Police, essentially taken violently, using excessive force. So we’re very happy to have him here. We’re obviously not going to name him. He’s going to just talk to us about what happened.
Protester: You know, it’s a very sad story, you know, what happened to my Mohamud. You know, we don’t stand alone on these things. It’s not right at the end of the day. That’s why the police, they’re not good people. And I’ll tell you that for a fact. And I’ve known that for a while. Since I was a kid, since I was the age of 10 years old, I’ve seen police activity. I’m trying to say it’s not nice. I’ve seen them take the piss off my family and take the piss off people I know. It’s not nice.
I’m sorry for my language, but I’m actually lost for words right now because the other day I was arrested by South Wales Police and I was dragged out of my bed. I was actually raided when six plainclothes officers came to my house. They forcefully enter my room. Like I’m not a criminal. I’m actually a businessman. I’ve got an up-coming business and sell shoes. And these guys have come into my room acting like I’m Pablo Escobar, dragged me on my bed. Like for something that deserves to be spoke about.
Justice needs to be served. At the end of the day, I was [at the protest] for that reason. And the end result was South Wales Police showed injustice again by taking me out my bed forcefully. There is no reason for that, I was in my boxers. It’s probably funny right now, but it was 9am in the morning. What? What is that about? Honestly, I’m telling everyone here, those who are protestors. Those who are actually known to the police or not, your face was on camera. You guys need to watch out because these guys are cracking down. And they will come to your house, they will pay you a visit. Whether your mum’s there, whether your mum’s not there. They don’t give, you know, mind my language, they don’t give a shit.
These guys will come after you. And the stuff they done to Mohamud they can do it to anyone else. Because the way he tracked on my face. Like I’m some criminal. That was not right, first, but then he took me to Cardiff Bay police station and said you’re not staying here. You have to go to Bridgend police station. Why do I have to go to Bridgend police station? It doesn’t make sense. I was in the back of the van in handcuffs. And I’m going flying everywhere on the motorway, you get what I’m trying to say? I’m trying to say it’s not nice. I’m trying to speak as formal as I can right now. I’m a bit angry. When I get angry I can get out of tone.
So do mind my language if I do say anything. But at the end of the day, like I was there strictly for Mohamud, nothing else. I spoke up on the mic as well. I called off South Wales Police actually, all the corrupted police officers in South Wales Police. And for that reason these guys have showed me injustice. They showed injustice once again, forcefully coming into my house. What was the reason? Is there any reason for them to do that?
I’m going to remain anonymous for one reason I do not want the police coming into my house again because I have family there. It’s a bit weird when you have plainclothes police officers, there’s no uniforms or anything these guys come in like detectives. I’m lost for words right now.
Hussein: What did they say to you when they took you?
Protester: First of all they were trying to get me done for assault because I shined my torch in the police officers eyes. “PC Wilson” apparently is claiming that he was blinded by my torch light, which was actually on the lower setting on my iPhone. On the new setting on the iPhone, you can change the torch settings to low and high. So obviously I turned my torch on low, but it wasn’t like it was on high. So I pointed it at them, because everyone was supposed to shine their lights on the police. Obviously I’ll do it again. I’ll do it again. A million times. I don’t care that some of those police officers want to drag me out of my bed again. Come on, I’m waiting for them. How is my man trying to claim that got blinded by an iPhone torch?
Hussein: This is something that was happening to other people as well. People are being accused of trying to blind these officers with a torch.
Protester: I’m gonna say one thing to you, when the police officer stop and search young kids every single day in Cardiff, London, wherever it is, yeah? And they shine the torches in their eyes. Isn’t that not blinding them? Are we claiming to be blinded by the lights and stuff? We have to go through that most days. You see these police officers every day even if we’re not doing anything wrong. I’m telling you this right now. I’m not doing anything wrong.
Like I’m doing something good for my life. Maybe in the past I’ve had run-ins with the police. But that doesn’t give them no right come to my house and in front of my family dragging me to the fucking van. I’m sorry for my language, but it’s wrong. And for something that we have to stand up for. If we’re not standing up for Mohamud, who’s gonna stand up for him?
Look at his family, his family must be devastated. I heard his cousin speak and I wanted to cry, because I’ve lost my cousin as well. It’s not easy. When you lose a family member is not easy. I want to cry because I can feel the hurt, you don’t want to see it. This is what South Wales Police are making families go through that every single day. They might not be killing people every single day. But they’re dragging people out of their houses on a daily basis in front of their families, for them doing small crimes. The brothers just don’t speak up, man, you can ask any problem. You can ask any brother and they’ve had a run-in with the police.
Hussein: It’s not even just for crimes. This is not even a crime. The biggest criminals are the police as we know. They do what they want and we can’t do anything about it. When we do anything, they’ll come for us, and they’ll drag us out of bed. And they’ll take us to the police station. And at the sharp ends, they murder people, they murder people like Mohamud. I said before you can protest outside the police station every single day, 365 days a year, and you’ll always be in the right, because the police are doing this constantly. And we’re so happy to come to speak to you. It’s very brave of you, it’s really difficult. Solidarity brother, we’re with you. And we’ll still be fighting and you’ll be fighting by our side for Mohamud.
Protester: I’ll be fighting. I’ll be fighting. Even if they send me to jail. I’ll never back down from the police. Why? Because I only fear Allah, remember that. I know a lot of people might be thinking, well, what’s this guy talking about? I’m telling you this because it’s a fact. I only fear Allah. And every single person Muslim should only fear him. Because if anything does happen to us it’s written for us.
Hussein: I appreciate that brother. 100% solidarity to you. What’s the next steps?
Protester: Well, I’m going to court soon, I don’t really want to reveal the date. I don’t want to get a lot of other people involved. I don’t want to make a big scene about it. I came on here anonymous to tell my story so the brothers here can hear this and understand that they are coming for people. So you have to be alert at all times. I’m here as a member of the community, as a member of Grangetown docks, Riverside, all of us need to stand together. Because at the end of the day, you know, we’re all brothers and sisters, we all look out for each other.
Hussein: Yeah, that’s exactly why it’s so great to be here. We’ll be standing with you. The family support you, you support the family. We’ll be with you through it, but just to echo those sentiments, the police are coming to people. But let’s not be intimidated, because these are intimidation tactics. They came to one of the houses of one of our organisers…
Protester: Never be intimidated, let them come to your house. Let them do this, let them do that. Remember this, they’re the mugs at the end of the day. They’re the mugs, you’ve done something right and you’re getting arrested for it. You might as well be proud of yourself. You’ve pissed them off that much, you’ve hurt them that much. They understand that they’re wrong so they’re coming for you. Because, you know, when someone’s lying and you catch them out they get angry, don’t they? That’s what the police are doing. We caught them out lying and they’re coming at us.
The activist was speaking at a public online meeting for the justice for Mohamud Hassan campaign, which was held on the two month anniversary of the young Black man’s death following contact with South Wales Police. Hassan returned home from police custody on 9th January with facial injuries and blood stained clothes.
Family witnesses say Mohamud described being subjected to excessive force by the cops. It was later revealed that 52 officers came into contact with the 24 year old and one officer is now being investigated for misconduct over the death. An inquest was opened last week, but will take several months to deliver its findings.
Four days of angry protests erupted after the death and two subsequent ones have been held, to mark the one month anniversary and also against SWP’s refusal to suspend the officer under a misconduct investigation. Mohamud Hassan’s parents are still being refused access to crucial police footage in the hours before his death.
Campaigners are discussing the prospect of a major justice march in Cardiff later in the year.
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