A police officer is under investigation after a video emerged on social media showing him punching a disabled man in a wheelchair.
Witnesses were shocked to see the officer 'pushing and hitting' the one-legged man as he sat in his chair in St Peter's Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Norfolk Police said the incident happened after the officer was threatened with a bottle and spat at by a 'verbally abusive' man in the street just after 5.15pm on Monday.
Police confirmed that a “thorough investigation into the circumstances” was being conducted “including a review of the officer's body-worn video.”
The matter has been referred to the force's Professional Standards department and will also be referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Bystanders said the man in the wheelchair was standing in the middle of the road with a bottle in his hand alcoholwhen the police officer arrived on the scene.
They said the man moved as if he was about to stand up before the officer grabbed the bottle and began “pushing and hitting” him.
A police officer is under investigation after a video emerged on social media showing him punching a disabled man in a wheelchair
A passerby's video showed the officer pushing the man back into the doorway of a Londis store as he cowered in his seat.
Justin Fenn, manager of the Londis store, said his CCTV cameras had filmed the incident from several angles.
He said: 'The police officer stopped and the man waved a bottle. He has just tipped the contents and is waving it, which is immediately confrontational for the police officer.
“I can only imagine that the police officer asked him to move, and he just wants to have a fight. He screams and screams.
'[The police officer] got the pepper spray. He asks for help [via his radio set] because he [man in wheelchair] doesn't do anything rational.'
Mr Fenn's footage showed the officer appearing to spray a spray, grabbing the wheelchair and moving it with the man from the road to the pavement, where a scuffle ensued.
He added: '[The police officer] has the bottle, but the man took the CS spray and now the police officer is trying to get it back.
'The man in the wheelchair is in a very controlling position. He got hold of the CS spray and [the officer] does everything he can to get it back.
“The police officer is just defending himself.”
Diari 'Jay' Salih, 40, who runs a barbershop opposite where the altercation took place, said witnesses were shocked by the incident.
He said he approached the police officer and told him to stop after seeing the man being pepper-sprayed.
Mr Salih added: 'No one is happy about this. I can't get the image out of my head. People around here don't feel safe with the police now.'
Carla Carvalho, 43, who works at a nearby business, described how the man in the wheelchair “stood in the middle of the road, dancing and singing and completely happy when the police officer came to stop him.”
She told the BBC: 'He tried to get up with a bottle of beer in his hand and I think the police officer thinks he was going to throw the bottle at him. Then in the video you see the police officer slap him.
“Whatever they say to each other, I don't know, but he doesn't have to do this. He would have to wait for others [police officers].'
Another woman who works nearby said: 'The man in the wheelchair is around here often. Everyone knows him here.
'He had a bottle of alcohol in his hands. He was standing in the middle of the street. The police officer came around the corner and pushed him to the corner.
'The man in the wheelchair made a movement as if he was standing up. Then the police officer started pushing and hitting.”
She added that a van with more police then arrived and the man in the wheelchair was eventually arrested.
Another woman said the man in the wheelchair did not appear armed and that his bottle was not broken.
The video has been shared widely on social media and drawn responses from users who criticized the officer's use of force and others who defended him.
One user said: 'This certainly doesn't happen on our streets in Britain', while another added: 'No words'.
A comment on Norfolk Constabulary's Facebook page added: 'Total loss of control on behalf of your officer.
“The guy had one leg, so I'm sure the officer could have easily restrained him!”
Witnesses were shocked to see the officer 'pushing and hitting' the one-legged man as he sat in his chair in St Peter's Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
But another user said: 'The police are there to enforce the law and protect law-abiding citizens from those who want to spread fear and intimidation without consequence.'
A statement from Norfolk Police said: 'Police are investigating the conduct of an officer in Great Yarmouth following the circulation of a video showing the arrest of a man in a wheelchair last night.
'The incident took place at 5.16pm on St Peter's Road in Great Yarmouth when a patrol officer encountered a man on the street who was being verbally abusive.
'During the incident the man threatened him with a bottle and then spat at the officer.'
Local police commander Chief Inspector Matt Dyson added: “We are aware of a video circulating on social media.
“The matter has been referred to the Professional Standards Department and we are conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances, including a review of the officer's body-worn video.
“We will also refer the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
'We recognize public concerns about the level of force used in this incident and this will form part of our investigation.'
Following the incident, a man in his 30s was arrested for a Section 5 public order offense of causing intimidation, alarm or distress and assaulting an emergency worker.
He was taken to Great Yarmouth Police Investigation Center for questioning and remains in custody.
The law allows officers to use “reasonable force” in carrying out their law enforcement role.
This provision falls under section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967, which states: 'A person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime, or in procuring or assisting the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected criminals. trespassers or of persons unlawfully walking about in general.'
Norfolk Police said: 'Anyone with any information relating to the incident or the footage should contact [email protected] quoting reference: NC-20052024-329.'