Police face complaint over arrest of autistic Leeds teenager

Police have received a complaint after a woman said her autistic daughter was arrested for saying a female officer "looked like her lesbian nana".

A video uploaded to TikTok by her mother showed the girl being detained by seven officers outside her home in Leeds early on Monday 7 August.

Officers said she was taken home after reports that she was intoxicated and at risk in Leeds city centre.

West Yorkshire Police said the video showed a "limited snapshot" of events.

The incident was filmed by the teenager's mother and posted with the caption: "This is what police do when dealing with autistic children.

"My daughter told me the police officer looked like her nana, who is a lesbian.

"The officer took it the wrong way and said it was a homophobic comment (it wasn't). The officer then entered my home.

"My daughter was having panic attacks from being touched by them and they still continued to manhandle her."

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said a 16-year-old had been arrested on suspicion of a homophobic public order offence but said the footage "only provides a very limited snapshot of the circumstances of this incident".

The video shows two officers in the hallway of the family's home, while the girl sits in a corner next to a cupboard.

The mother is heard saying: "It's not a homophobic remark, she said 'I think she's a lesbian, like my nana'."

She later says: "You're going to remove her for what, you're bothered she said the word lesbian? Her nana is a lesbian, she's married to a woman.

"She's not homophobic."

More officers arrive and the girl is seen screaming as she is taken away.

West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Oz Khan said: "West Yorkshire Police takes its responsibilities around the welfare of young people taken into custody and around neurodiversity very seriously.

"We also maintain that our officers and staff should not have to face abuse while working to keep our communities safe.

"We are fully reviewing the circumstances of this incident and ask that people avoid reaching any conclusions about it solely on the basis of the social media video."

The force added that the girl was subsequently interviewed with an appropriate adult and had been released on bail pending further inquiries.

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