• Met Police self-referred to watchdog after wrongful arrest in Croydon bus fare evasion incident.
• Woman released after confirming she had paid for her ticket.
• Incident occurred during joint operation with TfL inspectors on Whitehorse Road.

The Metropolitan Police has voluntarily referred itself to the police watchdog following an incident in Croydon, south London, where a woman was wrongfully accused of bus fare evasion and arrested in front of her son.

Video footage of the incident showing the woman shouting as two officers handcuffed her received criticism on social media. The woman was subsequently released after it was confirmed that she had indeed paid for her ticket. The Met stated that the video captured only a part of a broader incident.

During a joint operation with Transport for London (TfL) inspectors on Whitehorse Road, Croydon, police officers encountered an incident involving a woman who had left the bus without complying with a revenue inspector’s request to verify her fare payment.

When the police asked her to stop, she allegedly attempted to walk away and displayed abusive behavior. As a result, she was arrested on suspicion of fare evasion and detained.

The incident was captured on video by a member of the public, who questioned the reason for her arrest. After checking her ticket, which was found to be valid, the officers released her by removing the handcuffs.

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