Video emerges showing police officer grip Sussex student by the throat

Another student was forcefully pushed onto a police car bonnet


TW: police brutality

Over the past few days, videos have been posted online showing two Sussex students involved in a police incident on campus.

The videos, posted on The Sussex Tab’s Instagram, show one girl being forcibly pushed onto a police car bonnet by police officers whilst campus security stand by. Onlookers can be heard shouting “what are you doing” and “don’t handle her like that”.

The second clip shows a male student outside the East Slope residences being tackled by two police officers who seem to hold the student by his neck before falling into a bush attempting to restrain him.

One student present for the incident explained that the police were acting on a noise complaint in a different flat, unrelated to the students in the video.

The student told The Sussex Tab: “This all happened over a situation that the police started themselves, by targeting innocent/uninvolved students. Instead of diffusing and handling a situation, they created one and exacerbated it.

“In the end they obviously claimed they solved the situation….. It’s like a fireman starting a fire, putting it out and then claiming victory.”

A spokesperson for the University of Sussex said: “We are very concerned about this incident, both in terms of the young woman concerned and the effect on good community relations.

“Yesterday, we immediately shared the video with Sussex Police to discuss our serious concerns as a matter of urgency and we remain in close contact.

“It is important that Sussex Police are reviewing this, alongside additional footage of the incident, and it will be important to understand the full circumstances.

“The welfare of all our students is our utmost priority and we are committed to this. If anyone is directly affected by these issues, please contact the Student Life Centre.” Vice-Chancellor Adam Tickell has also emailed students expressing his concern over this incident.”

The University of Sussex Students’ Union also released a statement on Facebook, expressing their concern over the increasing police presence on campus and including a list of resources for any students affected by this incident.