A mum says her teenage sons are simply guilty of going to school after they were pushed against a wall by police officers and arrested.
Her 15-year-old son was put in the back of a police car and thrown in a police cell for two hours while she desperately called to find out where he was.
The youngster and his 13-year-old brother were making their way to school on Monday when they were stopped by rail staff because the younger boy did not have an Oyster card with him.
Shocking mobile phone footage of the incident at Shortlands station, showed the woman's eldest son being held against the wall by several rail staff, while according to other reports an officer had held him by the neck.
Mum Sabreena believes there were many failures and her sons were treated so badly because of the colour of their skin.
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Channel 4)She told Channel 4 news: "I got a call just before 9 o'clock from my 13-year-old son, he was really distressed, he was crying and couldn't speak.
"I don't think anyone should be allowed to take anyone's child off the street and disappear them for two hours."
After being told of her older son's arrest, Sabreena couldn't find him. She said she went to Bromley Police Station and was told he wasn't there.
She started calling other local police stations but there was still no sign.
Two hours later Bromley Police admitted he was with them, at their station.
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Channel 4)Image:
Channel 4)"The last vision I had of my son was him being pushed up against a wall with eight hands on him, and then the police telling me for two hours that they had no idea where he was.
"Every thought as a young black man, he's 6ft four, you just go back to things like George Floyd, you go back to just everything, it's so difficult," the mum added.
"You try so hard to keep them out of certain environments, you try to protect them and I sent them to school."
Sabreena added: "That's all I did. You know, they are guilty of going to school, that's it."
According to the TFL website bus and tram travel is free for under 16s and child fares apply on the tube.
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Channel 4)A British Transport Police spokeswoman said: “Officers were at Shortlands station on the morning of 5 December assisting rail staff as they checked tickets.
“Two teenage boys were stopped by rail staff and one did not show a valid ticket. He was initially arrested on suspicion of fare evasion before being de-arrested at the scene and issued with a penalty fare.
“The second male was arrested on suspicion of common assault and possession of an offensive weapon. He was taken to police custody and was released a short time later with no further action taken against him.
“We are aware of concerns on social media regarding this incident and will be reviewing it fully – looking at CCTV, body-worn camera footage from the involved officers and speaking with our colleagues at Southeastern.
"A senior officer will also be reaching out to the family.”
